The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-16
HIGGINS GOT ANGRY
Ex-PATROLMAN BARBEE's TESTI-
MONY HURT HIS FEELINGS.
He Disc1nims Knowing Anything
About the Seductive Game known
as H~ieronymus.
HIS DENIAL VERY FoRcIBLE
CAPTAIN DAWSON EXPLAINS A MUCH
QUOTED STATEMENT.
Investigation Postponed for a Week
The Gas Mains - Mu-
nicipal Affairs.

There was a sensational occurrence dur
ing the councilmanic investigation Of the
Board of Safety, last night, that was not
on the programme, but which furnished
excitement for a few minutes. Councilman
Higgins was the cause of the sensation and
he became very much excited when he took
the stand to refute statements that had
been made against him by ex-Patrolman
Henry Barbee. while the latter was on the
stand. Barbee had stated that he had seen
Commodore Higgins in Dennis O'Brien's
saloon during the week of the K. of Z.
encampment calling off the WHINE in a
game of hieronymus. Higgings reached
the Council chamber while Barbee was Civ
ing his testimony and he pranced about ex-
citedly Until Barbee was excused from the
witness stand.
Higgins then took the stand and said:
81 want to say this; 1 am working for a
responsible firm and have a respectable
family, and every word uttered by the wit
ness was a false and damnable lie. L am
excited, 1 know, but 1 want to say that the
man who made such a statement about
me is a damnable liar. 1t is all a falsehood
and we nave not been friends for years.
He hates every bone in my body and l
hate all of his. If 1 had any influence he
would not have earned a dollar on the po-
lice force, as he is not fit to be a police
man 1 had twenty men complain to me
about him and wanted him removed from
the force. In regard TO the gambling game,
1 never saw such a game and don't know
QnvfhfnO ahn1f ff Dennis O'Rripn is a
| particular friend and neighbor of mine and
L go to his saloon two or three times a
week. In regard to me having a CONVERSE
ton with Barbee. as he said, concerning
the gambling game. he testified to a lie
and a - lie."
Councilman Higgins was greatly agitated
and a few thought there might be trouble
in the room, as Barbee sat within a few
feet of him when the lie was passed by
Higgins so often, but there was no she'd
ding OF gore.
BARBEE HEARD.
Councilman Perrott, OF the committee
hearing the evidence in the investigation,
was absent. Barbee was the only chief wit
ness placed on the stand during the even
ing, although Attorney Harding had quite
an argument with Captain Dawson when
the latter desired to max a statement con-
corning stories that had been told by wit
nesses. Barbee testified to having been ap-
pointed to the police force in April, 1897,
and having served as a patrolman until
Dec. ID, 1888, when he was discharged with
a large number of others. He then made
| the statement about having seen the gamb-
ling in O'Brien's place during the K. Of
Z. e-ncampment. He said he called up the
police headquarters and tcld the captain
of the matter and was ordered TO maxi a
written report of IL. He said one man had
lost $3.50 in the place and that he went to
the police station to make q report when
he was followed by Councilman Higgins
and learned later that the money had been
returned to the man. He told OF having
been ordered to arrest Saloon Keeper Lyons.
and this was done when Lyons kept open
after hours. A few days after the arrest
was made the witness said he received or
ders to leave Lyons alone, as the latter
was all right now" Barbee claims there
was no i'll feeling existing between him and
| Higgins.
sleeping on duty and also for having or
dered Councilman Higgins TO remove his
drays from the street in front of his home
or Ray street. He said the superintendent
told him that Higginss drays had stood
there through all the administrations and
would stand there now. The witness also
testified to having seen gambling in Pop
| Fuller'S saloon on West Washington street.
| Ex-Policeman Crannon was next called to
the stand and he said Councilman Higgins
had told him he was going TO have Barbee
removed because the latter 'piked" into
| O'Brien's saloon on Sundays.
CAPTAIN DAWSON TESTIFIES.
Captain Dawson then took the stand to
make a statement regarding what he said
to the patrolmen the night he read the or
ders for several of the policemen to go TO
Lebanon to testify in the Fairbank case.
He said his statement to the effect tina
they have been a friend Of ours, and we
can afford to be a friend of theirs re-
ferred to Attorney Hugg, who was the
counsel for the defendants. Attorney
Harding asked the captain If he did not
think IL was bad taste for a police captain
20 make such a statement. and the latter
said he did not. The story of Sergeant
Corrigan having arrested a crowd OF gam
blers and receiving orders from Captain
Dawson to let them go was then brought
up. Dawson insisted he was acting under
instructions, but was reticent about saying
when these instructions were given. He
told the attorney there was a good deal OF
police business he knew nothing about.
There is a good deal about the police
business you do not understand If you run
the business that way" retorted Attorney
Harding. There was quite an argument
between the two men regarding the cap
tain's duty, but Captain Dawson was care
full to evade answering questions pertain
ing TO his orders regarding gamblers
When asked what he would do If a case
similar TO the Corrigan case came up the
captain said he did not know what he
would do.
Attorney Bell and Attorney Harding Their
had words concerning the purpose of the
investigation, and the latter said he had q
right to go into the acts of the Board OF
Safety and wanted to show TO the commit
tee the nfamou effect the gambling and
saloon orders had had on the force anC
community.
The committee adjourned to meet next
Thursday evening.
TAXING OF GAS MAINS.