The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-20
Charges Preferred Against
Detective Haberliu Were
Heard Last Night.
A Special Meeting of the Board
of Aldermen Held For
That Purpose.
MANY WITNESSES TESTIFIED.
The Officer Was Charged With Brutal Treat
nent In Making an Arrest-Much Interest
Manifested In Outcome Of the Matter.

The Board of Aldermen met last evening
TO consider the charges preferred by Will
liam Smith against Detective John Haber-
lin, who, he charged, had used unneces-
sary violence in arresting him on the
afternoon of Feb. IL. The circumstances
of the arrest are still fresh in the minds of
the public. How Smith pawned suit OF
clothes for 81 at the Hub Loan Company's
establishment, and the detective consider
ing his actions suspicious and not receiv-
ing satisfactory replies to his inquiries
placed the prisoner under arrest, and In
SO doing was obliged to call on a citizen
for aid.
The aldermanic chamber was crowded
by those interested In the case, and even
the stairway leading to the lower hoor
was packed by those whose curiosity had
caused them to stand packed together like
sardines in the hope of hearing something
sensational or unusual. In this, however,
they were disappointed. Every member
of the Board was present, Alderman Ed
ward O'Brien excepted. Mayor Davis sat
on the right of President Thayer and City
Solicitor Jenks on his left.
The minutes of the last meeting were
read by Clerk Roberts and approved. Presi-
dent Thayer then announced the cause OF
the meeting, and said that charges had
been presented to the Mayor and by him
turned over to the Committee on Police,
who in turn considered them sufficiently
important to bring them before the Board
of Aldermen for hearing and action. Al
derman O'Brien did not consider this pro-
.ceedure proper as the committee should
first receive the charges from the Board.
The President remarked that the commit
tee had thought an investigation necessary
and reported the matter to the Board. Re-
spending to an inquiry as to why the
charges had not been presented on We'd
nesday evening instead of last night, the
presiding officer said that they were not
ready.
The charges and specifications were then
read by the clerk, and Detective Haberlin
acknowledged the summons, making the
reading of them unnecessary. The report
was on motion received. The hearing then
proceeded and William Smith, who pre-
ferred charges, was the first witness. After
being sworn by City. Solicitor jerks he
gave his version of the matter which is
virtually repetition of the charges.
The witness claimed that he was struck
twice, choked in the patrol wagon and
kicked out of it when he arrived at the
station. He was Frenchman and per-
fectly sober when the affair happened,
and had simply asked to see the officers
badge and would have made no objection
and no resistance had he known that the
detective was an officer. In the guard
room of the station he had been struck
several times and the only reply he re-
ceived to the question as to why he was
arrested was to be sworn at. The cross
examination Of the witness by the detec-
tive had no other effect than to make him
more positive in his statements and he
replied to one question by saying that it
was ''no use to make lie of it," He de-
scribed for Alderman O'Brien how the
detective held him by the neck and in
answer to question from Haberlin as to
whom had seen him in the meantime said
that reporter of the Times had. When
asked by the President why he asked the
question the detective said that he pro-
posed to show 'that certain person had
for some real or fancied grievance raked
the town with a fine tooth comb for evil
dence' and that his object was to show
that there was a motive behind the whole
business.
j. w. McGee Of New York was the next
witness sworn and had seen very little OF
the tnssie. Had been told by the "man
on top" in reply to an inquiry as to what
the matter was that he was an officer.
Mr.. MCGEE said that he saw the officer
strike the pavement with the mans head.
DIR. Harrington was called to the stand
and explained how the detective used his
black jack and did not consider that the