The herald., 1898-02-10
BROWNS BOLD BLUFF
ONE OF THE FALSE ALARMISTS
BOASTS OF HIS PERJURY
Meath and Brown Tried by Justice
Morrison for Causing the Fire
Department Trouble

A. H. Brown was convicted in Justice
Morrison's court yesterday afternoon on
a charge of disturbing the peace, after a
trial which lasted three hours. In the
course of his testimony in his own de-
Tense the accused perjured himself, if
what he said after the trial is to be be-
lieved. Harry Meath, who was tried at
the same time, will know the judgment
of the court Friday at 1: 80 p. m., at which
| time the punishment of Brown will also
be made known.
The two men were arrested on COM
plaint of Captain Roeder, of Chemical
Engine Company No .. because the two
men had gone to the quarters of that
company after midnight. Friday morn
ing. and by yelling fire had aroused the
company. causing them to hitch up their
team and prepare to leave the house
There was no fire, and while the men
were there an alarm was sounded from
box AZ. at which the two men shouted to
the firemen that they need not count the
| box. as they knew it was their CO."
The evidence for the prosecution was
| simply a statement of the facts as they
have been heretofore published 1t was
impossible to directly connect the two
men with the false alarms that had been
turned in on that and other nights but
it was shown that they must have known
that an alarm was about TO be turned in
when they went to the engine house.
When Brown took the stand in his OWE
defense he swore that when they ar
rived at the house it was only for the
purpose of calling upon the firemen.
They had taken a bottle of whisky with
them for the purpose of treating the
members of the company. They did not
yell fire" but had quietly awakened the
fremen. Brown stated that the cap
tain came to the door with Bert Kaiser.
another member of the company. and
that he took the bottle and drank from
it, and then handed it to Kaiser. who
went to the driver with it. Then the
alarm came in and Brown rode to the
fire on the engine. In spite of severe
cross examination he stuck to this story.
which was giving the direct lie to what
the firemen had testified to. Meath told
much the same story, although he was
not so positive. He denied that they
'-N'N SNiI " bHt lIcuSt NItH any Dut the
friendliest intentions, and asserted that
the firemen had taken a drink from his
bottle Neath's brother described how
the three had driven to the box after the
alarm had been sent in. If his state
ment is true, the horse they were driving
was second Salvador He swore that
they started block behind the com
pany and beat the engine to the fire five
minutes. When it is considered that the
box was mile and half from the en-
CINE house, the speed of their team can
be computed
The attorneys argued the case at
length, Deputy District Attorney Cham
bers contending that If the story of the
three men was true, no report of the
matter would have been made by the
hremen Justice Morrison declared
Brown guilty, and set Friday for SEN
tence. The case against Meath was
taken under advisement until the same
day.
After the trial Brown was met on the
street by Captain Roeder who was ac-
companied by several other firemen
We'll | don't think you got any the
best Of 1t, said Brown. You fixed me
Tor yelling, but l fixed you by telling
about your drinking from that bottle"
you did not give me bottle, Brown"
replied Captain Roeder, land you know
you lied about it in court under oath"
Il know I did, but got you fixed bv
doing So" said Brown. There would
probably nave been a fight right there
had not the other fremen prevented it.
FOR Captain Roeder was naturally en-
ragged by Browns admitted perjury.