The herald., 1897-04-07
The Ex-Officer Has His Say but
Without Avail
SORT OF A SCOTCH VERDICT
POLICEMAN MILLER STILL ON
THE SUSPENDED LIST
The City Auditor Refuses to Allow the
Demands of the Councils Ap-
pointees on the Board of
Health-City Census

All of the members of the police COM
mission were in attendance at the meet
ing In the mayors office yesterday morn
ing. with the exception of Mr.. Winan.
Chief Glass was also present, as was
also ex-Officer O'Reagan, who was very
much in evidence later on during the
session. There was the usual executive
session in the mayors private sanctum,
| in consequence OF which 1t was some
time after the regular meeting hour
when the members came out into the
board room and proceeded with the regu-
lar public business.
The first matter called up was the
suspension of Officer Joseph Miller, who
had been laid off by the chief. After
sustaining the action of the chief, Mil
! Ter was called upon for an explanation.
He stated that gentleman had ap-
preached him on First street and asked
| him to arrest a certain man, whom he
pointed out, stating that the party in
dicated had a stolen watch in his pos
session with a certain mark. The officer.
! inqulring for further information, was
told that Detective Bradish wanted the
man. He lost track of the party. but
jumped on a car and endeavored to
follow He failed to locate the man, so
it is charged, because of his delay in
getting started.
| F. p. Cochran was called upon by the
officer In his own behalf. The witness
stated that he saw Miller standing on
the platform of car going west and
was told by him why he was going. The
90 o. \
the officer waited for II to move
B. Fanta, q pawnbroker, stated that
the party he pointed out to Officer Mil
| Ter had offered him. "a watch for sale
which Detective Bradish had previous
| ly described to him as having been
stolen. He told the party offering 1t
that he didn't care to buy the watch,
and following the man out of the store
pointed him out to Officer Miller. The
latter was very inquisitive and lost time
| in his inquiry. Fanta was positive that
Miller could have captured the man if
he had promptly gone after him..
| Chief Glass testified that officers were
instructed to arrest suspected parties
at once when charged with having COM
r,itted a crime without wasting time in
| examining those making the charges
| until the criminal was in hand.
Both Detectives Bradish and Steele
testified that Miller had stated to them
that he could have captured the burglar
| and only missed him because he would
have had to run to capture him.
Miller positively denied this statement
He knew his duty and would have been
| perfectly willing to run to have cap
tured the man. He did not believe that
he had ever made such a statement as
that attributed TO him.
The commissioners finally decided to
| take the matter under advisement Mil.
N a In bo
suspended list. Commissioner Forman
wanted to drop the officer at once from
| the rolls.
Commissioner Forman moved that IL
cense be granted to the Basket saloon.
NO. l79 North Alameda street, and the
applicants transfer for the license of the
Horseshoe saloon at No. 740 North Ala
media street, be laid over for one week,
both of which motions prevailed
| Commissioner Forman, as chairman Of
the special committee on the hearing of
| cx-Officer O'Regan, reported that testi-
mony taken yesterday went to show that
while on the force the officer had entered
saloon contrary to rules and had taken
drink of something, it couldn't be def
nitely proved what-whether 1t was
whisky or some other liquor. The COM
mittee, however, found him guilty of the
charge preferred.
O'Regan then addressed the commits
sion, saying that he had three witnesses
| to one to prove that on the occasion
named he did not take drink, but SIM
| ply took cigar. He said that he knew
he should not have been In the saloon,
but he denied that he was taking drink,
and he wanted to be exonerated from
that charge.
The report OF the committee was
adopted. but on O'Regans insisting that
| he should be exonerated formally from
nh Of 6vfn "A M a., o,l<
McLain made motion to that effect,
and he and the mayor voted, for 1t, Com
missioners Forman and Preuss voting
! In the negative.
| When the result was announced, the
ex-officer. who IL Glrost giant In sise
became very angry. He said that he did
not wish to be reinstated as a member
| of the police force, but he did want to be
] exonerated from the charge Of drinking
while on duty. He insisted on talking,
when Commissioner Forman quietly re-
marked that as the matter had been dis
| posed of he did not see any use of taking
up the commissions time any further
and he for one did not wish to hear any
more. This aroused the wrath of ORE
| gan, and, glaring at General Forman, he
said: II you refuse to clear me from the
charge, brand you as the daddy Of the
A. r. AS"
At this point Chief Glass interposed
and laid hands on O'Ragan for the pur-
pose of evicting him bodily. when the de-
scendant of hundred kings proudly re-
marked that he needed no assistance
from the chief of police" but would so
out himself. He strode toward the door,
the chief toQlowing, and passed out, but
when the chief tried to shut the door he
found the O'Regan Cinderella lodged fn
the way. After holding his ground until
he had demonstrated that mo one could
put him out" the foot was Withdrawn,
the door closed and the incident ended.
Commissioner Forman stated that
several applicants Tor appointment to
the pohce force had sworn that they
were not over IS years Of age. while on
the great register they were recorded as
above that age. He moved, that these
parties who had made such contrary
afhlayitp be called before the board to
eHtiain themselves The motion car
rted.
1he application OF Fred Hoppe for I
trahsfef cf*the saloon licente from c. 3.