Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1899-08-26
RENTED THEIR FINES.
Five Candidates For Cadet Honors Be
fore The City Council For Boyish
Franks on The Streets, Asks
to be INDICATED OF Their
Arrest

A special meeting of the City Council
was called last night to take up the mag
istrate appeal cases of five candidates
who had been arrested on the night of
July 2Sth and locked up in the station
house on the charge OF disoIderly con
duct.
The young men were ably defended by
James W. Owens. Esq, attorney for the
young men. Mr.. Owens. in his argu-
ment before the Council. said il was not
matter of dollars and cents that these
young men appeared before them. but it
was in vindication OF great wrong that
had been inflicted upon them by the
police OF this city. Clerk Porter was
directed to read the charges.
Prof. Wilmer. their instructor, testified
that the young. men had lived in his
house from two TO tour months. and dur
ing that time he had never associated
with more gentlemanly young men; had
never had occasion to reprimand them;
had never detected liquor on them, nor
had never suspicioned them of drinking,
they always appeared as gentlemen.
Mr.. James w. Owens testified that the
young men boarded in the house of his
sister-in-law. Miss Roget. and he had
never met more orderly or gentlemanly
set Of young men-they always conduct
ed themselves in gentlemanly and or
derly manner.
Officer Tydings testified that on the
night of the arrest he was at the station
house about II o'clock, and heard bois-
ferrous noises in the neighborhood of Con-
duit street and he went to see what it
was, when he saw three young men run
ming in the direction OF Andrews alley;
soon aiterward he saw Officer Mace come
up the street with them; they were taken
to the station-house and the charge of
disorderly conduct preferred against
them, and they were locked up; they
offered him their watches as security, but
the officer refused to accept it because he
said he had no right to accept collateral;
he said he did not hear any of the young
men ask him to send a messenger to
Prof. Wilmer; he didn't consider that it
was his duty to notify people OF arrests
made.
Officer Mace testified that on the night
of the arrest he was on Main street and
heard unusual noises in the neighbor-
hood OF the old City Hotel, and as he
approached Andrews alley. he saw three
young men run into Francis street; they
began to guy him and he repeatedly
warned them of their conduct; they con-
tinued to skylark and make loud noises
on the street, and he finally arrested them
and took them to the stationhouse, where
he turned them over to Sergeant Tyd-
ings; he had no animosity against the
young men, but arrested them in his line
of duty tor acting disorderly on the street;
he did not say they we're drunk, but
acted like drunken men.
Several other witnesses testified. in
cluding Justice Taylor, who tried the
case. All the witnesses testified that the
boys had been skylarking on the streets
and acting in very disorderly manner
running cats, beating on board fences,
&c. After reviewing the case, the Coun-
sellor and Mayor said they regretted that
it had occurred. and that they fully rec
ognized the fact that these young men
were strangers in strange city. far away
from their homes, and were only having
little innocent amusement, and that
their confinement in cell in the station
house on hot July night was sufficient
punishment.
On motion of Alderman Flood the fine
was remitted, and the police were in
structed to use more discretion in the
future in making arrests OF young men
for disorderly conduct, and if arrested to
notify their friends. that they may not
be confined in felon's cell for trifling
offense.
The 6ne in the case of Zachariah Mer-
rikin for using profane language on the
~ Ia aid nm the fable