The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-18
SERGT. LUND ON TRIAL
TESTIMONY SHOWS THAT HE Ex-
CEEDED HIS AUTHORITY.
Its Decision This Afternoon
The Testimony.

The office of the Board of Safety was
crowded yesterday afternoon during the
trial OF Sergeant Perry Lund, of the police
force, on the charge of conduct unbecoming
an officer. The charges were filed against
the officer by Superintendent Ouigley on
statements made to him by Lee Burnett
proprietor of the Lorraine Hotel. Many
witnesses for both sides were on the stand
and the case progressed the evidence
showing that Lund overstepped the bounds
OF the duties OF police officer became more
pronounced.
Attorney Groninger appeared in behalf
of Mr.. Burnett and Attorney Orion rep
resented Lund Louis j. Beck and his rep
resentatives were in the room, as were
also a number OF the colored people who
participated in the show given by Beck at
Tomlinson Hall the night of Jan. s. Wit
nesses testified that after the show about
twenty-five of the colored people gathered
at the Lorraine Hotel and demanded to see
Beck. Mr.. Burnett ordered them from
the hotel, as they disturbed the guests.
The colored people went out on the side
walk, where they met Sergeant Lund and
told their troubles to him. claiming that
they understood Beck was going to leave
the city and they wanted their money.
Lund the witnesses said. told them to stay
in the hotel until Beck settled with them,
If they had to stay until the next night
BURNETTS TESTIMONY.
Mr.. Burnett said that Lund went into
the hotel. and he asked the police officer
to give him protection. but that Lund re-
fused to order the colored people to leave.
telling them that they could remain. The
in, he hot al stu had hyy hss
loud and boisterous talking of the colored
people, and one young man living in the
hotel dressed and went down to the Of
flee to ask Mr.. Burnett to have the coll
ored people leave, as his mother was very
Ill and the trouble disturbed her.
Beck, who Ill. testified to by DIR.
Malone, was called downstairs. and he told
the sergeant that he did not know the col
ored people, as they had been engaged by
his manager Mr.. Nolan, and if they would
meet the latter at Tomlinson Hall the next
morning Mr.. Nolan would settle with them.
This did not satisfy the colored people nor
the sergeant, and Beck was compelled to
send to his room for money and paid out
several dollars to about sixteen of the col
ored people according to the amounts they
demanded. He protested with the sergeant,
saying the latter commanded him to pay
the money, and Lund called him a liar,
said many of the witnesses VINO were pres
ent. Guests of the hotel demonstrated with
the officer for calling citizen liar, and
the sergeant grew very angry.
Guests of the hotel substantiated the
testimony of Mr.. Burnett, and Mr.. Beck's
testimony bore out the statements made
by Burnett
Sergeant Lund took the stand in his own
behalf He said he was. passing the hotel
the night in question and the colored peo-
pie appealed to him to help them get their
money from Mr.. Beck. He told them they
could go into the hotel and stay there until
they were paid. He admitted that Mr..
Burnett appealed to him for protection,
but he said he did not want to take or
ders from Burnett He denied having
called Beck a liar.
LOSH'S STORY.
Bicycle Patrolman Losh was called as a
witness for the defense. He said he was
in citizens clothes that night when he met
Sergeant Lund on the street and Lund told
him to go to the Lorraine Hotel and see
that the colored people did not raise dis
turbance. He went there. but did not make
himself known to Mr.. Burnett or to any
of the clerks. He witnessed the trouble
and heard Mr.. Burnett appeal for protec-
ton to the sergeant. He said he did not
hear Lunc call Mr.. Beck a liar.
Several of the colored people who called
at the hotel that night testified. They
said they left the place when Mr.. Burnett
first asked them to go out, but when they
met sergeant Luna ana ne tOlQ them tney
could stay there until they got their money
they went back into the hotel against the
wishes of Mr.. Burnett. One of the ring
leaders, man named Forbes, told about
the trouble. He said he had no interest in
the matter only to see that his son, who
was in the show, was paid He said he
thanked the sergeant after Beck had paid
his son for the aid the officer had given
him. Other witnesses who were in the
show said the rumor started at Tomlin-
son Hall while the show was in progress
that Beck was going to leave town and
they had better get their money. One of
them said a heavy-set man known as DOC
tor" started the rumor.
Two colored girls testified that they went
to the hotel when told by others who were
in the show that they should insist on be-
ing paid. They said they were not in the
show, but attended a rehearsal, and they
demanded $50 each from Mr.. Beck which
was paid. 1t was o'clock when the last
witness was examined and Chairman Hyde
said the board had heard enough testir
mony and did not care to hear any argyll
ment by the attorneys. The board will
decide the case this afternoon.