The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-13

manager CT SalQ col pOrdtlOn, ana IL y.
Chambers, to recover $4,000 damages,
alleged to have been sustained by the
plaintiff by the publication in The Her
aid on Sept. 8, 1897, OF the affidavits
made by eX-POlice Captain Donovan,
for use in the trial of eX-Chief Pratt,
then partly heard and pending before
the board OF police and fire commits
sioners on certain charges preferred
against him.
1t is alleged in the complaint that
The Herald is a corporation of which
the defendant Z. A. Mcdaniel is man
ager and r. c. Chambers president,
and that the said corporation publishes
newspaper, to-wiJ: The Herald
of large daily circulation within
the city and county of SAT- Lake, state
of Utah, and throughout the various
states and territories Of the United
States.
That on Sept. 3, 1897, the plaintiff was
chief of police of Salt Lake City, and
that in the issue of The Herald OF Sept.
3, 1897, the defendants falsely, willfully.
maliciously and with express malice,
published Of and concerning the plain
tiff and Of and concerning the doings
of the plaintiff as chief of police the
following article:
THE ARTICLE COMPLAINED OF.
Donovan Testifies in the Pratt Case
..,rells of Frauds in the Police Depart
ment.
Says the Chief Gambled at Poker"
Leasing of the Times Building to Essie
Watkins"
How Sergeant Ford Stirred up Strife"
Z
Good officers Whom Pratt Wanted Dis
missed
IAN Explanation of the Difficulty Which
Caused the Chief to Suspend Captain
Eslinger-DonoVan Makes Dispositions
Prior to His Departure for klondlke,
for Use in the Pratt Trial When It
Comes on Again
1T will be remembered that at the last
session of the board of fire and police
commissioners held for the purpose of
proceeding with the trial Of CHIEF Pratt
on the charges filed against him, eX-
Captain John J. Donovan was present as
one of the witnesses regularly SUM- oenaed.
However. the captain did not testify be-
cause Commissioner Kenyon refused 10
act with the other commissioners on TINS
particular case. and left the room The
law gives the chief the right to demand q
trial by a full board and as the with
drawal of Mr.. Kenyon left but three mem
bers and Chief Pratt refused to proceed
without = Iul bOdru. the lIldl came 70
a standstill. What course II viii take IN
the future remains to be seen. but no
doubt it will be proceeded with to
termination in some way.
Captain Donovan. however. had de-
cided to go 20 Klondike. and on Tuesday
completed ali his arrangements. 1t was
necessary for him TO leave last night, in
order to carry out his plans. and h5cce
the only way in which he could give mis-
testimony was in the form of q deposition,
and this was duly taken yesterday before
e W. Taylor. notary public. and Com
missioner Dinlnny- captain Donovan nav
ing been subDOenaed as a witness in the
case. he did not like to leave before Civ
ing his testimony. but as it was next to
impossible for him TO remain for an in
definite period he did the next best thing.
and made the deDositions which are as
follows:
DONOVANS DISPOSITIONS.
state of Utah. County of Salt Lake-ss:
John J. Donovan. being duly sworn.
says: That / am about 10 leave the state
of Utah for Alaska, and make affidavit
of my own free will and accord. and most
sOlemnly swear that each and every state
ment herein contained is absolutely true
I was appointed q member of the police
force of Salt Lake City. April Is. 1850, as
Young was chief. In November, 1880.
was promoted to the Office of sergeant OF
police. and in April, 1892. was made cap
tain, which position l held up to the time
of my resignation from the department.
While was on the force, Young, Janney.
Captain Samuel Paul and Arthur Pratt
We're each of them chiefs of police. That
during the time l was on said force
had no trouble with an. chief except
Pratt. and none with him until the Essie
Watkins matter came up. hereafter re-
ferred to. In 1924. early in the year, l
received orders from Chief Pratt to move
the women who kept and were IN houses
OF il-fame, from Franklin avenue to
Commercial street in said city. and TO in
form them that there were plenty OF
places III Commercial street for them to
rent. That at this time, / knew that
Chief Pratt was owner in whole or in
part. of the building known as the Times
building on Commercial street. That dur
ing the time said women were trying to
and obtaining places to carry on hsir bust
ness in said Commercial street. / saw
Essie Watkins four or five times about the
police department. and on each of these
occasions. she had private interviews with
Chief Pratt in his private Office. That at
said times said Pratt knew the kind of
business said Essie Watkins was engaged
IL. That said Essie Watkins afterwards
moved into said Times building, where:
FOR a short time. she carried on house of
ill-fame. That Chief Pratt knew she was
carrying on that business in said build
ing After said Essie Watkins had been
in said building and carrying or said
business about month, one Spencer
Clawson. agent for the 3. Y. Trust com
pany, began TO object 20 the keepers Of
houses of ill-fame plying their calling il
said Commercial street.
COMPLIMENTS TO CLAWSON.
And the Deseret News assailed Pratt
for permitting his building to be used
for such purposes. he being chief of
police That said Clawson said so much.
and made so many threats of what he
would do that finally Chief Pratt told
me that ClaWSon was raising so much
disturbance that he would have TO get
Essie Watkins out of his building. and
also said that Clawson was TO blame
II
and that ne tClawsonl was a - -
-. and il he did not shut up his
noise he would run his old father in for
polygamy. and told me that he was go
ing to San Francisco. and for while he
was gone to get Essie Watkins out of
his building, in any way l could, and If
l wanted any advice to go TO Joe Game
or Pat Lannan.
ing. said Pratt always spoke of IL as
his building. That as soon as said
Pratt had gone to California l began
trying 10 get said ESSie Watkins out
OF said building. and had several inter-
views with her at headquarters. She
told me on these several occasions that
Times building with Chief Pratt person. |
ally, but at his request went To Mr.
Game 10 make out the papers. and she !
said that il was at Chief Pratts sugges-
ton that the lease was taken in the
na,ne of her father; that holding the po-
sition ne did, he could not afford TO be
in the renting Of his house for
prostitution. Said Essie Watkins also |
told me that she had agreed with Pratt |
to pay Pratt a certain sum per month |
for the rent OF said building. What the |
sum was ] cannot remember. That when |
sent word to said EsSie Watkins 10 re- |
move from said building she came TO |
head Quarters and told me she would not /
leave. that she had paid rent and had /
spent large amount OF money in making |
improvements, and would not leave uuess |
she was paid back what she had paid ONT |