The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1903-04-08
RESERVED DECISION.
Squire Hayes Completes Hear
ing Of Chief Price.
Number Of Witnesses Examined --Eyi-
dence Presented Case Begun Friday
Afternoon and Finished on Saturday
Assault Charges Against Police Of
fleer are Aired.


Assault Charges Against Police Of
ficer are Aired.
The hearing OF Chief Of Police r.
b. Price before Squire Hayes, charged
with assault upon William Simpson,
was held Friday afternoon, and con-
tinued Saturday morning.
While justice courts are not IN
common here, 1t Is an unusual thing
to have municipal officer up for trial.
The 'Squire's court was crowded,
with many people on the outside tc
hear the interesting case.
The charge against Chief Price
grew out OF trouble between the Of
fIcer and the Carpenters Union on
Saturday night, March 9th, at Mu-
nicipal Hall.
Mr.. Simpson is President Of the
Union. The Union held a meeting a.
Municipal Hall on the night above
mentioned, and Mr.. Simpson presided
He was the first witness for the prose
cution, which was represented by
Cramer & Yeager. Van A. Barrack.
man was attorney for Chief Price.
Mr.. Simpson testified that while the
meeting Of Carpenters and Joiners
was in progress on the first floor oil
Municipal Hall, Mr.. Burkey, one OF
the members In the rear room, called
that some one was at the rear door
wanting to get in. He went out i'm
mediately, opened the door. and the
policeman, who was there, came in.
Chief Price told him that the rear
room was private room, and they
must get out. There were about 1855
men at the meeting, and several OF
them had gone into the rear com part
ment OF Municipal Hall for standing
| room.
Mr.. Simpson ordered the men back
into the second room Of the ball, and
followed them out. He had an ex.
change OF words with Mr.. Price, and
told him he would talk when he
pleased, and to whom he pleased.
just after he had gone into the second
room Chief Price struck him on the
right shoulder with his left fist
ciinched.
Mr.. r. E. Motley, Secretary of the
Union, was called as witness for the
prosecution. He testified that the
Chief grabbed Mr.. Simpson after be
had gone out and opened the real
door. Mr.. Motley was not In the real
room, add the attempt to take Mr..
Simpson was just inside the second
| room.
| Mr.. Barker, who was In the back
room, heard some one shaking the
back door knob and saying, "Open
this door, or | will break it open. .
He told Mr. Simpson, who opened the
door. Chief Price came in, grabbed
Mr.. Simpson, and tried to pull him
out of the second room.
Eugene Ervay testified that Chief
Price grabbed Mr.. Simpson by the
right shoulder, over the threshold in
the second room, and tried to pull
him cut.
| Mr.. Fortney, who testified that be
was the only man who had not gotte1
out OF the rear room when the trouble
began. said that Mr.. Price grabbed
Mr.. Simpson with his left hand and
pulled a revolver out OF his pocket
with his right hand, holding the
weapon with the muzzle toward The
floor. Did not point it at anyone.
Henry Norris testified that Chic.
Price had grabbed Mr.. Simpson in tn,
second room, reaching through th,
door from the third room. Some sale
he put one foot through the door
Some said he grabbed with the lef
hand, and some thought it was tn,
right hand.
The prosecution rested the case a
this point, and Chief of Police Pric
testified in his defense. He said the
third room at Municipal Hall was
private one for the fire department
land police headquarters. That b.
went to the door leading into th,
room from the hose room last Satur
day evening, and found it fastened
1t is necessary for him to have acces
to the phone in the room to answe
calls for the police, but supposing tn
fremen were holding a meeting, b.
went away, and finding the other DO
lice learned that Carpenters and Join
ers Union was holding a meeting il
Municipal Hall. He demanded en-
trance, using some forcible language
when he was refused, and threatening
to break down the door II it was no
opened. In short time it was open
ed. All the policemen went in, ant
he told the Carpenters. several O
whom we're 10 that room, that it wa
private, and they must vacate it
They all retired without argument
but Mr.. Simpson, who talked back tt
him, saying, g We know the law anC
know our business" Chief told hin
II he did not get out he would arrest
him, just about the door leading from
I'd to Sd room, but was prevented
from taking him by Others holding
him back. He then said he would see
him on the street, and closed the door
and bolted it between the I'd and Sd
rooms. He did not pull out his re vol
yer, and did not strike Mr.. Simpson.
M Il. Sisler testified that he had
given permission to the Union to hold
meetings in the first two rooms of
| Municipal Hall, but nothing was said
about the third room.
Mayor Steele testified that he gave
Milton Hackney the keys for the two
| lower rooms.
Milton Hackney testified that he
! had opened the door into the Third
roum, surprising that Carpenters Tn.
ion had liberty of using all the first
lleor, and there being big crowd Of
msD, they needed more space than the
irst two rooms afforded. The door
was not locked, but only fastened
with hooks like screen door. He
said Simpson was in middle room
| when Chief Price laid hands on him.
He saw no revolver.
Bert Meek testified as to the third
room being used by fire department,
that the door from the hose room to
the third room was never locked since
the Yale lock was taken off from it.
James N. Davis, former chief of DO
lice testified that this same door was
unlocked all the time.
VIM. Shoemaker aud TIC. Fleming,
both testified that they were present
at the trouble, and their testimony
corroborated principally chief Prices
testimony. Neither saw the chief
pull out revolver, and both were
close to him. Thought they had
right to enter room in discharge OF
their duties. Both testified Mr.. Price
was angry, and that Mr.. Simpson was
excited or angry and that the latter
talked back a good deal to the chief
Cyrus Fife was the last witness called
to testify rs to what he had heard Mr..