The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-12-01
DISMISSED BY
COMMISSION.
The Majority Of the Police
Commission Find Cap.
tain Chambers
Guilty.

dismissed from the police force by
the Police Commission on Wednes-
day evening. The charge preferred
against the captain was that he
was drunk while on duty on the
night Of November 10. Commissioner
Hart was present and voted in the
negative, while Commissioners Pyle
and Clarkson voted for the dismiss
sal of the captain. He was repre-
scented by James w. Ponder and
among those present at the hearing
were City Councilmen Monaghan,
Groves, Stewart, Willis, Healey and
Smith.
House Sergeant Durney was the
first witness. lie considered the
captain to be drunk on the night in
question and performed no services.
He was not on hand on Saturday
morning. Operator Harkins cor
roborated the House Sergeant and
also testified he heard Captain
F, Chambers call Charles Ross liar.
The latter came into the station to
get information about his wife who
had been arrested. He considered
Captain Chambers unfit to perform
his duties that night. Sergeant
Evans considered the captain was
under the influence Of liquor. Ser
geants Welsh and Bayley could not
say so. Turnkey Medley saw the
captain asleep in the chair and in
the court room.
Officer Burchinal said he was sur
prised at the language used by the
captain. Driver Purcell heard
him curse Ross. He saw him asleep
but could not say he was drunk.
Clerk Schell had talk with the
captain on that evening and con-
sidered that he was under the inf1u-
ence of liquor.
Chief Dolan saw the captain that
evening but did not notice ANYTHING
wrong with him. A number of Of
ticers were examined but none of
them noticed anything wrong.
Captain Chambersthen stated his
case and said that on Friday morn
ing he went to Chester with two
horse thieves, who had been arrest
ed in Wilmington the night previous.
He met some friends and had sew
eral drinks of beer. After this he
ate some oysters and they made
him sick. He came home early in
the afternoon and had a beer at
Chestnut and Monroe streets. He
went home shortly after ) o'clock
and did not get up until after 5
o'clock. He felt all right and went
to the police station. Before going
in Thomas McHugh gave him lot
of cigars. AS he went into the po-
lice station he saw Chief of Police
Dolan and spoke to him. The wit
ness never left the building after I
o'clock. He admitted to reprimand-
ing Burchinal for not finding out
something about a carriage that
was burned in the Ninth ward. He
said he was able to take care of all
the business that came to the police
station on that evening. All the
time he was sitting in the chair in
the police station he was not asleep.
Part of the time he was asleep,
however. In relation to the Ross
matter, he said he did not curse the
man, but merely repeated CONVEX
sation he had with Policeman Lyons
about the case. He said he felt
sorry if he had done wrong and
asked to be forgiven. He detailed
a conversation which he had with
Commissioners Clarkson and Pyle.
He told them of his weakness for
drink and said he was sorry it he
did anything wrong. He had never
taken the pledge, but if he was
given another show, would take the
pledge never to drink again.
When he had finished Mr.. Clark
son said the conversation the cap
tain had repeated was right in the
main, but said Captain Chambers
had practically admitted to him
that he was under the influence of
liquor. He admitted that he had
told Mr.. Pyle that it would have
been better if he had not gone on
duty that night, but qualified it by
saying he arrived at this conclusion
after all the trouble he had got into
over it.
The Commission then retired and
after a short dellbcration returned
with the announcement that the
captain had been adjudged guilty
and was therefore dismissed. a
successor will be named at a meet
ing of the Commission tonight.
1t is now understood that the City
Council will make an effort to re-
open the Chambers case and that
Impeachment proceedings will be
commenced. The Republican MEM
bers of the Commission will not be
deferred by threats.