Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-04-18
THE POLICE COMMISSIONERS.


The regular monthly meeting of the
Board OF Police Commits toner's was
held 10 the court room at the station
house last night. There were preser {
Messrs. Hill, Price, Bryant and Miller.
In tue absence of the Mayor, Capt.
Bryant presided.
Alter the reading of the minutes of
the las. meeting, the Chiefs report for
this month was read. 1t contained
plea for au investigation OF the matter
of Thomas O'Brie0, an escaped prisoner
from Washington, " no had been turned
over to negro policeman from that
city without the proper Iequisition
papers, aud for which q newspaper had
blamed him. The report also mention
ed the fact that Officers Lyles and vii.
kinson had been suspended for thirty
days each by the Mayor for dsreliction
Of duIy and assaulting Lieut.. Smith.
Toe secretary then stated that he
was 10 receipt of several applications
from citizens soliciting the support OF
the members of the board for positions
on the force.
The Chair stated that the board was
not aware of any vacar cies existing on
on the force and whom such occurred
the applications would be considered.
The Chair then asked Mr.. Price to
direct the Chief to tell Lieut.. Smith
and Officers Lyles and Wilkinson to
appear bsfore tue board.
Lieut.. Smith Immediately appeared
before the board and was followed BY
the Clief, who stated tba! neither OFF,
Ger Lylfs nor Officer Wilkinson was 10
the building. 10 answer to question,
the Chief said be had cited both OF the
officers to appear before the board at
this maeting.
Capt. Bryant then asked the Lieuten-
ant to give to the best of bis recollec.
ton an account OF the assault made
upon him by Officers Lyies ard Will
kinson on the morning OF February 10
Lieut.. Smiths testimony was In sub
stance the came "a that published 10
the Gszstte on February Is, when ths
Mayor had suspended the men for 81
DAYS esch-thst be made bis rounds al
usual and had met all the men, excep
on the last one, which was between
and o'clock in the morning, when
after blowing his call whistle In ssvers
localities of their beat, he received Of
answer from either Officer Lyles or o.
6cer Wilkinson; that he had proceeded
to the station house and was In the &C
OF preparing charges against the mel
for neR ect of duty when Officer Lyle
came 10 and, after some words. attack
ed him twice, and that the attack o
that officer was later followed up b!
abusive and insolent language from Ol
| ficer Wilkinson.
| Officer Ferguson, who was q witness
when the case was before the Mayor
was called aud in substance corroborat
ed the statement made by Lieut.. Smith
The case of Officer Smith, charged
with violating rule SO of the rules ant
regulations of the force by receiving or
ders from other sources than through
the officers OF the force, was then takel
up.
Chief Webster was the first witnes
He stated in substance that sbout i
q. N. on February Sergeant Smiti
having been reduced to the ranks oil
the previaus mighty he was 10 the act
entering the station house and saw MI
Atkinson at the telephone. The latte
said: "The Mayor warts to talk wit
you." The Chief said he was ordere'
by the Mayor to put the ex-Sersean
| in Mr.. Ferguson's place at the station
house while he (Fergusop) was absent 4
attendance on his sick child; that OH
Ger Ferguson had resumed his dutie,
at the station house on February .
He further stated that Officer Smith
for period of between two and tire
weeks after be had been relieved iron
duty at the station had not answered
roll call and had been marked absent
but later, by order OF the Mayor, hat
been marked present. He had no inti
nation of what the officer was doini
during that time except through tn
newspapers.
Officer Smith stated that he ha(
been informed latter Mr.. Ferguson hat
returned to the station house) by Chic
Webster that the Mayor desired him t
collect licenses, which order he hat
obcyed; that he had no desire to bresi
any rule governing the force, and tina
when he was guilty Of slight error b
should be warned of it by his superior
and not reported to the Commissioner
for dereliction OF duty. 10 response t.
question, be said he would like OH
Ger Atkinson summoned as q witness Il
the case.
Officer Atkinson was then called Il
and sworn. He stated that after Office
Smith was relieved from duty ut tn
station house by Officer Ferguson re
porting for duty-he did not remembe
the date-he was called up over th'
telephone about / o'clock 10 the after
noon by the Mayor. who asked II th
Chief was there, and upon receiving |
negative reply, the Mayor had told bin
10 tell the Chief, when ne came,t to detail
Officer Smith to collect licenses. Con
tinuing Officer Atkinson said: "Tht
Mayor had not finished talking to M
when the Chief came and called hin
to the phone and said that the Mayo
wished to talk with him, and ! presum
he received the came instructions q
were communicated to me, for wheI
Officer Smith came in the station hous
some time later the Chief. 10 my pres
ence, detailed him to collect licenses b,
order of the Mayor" Officer Atkinson
also said that he wished to emphaticslly
deny that he had reported to the Mayo
that Officer Young was drunk snd dis
orderly at Armory Hall on the occasion
OF the Masonic banquet about q yea