The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-05-20
OFFICER TAYLOR'S CASE.
TRUSTEES INVESTIGATE CHIEF
DIVERS CHARGES.
The Chief is Sustained and Taylor
Reinstated, 1t Being the Re-
suit of a Misunderstanding.

On the 10Th inst. Chief of Police
DWyer preferred charges Of insubordi-
nation against Officer V. +. Taylor,
specifying that he left his beat with
out permission, in violation of the rules
made for governing the department
A called meeting of the Board or
Trustees was held for the purpose OF
investigating the charges last night
and resulted in the dismissal Of the
charges, the sustaining of Chief DWyer
in suspending the officer pending IN
Yestigation and in the reinstatement OF
the officer.
Trustee Tebbets occupied the chair,
and beside him Trustees Mckay,
Brown, Kent, Paine, Dolan. Douglas
and Devine were present.
Chief of Police Dwyer was the first
witness called. He testified that on the
10Th inst. he had suspended Officer
Taylor. He had made a rule that all
officers leaving their beats should re-
port in to the Sergeant in charge. Tay-
lor, he said, left his beat without re-
porting in, and for that reason he had
suspended him. He had no personal
feeling against officer Taylor, and had
ever treated him as we'll as any officer
on the force.
Chief Dwyer explained that no hours
were specified in which officers should
get their meals and that the only re-
Quirement was that they should report
TO the Sergeant in charge upon start
ing and returning, and this Taylor did
not do All officers, he said, are ent-
tied to an hour in which to get their
meals, and in case an officer was on
beat six and far out he would be al
lowed more time.
Trustee Tebbets inquired whether or
not Taylor had been in the habit or
taking his lunch at about o'clock IN
the morning. Chief Dryer did not
know, but did know that on the morn
ing specified in the charges he was III
front of the Record office on
Third street, and that he had not re-
ported in before going there. He eX-
planned that beat six comprises all that
territory in the city east OF TWeltth
street.
The witness said all he expected OF
his officers was that they obey the reg
ulations and the rules laid down by him'
and the rules. which had been verbally
given to the force, provided that they
should report by telephone to the cen
trail office every two hours, and when
they left their beats The witness said
he had high personal regard for ON
Ger Taylor He thought the rule pro-
viding for reports being made had not
been bulletined.
Chief DWyer was questioned by Cor
poration Counsel Devine and by most
of the members of the board, but no
other facts were brought out
when officer Taylor started in to cross
examine the witness he was informed
bv Trustee Tebbets that the Board OF
Trustees would ask the questions, but
that he could be sworn and TESTIFY.
Taylor was accordingly Sworn"
He testified that on the night in ques-
ton he went on duty at o'clock, and
at / o'clock in the morning, or shortly
afterward, he came down town, got a
paper from the Record Union office.
and then got his breakfast at the Pal
ace Restaurant on K street
The witness said orders had been
given in March for officers to report in
when they left their beats. Early IN
April he had reported in to Sergeant
Plunkett on two or three occasions. On
one of these Plunkett had replied that
he had no authority to receive Such Il
report. and that so far as he knew OH
GERS were not obliged to report in when
they went to lunch. Acting on that IN
formation. he had thereafter thought 1t
useless 0 report in.
The witness said the rule was that
every officer should have an hour IN
which to eat lunch. On the night specl-
fed in the charges he had reported IN
TO Sergeant Plunkett from his beat at
or about O'Clock in the morning. AS
the night force is relieved at O'CLOCK
he had but one hour left in which to
take his lunch, and he took it, and dld
not ring in that he intended to do so,
though he did ring in at O'Clock Tor
orders.
The witness said that while on beat y
he took from 4 to ; o'clock each morn
ing for lunch hour, as by so doing II
saved him from walking two extra
miles in going to and returning from
lunch. After lunch he always reported
off duty at headquarters.
The witness said he knew of the or
der for officers to report in before IeaV-
inc their beats, but did not know that
il applied when going to lunch. There
were no restaurants or hotels on beat
6 that were open all night.
Night Sergeant ). }. Plunkel was
the next witness. He testified that
Taylor's statement that early in Aprh
he Plunkett) had told him that ne
knew of no authority compelling ofhcers
to report in before going to lunch was
true.
At this point Chief Dwyer INTERCEPTED
an explanation that Plunkett's nights
are long and short-one beginning at o.
lArT h
1t possible that the order for reporting
in when going to lunch had been given
on one of his short nights, before he
took charge of the office.
Sergeant Plunkett got no further
Trustee Devine and all the other Trus-
tees had heard all that they wished to
hear in the matter. Devine said he be-
ueved in sustaining the Chief of Police