The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-13
MANY WITNESSES CALLED
Serious Charges Against Sheehey,
O'Meara and Whitmore.
HOW GILL BROKE HIS LEG
The Committee VIII Recommend That
Sheehey Be Discharged, That o Meara
Be Suspended 80 Days and That
Whitmore Be Exonerated.

| The police committee held long Sc
ance last evening investigating charges
| against members of the police depart
ment. The members on the rack were
Patrolmen D. D. Sheehey and John
O'Meara, and Poundmaster G. w.
Whitmore. The charges against officers
Sheehey and O'Meara grew out of an
| incident of last Monday, in which Shee-
| hey attempted to arrest James Gill in
| the alley in the rear of Mcdonald &
Lynch's store, resulting in GilFs leg
being broken. Subsequently Sheehey
took Officer OMeara with him and
went to Mcdonald & Lynch's store to
arrest Mr.. Lynch, whom Sheehey ac-
cused of interfering with him while try
ing to arrest Gill. Their treatment of
Lynch was so unnecessarily harsh that
Lynch at once filed charges which went
before the council that night.
/ Poundmaster Whitmore was charged
by Mrs. Ida Wills with killing a dog
| without due authority. The committee
after sitting four hours voted to report
to the council, recommending that Off
Ger Sheehey be dismissed from the force
and that officer O'Meara be suspended
for so days without pay. which, should
the council adopt the report, means the
virtual discharge of both officers, as
OMeara's term will be up before his
suspension expires. Poundmaster
Whitmore was exonerated.
After the reading of the charges, as
previously published, the complainant,
James H. Lynch, was called to the
stand. He said that his attention was
attracted by a loud noise in the rear
of his store, and going out back he saw
Officer Sheehey jamming the head of
| James Gill against the brick wall. He
looked on for some time and then felt
1t incumbent upon him to interfere and
said to Officer Sheehey that if he would
let the man go he would see he was
taken care of. Sheehey paid no atten-
ton and finally pulled his club and
struck the witness dog. Witness asked
why he had done that and told the Off
Ger not to do 1t again. After Sheehey
had abused Gill by throwing him down
and jamming his knee in his chest, he
dragged Gill to his feet and it was then
discovered that Gill's leg was broken.
Witness proposed to send Gill to a hos
ptal and Sheehey did not object. He
therefore carried Gill into his store and
called hack. Sheehey tried to get in
the hack and witness would not allow
him to and sent Gill to a hospital
Later in the day Sheehey and OMeara
came to witness place of business and
told him he was under arrest. Witness
asked them to wait a few minutes till
some one came to take charge of the
store and he would accompany them
but they declined and dragged him off
O'Meara grabbed witness by the neck
and choked him and both proceeded
to drag him, refusing to allow him to
walk
Cross-examined by officer Sheehy,
Mr.. Lynch was asked if he heard what
passed between himself and Gill at
first, and he said he did not.
Then you We're not there at alp
said Sheehey.
IF / was not, why did you arrest
me- was Mr.. Lynchs rejoindar.
Witness denied that he called
Sheehey any bad names.
p. A. McKercher, employed at Nc
Donald & Lynch's store, said he saw
Gill come out of his cabin 1oor. He
was intoxicated, but was not quarrelng
with any one. Officer Sheehay came
along and placed Gill under arrest.
Gill demurred and Sheehey gra hbed
him, jammed his head against a wall
and then threw him down and Jumped
on him. 1t was then that Gill rebelled
and fought back. There was no ccca-
sion for the officers brutality, as Gill
7 was helplessly drunk. Witness ad-
mitted he had called Sheehey a cur
. after he had abused Gill so shamefully
+ Witness did not call Sheehey - -
nor did he encourage Gill to fight back
Frank Hutton lives about 80 feet from
!. the scene of the trouble. He saw the
officer arrest Gill and saw him jan,
Gill's head against the wall They
scuffled and finally fell. Sheehey com
ing down heavily on Gil's leg. Wit
ness saw Lynch's dog, but did not see
him bite any one. Gill was perfectly
peaceable up to the time he was
abused and witness did not think there
would have been any difficulty in ar
r resting him if the officer had used a
| little judgment. After Gill was hurt
he, the witness as he thought very nat
a urally. used abusive language to the
+ officer. Witness heard Lynch and Nc.
. Kercher speak to the officer and use
pretty sharp language after Gill was
hurt, but did not see them interfere
with Sheehey.
Officer Sheehey asked if witness saw
Gill try to pull his coat off. He sai6
\ he did after his leg was broken.
Mrs. H. c. Mcdonald testified to the
circumstances of the arrest of Lynch
She came in after lunch and saw
Sheehey at the store. OMeara grabbed
l Lynch by the throat and both threw
him down on the floor. Witness plead
: ed with the officers to let him get or
: his feet, but they said he would go al
l it suited them. Lynch made no resist
l ance, but was so shockingly treated
that witness nearly had Mysteries from
v fright.
a With reference to Gill's arrest witnes
Y said that at the time Sheehey arrested
Y him she had asked him to let Gill go
that she knew him to be a good either
c and she did not like to see him arrest
n ed. Sheahey declined and the circum
stances as related by the preceding
a witnesses transpired.
Michael ]. Harrington did not Sc
the morning trouble, but saw the ar
: rest of Lynch. Lynch asked for tim
:, till some one came to take charge o
> the store. 1t was refused. He thel
\ asked for time to get his coat and hat
;, O'Meara grabbed him and said. You'll
i come any way: we want you to- an
: they dragged Lynch in a brutal man
. ner. Lynch made no resistance beyon
trying to get on his feet. Sheehey ha
: his club out all the time and Witnes
| WAS afraid he would use it.