Evening star., 1898-07-23
Lieutenant of Police Suspended From
Duty by Mayor.
TEE CHARGE WAS NEGLECT OF DUTY
Sensational Statements Made by
Members of the Force.
GENERAL AND PERSONAL
Evening Star Bureau,
No. -529 King Street,
Bell Telephone No. 106.

Lieut.. James Smith was last night sus-
| pended from duty by Mayor Simpson for
| period of fifteen days for neglect of duty.
An investigation of the charges outlined in
| I he Star of yesterday was held at the sta
! ton house last night at 8 O'Clock. Long be-
| fore the hour appointed the court room
| was crowded with citizens anxious to hear
the testimony as 1t was rumored yester
| day afternoon that developments of a sem
saeional nature would be made. Mayor
| Simpson took his seat at S o'clock, and in
| opening the case, said that Wednesday
night last he decided to visit the officers on
| their beats and learn for himself the man
ner in which they discharged their respect
| i've duties. He started out at about II
o'clock, he said. arriving at the station
| house at II 20 o'clock. where he asked for
| the lieuteLs MT. Not finding him there. the
mayor waited until 1:15 o'clock and the
| lieutenant still failing to put in an appear
! ance he visited the officers on their beats
| He saw them all, and UP to 2:3O O'Clock
| mole of them had seen the lieutenant that
| right. In concluding the opening of the
| case Mayor Simpson said that from his
| personal knowledge the Lieutenant was,
pr:ma facie, guilty of neglect Of duty.
The mes Of number OF witnesses
were then called by the lieutenant to prove
his whereabouts during the entire night.
Messrs. B. B. Smith, Thos. w. Robinson,
Geo H Robinson, Daniel Henry, DR.. Saml
H. Lunt and number of others testified
to the fact that they had seen the lieu
tenant between the hours of 10 o'clock and
u o'clock.
A Mr.. Watson was then called. He testi-
fled that he met some one and spoke to
him about 1915 o'clock. He could not state
positively, however, that that person was
Lieutenant Smith William Corbin, col
ored man, stated that between 1 o'clock
and Is o'clock he was standing on the
nj Princess and ROyal streets. talk
ing to lady friend, when he saw the lieu
tenant on the opposite side OF the street,
going down Princess street.
Edward Payne and Daniel Freeman, also
coiored testified that they saw Lieutenant
Smith going down Princess street between
o'clock and 80 o'clock Mr.. James
Pagan, who keeps saloon in that vicinity,
also testified to seeing the lieutenant at
the hour stated by the colored men.
Charles Smith. eldest son of the lieuten-
ant, said he had seen and talked with his
father at the corner OF Princess ana ar
fax streets at 80 oclock.
This ended the evidence Of the citizens
summoned Dy Lieut.. Smith The members
of the police force or 0uty that night We're
then called, at the request OF the accused
officer.
Officer Ferguson. who was on duty at the
station house, testified that the heutenanr
returned to the STATEN house about l0::iO
O'Clock. after posting the men. He then
went out and returned again few minutes
after IL o'clock, and in few minutes lett
| again and di3 not return to the station un-
til q few minutes before o'clock. Officers
Goods, Howson, Davis and Dean stated
that they did not see the lieutenant after
they were put On duty until between $50
and o'clock
Creates Sensation.
Officer Knight was the next witness call
ed. When asked by the lieutenant whether
or net he had seen him during the night
the officer :eplied that he had. He was
IL en- asked where and at what hour. In
reply to this question Officer Knight stated
that he was standing on the corner OF Pitt
and Cameron streets at 2S minutes of
o'clock, when he heard door open, and IN
few moments saw the lieutenant tip-toe
out of holse Cameron street and so
in the direction of Royal street. Onlcer
knight stated that Mr.. John Craven was
standing on the corner with him, ana that
they had been standing there since 12:1o
o'clock. and that during the time ne went
there and the time he saw the lieutenant
come out of the house no one passed hHn'
neither did any one enter the house Ill
question.
The witness further stated that Monday
night last he saw the lieutenant come out
of the same house at twenty minutes past
Q o'clock. The lieutenant, in an excited
way, asked that the name OF the person
living in said house be given, but Mayor
Simpson overruled this request stating
that it made no difference what house II
was or who lived there, as the ofense was
just the same.
officer Belts was then called to .he
stand. He stated that he was on Royal
street just north of Cameron street when
he saw Lieut.. Smith turn the HarloWs
corner and pass down Royal street. 1t
was then 1:35 o'clock.
Mr.. John Craven was the next witness.
He testified to the fact that he was stand
ing on the corner Of Pitt and Cameron
streets, talking to Officer Knight, when
he saw Lieut.. Smith come out of house
cfr wa
eight minutes to 2 o'clock. This ended the
taking of the testimony.
Lieut.. Smith, in his own behalf. again
asked that the witnesses be made to state
what house it was he was seen coming
out of. and again the mayor overrulcd the
request.
The Mayors Statement.
Mayor Simpson, in delivering sentence
upon Lieutenant Smith, said he did not
want it understood that there was any
prejudice in the matter whatever. He also
stated that since he had been mayor he had
endeavored to fulfill the duties of the office
faithfully no matter what might happen.
He spoke of having voted for Lieutenant
Smith when he was first elected to the po-
lice force. The mayor also stated that the
lieutenant could. If he SO desired, appeal
from the decision to the board of police
commissioners. At first the lieutenant said
he would most assuredly appeal, but after
a few minutes thought he decided not to
do
The decision of Mayor Simpson has met
with the hearty approval of all law-abiding
citizens, although many regret that this
fate should befall the lieutenant, who has
been a member of the police force for a
| number of years. 1t is conceded that he
brought on the trouble himself.
Mayor Simpson this morning directed that
Sergeant James T. Smith be made acting
lieutenant and Officer Frank Bettls be act
ing sergeant during the suspension of Lieu
tenant Smith.
Was Not His Brother.
telegram was received here yesterday
| afternoon from William A. McGlone of
Pottsville, Pa. stating that the dead man
whose body was found near Waterloo sew
eral days ago was not his brother, Mr.,
McGlone's brother having arrived at home
safely. AS was stated in yesterdays Star,
telegram was sent here asking for in
formation concerning the dead man.
Absent Without Leave.
| Capt r. H. Atkinson was in town yester-
| day on the lookout for r. NJ Chesire, who
left Camp Alger the 18th instant and since
| that time has not been heard frorn. Capt
| Atkinson also left word at the poIice head