Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-12-15
Police officer S. W. Gid
dings Suspended.
AND ALSO REP IMANOED
Tho Fs,ow That ufacer S.rack 4. E Loci NJ
waa an Exp-ns,v- Que to That
Polic- mAn's Feelings
d.. aud Pncketboak.

a liar, Police Officer S. w. G.ddings was
last night suspended by the Board OF
Police Commissioners for thirty days
and severely reprlmanded.
The origin of this excellent officers
difficulties are by this time we'll known
Mr.. Lookins keeps a saloon in Rockets
This saloon the officer pulled one Sun
day in the latter part of November
charging the bartender with selling
liquor on the Sabbath and also that the
house was a disorderly one.
The case came up in the Police Court
r the following Monday and in the course
of the officers testimony Mr.. Lookins
twice intimated that the statement Of
the witness was false. After the evil
dence was in, Lookns and the officer
came on out in the street. and after
some words the officer struck the sa-
loon man and afterwards threw him
down. The officer was taken back be-
fore Justice Brown and fined $3.50 for
his action and then Mr.. Lookins en-
deavored to get the matter before the
Police Board. with the result that the
chief of police preferred two forma'
charges against him. one of violating
that section of the regulations provid-
ing that a policeman shall not use un
due violence toward a prisoner or other
person: the other that he behaved In
q manner unbecoming an officer.
When the board met all three mem
bers, Messrs. W. c. Stuart M. v, D.
Doughty and j. NJ Wilson. were pres
ent and proceeded at once to business
Mr.. I~ookins was the first witness. HIS
denied having given the officer any
provocation to strike him. and. in fact
denied almost everything that the Off
Ger affirmed. While on the stand, tie
officer was permitted to question him
and here are some samples:
When I said I could prove you 500
liquor on Sunday. and that you kept ?
i1isorderly house. because man wa
shot in there Just before this other oc
renee happened didn't you say was :
false?"
mo: you stated that crap shooting
shooting and attempting to kill haf
been going on in my place: that this hae
come IT, your knowledge, as If you hat
= heaT6 It from some one else. and saie
by the high heavens 1t was false. YoE
wanted to make me out as saying tina
you were a liar"
Ibid you not call me false on tw
occas!ons?"
No ..
did you not walk up to me and lool
No"
Did you not say TO me. I will &c,
even with you. you scoundrel?'"
mo"
did you not say as you went out tn
gate that you would get even with thai
-- scoundrel. and then sue the -
city?'
No" -TNA
did I not take you by the arms and
shake you?"
mo: - ~-et knew you had knocf
ed me down.
Did ~: throw you down. instead Q
knockir You down.
No
And so it went. What Mr.. Lookln.
positively aid say was that the office:
knocked him down without provocat ton
and vi en- he had him down. kicke|
him.
CaptHIn Fitrhett city engineer. wa:
the only ctfer witness called for tn
complainant. The captain said he cam
upon the scene after the preliminary
pasne ~ words between the Office,
and NJ. ookins had taken place TIL
two mra were Just ccnfsng OUT of ~
door Of Tire paseagewav leading to t,
Police Cc'.-t roor7'. FIe heard Mr.. Look
ms tell officer Glddings that he kne>.
ins. yes and he knew him. Then jus:
as the two got to the gate, he hearf
Mr. Lookins say. Before 7 will STAN
such treatment I will sue the city
after which the officer almost immed'
ately struck him with his fist. dazin;
MIN. rte C!1eEl Threw MT. lLOOklnS cow
and Captain Fitchett thought he struc}
him with his hand after he was down
but wasn't certain Of it. He (witness
was the man who pulled the officer OF
Mr. Lookins. The officer made no at
tempt to strike the man after he pulled
him nGc.
Officer Gicdines testified in his owr
behalf that he had had good bit OF
trouble With the Lookins place. and or
the Sunday before this assault occurred
he Fad pulled It, which was the caus'
OF Eir. I.ookins' animosity to him wher
the case came up in court. The office,
said that while he was on the stand ir
Police Court and Mr.. I.ookns was ask
ing him questions. Lookins twice callef
him "a false" and that after the frs:
time. he had cautioned him to be care
full how he used such language to him
and after second had told His Honor
Justice Brown that if he did net max,
MIR. Lookins use different language t
him he was going to break Mr. Look rs
face tire next time he int;mated that hf
was Var whersunon His Honor "call-
ed both of them down."
Coming out Mr.. Lookins came up to
him. and looking him in the face. sale
IT know you. and am going to ge'
even with you. You dirty scoundrel.'
The officer replied that he also knew
Mr. Lookins. Then Mr.. Lcokins said
scoundrel. and sue the city," or word
to that effect
Upon this. the officer caught him anf
shook him. after which he struck him
and threw him down but did not strik
him when he was down. nor did he kicl
him.
In conclusion. the officer said that hi
"A had been on the force here for more
& than three years spending most Of tht
vi time in Rockets, and this was the frs
81 time that he had ever been before hi.
superiors on any charge.
Attorney O'Neil. colored. was the mex
witness. He substantiated what the of
fcer said as to what occurred In the
court room, and gave practically tn
same version as to the affair on the out
side. He said that the officer did no
! strike Mr.. Lookins very violently, die
A not strike him when he was down. ant
essAdid not kick him. though when Captain
itchett pulled him off. he had his foo
wn back as though to kick him.
gene Shield also testified that tn
M. -