Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-04
Ora YE, GHA.RG FILED.
NEWPORT NEWS POLICE ALLEGES
MANY#ABUsEs.
THE CHIEF MAKES a DENIAL
Discharged omcerys Charge. Would
Indicate That Discipline il BADLY
Needed in the Depnrtment-Om-
GERS Charged with Drunkenness
and Misdemeanor-

NEWPORT NEWS, VA. September 81
AS a sequel to the sensational charges
which were preferred to the Council by
ex-Policeman Giddings against Chief-of-.
Police Johnson, Sergeant c. B. Crafford,
and other officers on the force, an en-
counter was narrowly averted this morn
ing.
Mr. Giddings procured a warrant for
Sergeant CraHord. charging the latter
with abusive language, and Policeman
Giddings arrested Giddings on the charge
of disorderly conduct. Giddings charges
that Crafford asked him about the charges
he made, and when Giddings said he
could prove them Crafford called him
(Giddings) a liar That is the statement
made by Giddings after the encounter.
which might have resulted in blows had
not outsiders stepped in.
The allegations made by the ex-polce-
man, who was one Of the three recently
discharged from the force, was referred
to Mayor Moss. and was placed in the
Mayors hands this morning.
GIDDINGS MAKES CHARGES.
Mr.. Giddings makes five charges in his
communication, four of which are of
serious nature, and asks that an inves-
tigation be made and some action taken.
The first charge was thai the complain
ant was not given the ten days holiday
to which he was entitled this year. while
othee officers were given their holiday on
pay.
Second, Mr.. Giddings charges that four
teen bullets were fired into the lockers
in the station-house one night last March
and that no action was ever taken in
regard to it, although the matter was re-
ported to the chief by the complainant
through Sergeant Reynolds. 1t is alleged
in the communication that Sergeant Graf
ford Station Keeper Morrison, and Patrol
Driver Johnson were on duty on the night
named.
Mr. Giddings alleges in his third charge
that Sergeant Crafford has been intoxi-
Gated repeatedly during the past year,
and that the chief ktew it.
The fourth charge is that Sergeant Graf
ford found two Of the police officers, Of
f1cers Shorter and Duncker, in bar
room in Rockets while on duty; that the
officers emptied their pistols on the streets
shortly afterwards, and that the sergeant
made no report of the affair. MIR. Gid
dingS also alleges that the chief had this
matter brought to his attention by other
officers.
Lastly, Mr. Giddings charges that while
ex-Police Officer Crump was acting as
sergeant on the night of August Goth last.
he reported Officer McCaulley for being
drunk, and that no action was ever taken.
THE CHIEFS DENIAL.
Chief-of-Police Johnson, who was pres
ent when the communication was read,
asked for permission to address the Coun-
Gil. He was given the floor. but was re-
quested not to go into detail concerning
the matter, as the Council would not act
upon it.. The chief said that he only de-
to TO hof as far a he
cation referred to him, it was absolutely
ia lse, and that the men who were re-
sponsible for it knew that what they said
was false. He went on to say that he
courted investigation, and hoped that
no time would be lost in taking up the
matter through the proper channel.
Sergeant Crafford was on duty last
night and was, therefore, not in the Coun-
ell chamber. When seen after the meet
ing he said that he regretted that he was
not present, and that he wanted to state
for publication that there was absolutely
no truth in Mr.. Giddings' assertions. and
that he was ready for an investigation
at any time. He declared that Mr.. Gid
dings' communication was nothing but a
piece of spite work.
AN INVESTIGATION ASKED.
Chief Johnson stated after the meeting
that he had never heard anything about
the alleged misconduct on the part of
Sergeant Crafford, and that as far as the
other charges We're concerned. he knew
personally that they amounted to nothing.
He said that the McCaulley case was now
in the hands of the board, and that the
other two cases had been fully investi-
gated by the board, and that several Of
fcers had been suspended by the commits
sioners in connection with the affair cited
by Mr.. Glddings.