Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-01-25
FINISHED
Is the Investigation.
Three Witnesses Were
Examined Friday.

The testimony of three more wit
nesses was taken Friday morning at
the investigation by the Board of City
Commissioners into the alleged OFF,
cial misconduct of Prisonkeeper John
Washer.
No new evidence of a sensational
character was submitted that was
damaging to Washer Unlike the ex-
aminations of previous days, the at
torneys were very meek and did not
disagree or object to testimony sub
mitted
Neither Attorney Waters nor At
torney Rogers was inclined to discuss
the merits of their respective cases.
Prisonkeeper Washer expressed him
self as confident that the Board would,
after weighing the evidence, exoner-
ate him from any charges of miscon-
duct.
The Board at the conclusion of the
examination of witnesses at the request
of Attorney Waters, adjourned to meet
at 4 o'clock to hear arguments of the
attorneys, after which 1t will go into
secret session and "deliberate."
The three witnesses examined were
Prosecuting Attorney r. NJ. Wana-
maker, Mr.. B. l., Dodge and Mr.. James
r. Diehm, one of the directors of the
Peoples Savings bank.
! Mr.. h. l.. Dodge was the first wit
ness called. He testified that he had
had talk with Mr.. Washer and De-
tecUve Sherman at his store. They
called there to rent box couch to be
taken to the county Jail. Said the
kind Of couch wanted was one that
a man could get into and eavesdrop
upon a proposed conversation to be
arranged for between Crisp Converse
and Bill Smith at the county Jail.
Washer and Sherman Informed wit
ness Willie in his store of the proposed
plan to rob Peoples bank. Sherman
told him that Bill Smith and officer
Kempel had planned the job. They
ntimated that the officers was to let
fellows into bank with his key to do
job and then get as far away on his
back as possible.
Prosecuting Attorney Wanamaker
was second witness. He testified how
he happened to employ Sherman
through the Gillison Detective agency
of Pittsburg Said the agency was
recommended to him by friend The
Prosecutor testified that Manager Fer
ris of the agency filed all the reports
of the detectives under him who work
ed In Akron on riot eases. After Ferris
left Akron, Sherman filed the reports.
When the Pittsburg detectives first
arrived in Akron they asked the wit
ness if he could recommend some good
local officer to assist them. Mr. Wana-
maker told them that there were only
two who We're at liberty to do special
work. naming Detective Dunn and
Prisonkeeper Washer. He said he re-
commended Washer. When asked
why he did not recommend Detective
Dunn, Wanamnker reported that he
and Dunn We're not on good terms and
that the latter was not confidential
with him.
The Prosecutor testified that he
wanted to get certain things from Bill
Smith and put Sherman onto him.
He said Washer did not work per-
sonally with Sherman upon Smith.
Said Smith was well acquainted with
Washer and would tell him nothing
Admitted that Washer told Sherman
many things concerning Smiths past
record, and that the lrisonkeeper was
also aware of plan to rob Peoples
| hank, Prosecutor said when he heard
of alleged plan 'tosrob the bank he
arranged to call ii off, Witness said
he was ignorant of alleged plan 10
hold up and rob Mr.. NJ. IL. Schmidt
but had been informed by sherman
of plan to commit robbery at Wind
Sor hotel. sherman told witness that
Smith proposed the plan, and, that
he (Sherman, could aid because hc
! told Sherman that they should try
| and get Smith For some plans he was
arranging to catch him. Witness alsc
said that sherman reported to him
that Smith had boasted OF u number
| of jobs that had been done. One was
o. the breaking into box car and steal
= ing n lot Of wine, Witness also said
that sherman told him that Bill Smith
was keeping fence for thieves
that Smith had taken him (Sherman)
to his house on one occasion. and
showed him numbers of articles
, that had been gathered at different
, times, Said sherman fold him that
Smith thought lie was /, thief.
The examination of Mr.. James n
Diehm, of lo3 Washington St, was
very brief.
Mr.. Diehm testified that lie was a
director of the Peoples Savings bank
company aud that the proposed plan
of robbing the bank was related to
him by Cashier Claude CLARK. Said
he never talked about 1t with Washer
aud had never met Detective sherman