The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-18
Will Be HEARD.
Charges Preferred Against
Detective Haberlin.
Accused of Making Unnecessary
Violence in Making an Arrest.
William Smith Is the Complainant and Both
Sides viii Be Heard Tomorrow Evening.

There will bs hearing tomorrow even
ing by the Aldermanic Committee on
Police on the charges preferred against
Detective John f. Haberlin by William
Smith, who was arrested by said officer on
Feb. IL. The charges, which state Smiths
side of the affair, are as follows:
To Hon. John w. Davis, Mayor of the City of
Pawtucket:
Respectfully represents william Smith, at
present resident of the city of Pawtucket,
county OF Providence, State OF Rhode Island,
that he desires tn prefer charges OF conduct
unbecoming an officer and unnecessary vio
lence To a prisoner, in violation of Rule OF
the police regulations, against John n. Haber-
lin, police officer of the city of Pawtucket
for having, without cause, violently and
brutally assaulted him on the eleventh day
of February inst the following being the
specifications, to wit:
Specification l-Said Smith was peaceabIy
standing In the store occupied by the Hub
Loan Company on Broad street, in said city,
transacting business of his own, when said
Haberlin, who wore no uniform and showed
no badge, and whom Smith did not know to
be police officer, asked him, said Smith,
where he lived. Said Smith replied that he
lived atNo. East avenue. Your complain
ant then left the store and started peaceably
and quietly To walk along Broad street,
northerly, when said Haberlin followed him
and seized him by the collar. Said Haberlin
ordered said complainant To come with him.
The complainant asked said Haberlin
"Where." and said Haberin said, "Come aud
f~show me that number on East avenue. Tho
complainant refused To go with him, not
knowing said IIaberlin To be police officer.
Thereupon said Haberlin struck the com
plainant violent blow in the face, knocked
the complainant down, choked the COM
fha
complainants head against the sidewalk.
Said liaberin then called for assistance, and
another man, not police officer, seized the
complainant. The complainant was then al.
lowed To rise To his feet. Said Haberlin was
| then asked by the complainant To show his
| badge To prove that he had any right to- take
| the complainant, or even IL he said Haber-
| lin, would even say that he was n police
| officer. The complainant said that he would
| go with him peaceably, but said Eaberlin re-
| fused to state.
Specification 2-The complainant further
AYERS that he was taken To the signal box at
the corner of Main and Dexter streets, where
he was seized by II policeman In uniform.
The complainant stood between these two
(said liaberlin and said policeman in uni.
form) and talked to them about the indignity
of his arrest, claiming he was innocent OF
wrong doing. The complainant was not
resisting arrest nor gave any cause for what
said officer, when said Haberlin took from II
pocket billy or "backjack" and struck the
complainant II violent blow with the same
on the head.
Specification 3-The complainant further
AYERS that he was taken To the police station
In the patrol wagon, where he was subject to
other indignitaries by said Ilaberlin Said
Iiaberlin choked the complainant while In
said wagon and kicked the complainant out
of said wagon at said station, although the
complainant did not resist. when in the
guard room of said station, said Haberliu
said to the complainant, "You - -,
are you IA good II man In here as you
were outsider" Said Iaberlin took off his,
said lIaberlin's coat, and struck the com
plainant I'm the face several times, and then
kicked the complainant, who spoke to said
Haberlin, saying: 81 did not know that you
were an officer" Said Haberlin replied
"You - - -, you know 10 now, doat
you?"
Your complainant therefore prays your
honor Ia consider these charges and tn take
such action as may be i'm your spower to
secure the arrest of said Haberln.
WILLIAM SMITH
paWtucket, r. l., Feb, 10.