The herald., 1898-03-23
ALL KINDS OF CHARGES
POLICE Co1fNLsSIoNERS STILL
INVESTIGATING oFFICERs
FOSTER ON THE CARPET
Why He Arrested James elliott Last
Month-A Busy Session and T.
Lively Tilt at the Close

OF late the police commissioners have
been the hardest worked body Of city offi-
cials-especial officials who don't draw
any pay for their services-of any In this
section of the land Of the free. For days
and weeks they have held special sessions
to investigate one thing or another, and
Yesterday was no exception to the rule.
special Officer Foster. who patrols the
Bonnie Brae tract, was up on the carpet to
answer two distinct changes from each Of
which he succeeded In clearing his skirts.
Upon convening the commission first took
up the charges made In letter from RUS
sell q Power, proprietors Of the Westlake
stables. Charles e. Power stated to the
commission that Foster had been in the
habit Of molesting his men in their work
and stopping them while they were engaged
Id getting horses in the Bonnie Brae tract.
On one evening recently. the witness said.
he was leaving home. As he walked down
the street some one halloed to him and he
stopped. Foster came up and In an officious
manner asked him several questions In a
manner which he deemed not proper for an
officer. Witness said he was provoked at
the officers treatment and when he
reached home he telephoned Foster that he
had arrived at home and that he need not
worry on his account. Afterwards Foster
had threatened ITO clean out the stables:'
II Powers did not attend to his own busi-
ness.
Foster spoke in his own defense, claim
ing that the charges made were the result
of spite and that he had at no time over
stepped the bounds Of his authority. The
commissioners considered the accusation
trivial and dismissed the complaint. taking
up next the charges preferred by James
elliott, plastering contractor, whom he
arrested on the night Of February 14th
while taking few pieces Of lumber from
new building on Westlake avenue near
Eighth street.
elliott was q sub-contractOr on the build
ing and had permission from Thomas
Brown, the contractor, to take from the
building any lumber that he wanted. That
evening he had been detained down town
until nearly 10 o'clock but on his way home,
out on Pico Heights, he stopped at the new
house and gathered up five pieces Of lum-
Der which he intended to use in his kitchen
ceiling. At this point Foster stepped up
and after questioning him, told him that
he would have to go with him.
elliott demonstrated. gave the officer his
business card and told Of Browns permis-
sion to take the lumber, all to no purpose
Foster took him to his house, where he tele-
phoned to Detective Goodman at the police
station, who sent Officer Rico out to bring
the prisoner in. About HAS elliott was
landed at the station where he was
searched, taken into the detectives room
and questioned and finally locked up.
The following morning he claimed he was
approached by the acting jailor, Officer r.
q. Henderson. who wanted to know If he
desired lawyer. elliott told him yes, that
he wanted Attorney Meyers. but received
the reply that Mr.. Crawford was waiting
outside and unless he wanted to see him
elliott could get back into the tank. At
this elliott claims that he agreed to employ
Crawford and did 20. paying him SO and
agreeing to pay SIS more, but that he was
released an hour or two later when Mr..
Brown came around and substantiated his
statement of having received permission
to take the lumber.
/ Contractor Brown told of having given
permission long ago to elliott to take
whatever material he wanted as he consid-
cred and had always found him an honest
friends trouble the next morning and got
him out In short order.
Jailer Henderson testified and said that
he had no knowledge Of Gillotts presence
In jail until he took the keys as acting
jailer at o'clock in the morning. About II
o'clock Attorney Crawford came with
three permits to see prisoners, among
which was one for elliott. He asked the
prisoner what attorney he wanted to en-
ploy and elliott had replied Crawford, and
had written his name on the back of the
pass. Attorney Crawford said that he had
been told by prisoner, released only that
morning, that elliott wanted to see him.
In strange contradiction of Henderson's
statement about Gillott's asking for him,
Crawford denied that he knew or ever saw
elliott before that morning.
Officer Ciotte, who was night jailer and
on duty when elliott was brought in, told
of the prisoners having written note to
his friends which he had given to the desk
clerk who promised to see that 1t was for
warded. 1t never was delivered. OFFICER
Foster then told his story and explained
that he had given elliott every chance to
send or go to Browns house or telephone
him but that the suspect had steadily re-
fused to have Brown disturbed at that time
Of night. Detective Goodman and Officer
Rico recounted their connection with the
case. On motion Of Mr.. Preuss the matter
was taken under advisement.
After the disposal Of the case Chief Glass
read a lecture to the commissioners on the
custom Of entertaining charges against
officers based upon hearsay or only slight
foundation and had the rules bearing ON
such charges read. This precipitated an
animated discussion during which Mr. Wy
man and the mayor locked horns in a wordy
war which became quite personal but sim.
mered down with no harm done on either
side.
The following applications for license
transfers were referred to the chief: From
q. N. Keith and o. e. Keith for a transfer
from c. w. Mace. at 11O North Alameda
street. to themselves; also from Hart 4
Smiley for a transfer from Joe Arnold, at
1858 South Spring street. to themselves.