The herald., 1897-08-25

at Fourth and Main streets The first
was from Patrolman c. l.. Johnson, who
stated that Sunday, the 22d, about 1874;
in the morning, a telephone message was
received at the police station saying
there was fight going on in the saloon
He went down and found a group OF
men on the sidewalk in front of the
place discussing the row, but he was
unable to get inside to learn the partic-
ulars. He could hear people on the in
side and hear the cash register being
worked, so that he was satisfied that
they were doing business inside. There
were also men and women at the back
door trying to get in.
| Immediately upon hearing the officer S
report Mr.. Gibbon broke in with the ex-
clamation, well, that must have been
an inspiring sight-a police officer stand
| ing outside of glass door and, knowing
the law was being violated within, going
away without securing an entrance. l
move that the proprietor of the place
be cited to appear before this commits
sion at its next meeting to show cause
why his license should not be revoked"
This motion was seconded and carried,
and then, following up the matter. Mr.
|
right of the patrolman to force an en-
trance IL necessary, and as to what he,
the chief. would have done in like cir
| cumstanceS.
The chief was free to admit that he
should have gone in. whereupon Mr. Glib
bon moved that Officer Johnson be sus-
pended for ten days. The motion was
seconded by Mr. Preuss but before being
put to a vote Mr.. MeLain interposed.
saying that he thought it would be no
more than fair that the officer should be
given a chance to be heard. On the
vote it was decided that the officer should
stand suspended
officer Tyler reported that the "400''
saloon had for the past ten days been
closing every night at II o'clock except
on Saturday, when they were open all
night. He also reported the fight which
occurred early Sunday morning. The
row was over when he reached the SPOT.
but there was knot of men in front
Of the place being harangued by drum
ken German who was later taken away
by private patrolmab.
A little diversion was here created by
Commissioner Wyman stating that he
had ascertained on reliable authority
that at 9:45 last Sunday evening one of
the police officers had entered the Ar
cade Depot saloon, which at the time
was open and doing business, with sew
eralmen drinking t the bar; that the Off
Ger had used the saloon telephone for the
purpose of reporting to the central sta
ton, and had then accepted a cigar from
the bartender and left, paying no at
tention TO the open violation of the law
going on under his observation. The city
ordinances were made to be enforced
and he moved that the chief be ordered
to investigate, ascertain the officers
name, etc, and report at the next meet
ing, which was carried unanimously.
Then followed long discussion of the
present unsatisfactory method of uni
forming the men. 1t was asserted that
patrolmen were sometimes given poor
cloth; also that there was no regulation
overcoat or regulation macintosh, but
the policemen wore whatever they
pleased or went without Mr.. Preuss
thought that the department should
purchase the materials for uniforms and
overcoats at wholesale prices, and that
the men should be compelled to get their
goods from this stock. He believed this
would be cheaper for the officers and
that they would get better goods.
The following committee was ap
pointed on motion to investigate and re-
port: Messrs. Gibbon McLain, Preuss
and Chief Glass.
Just as the commission was about to
adjourn Chief Glass stepped forward and
asked that if possible Officer Johnson
be not suspended for ten days, as hal
been ordered, but that he be first given a
chance to explain to the commission re-
garding his action or inaction on the
morning in question Mr.. Gbbon re-
piled that while he could not alter his
original opinion that from the officers
own statement he had been guilty of
dereliction of duty, yet he would move
to reconsider.
In substitution for the original m otion,
johnson was directed to appear before
the commission next Tuesday and ex-
plain why he stood outside place when
he was satisfied" the law was being vi
olated within. After taking this action
the commission adjourned, but post
mortenl" was held in the mayors Office
by the members and the chief for half an
hour afterward. To this no reporters
were admitted and the proceedings were
lost to posterity.