Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-08-20
BRoWNELL ACQUITTED.
Police Examiners Find Him Not Guilty
of Any of the Mayors Charges

Tho report of the majority of the
members of the board OF police examiners
of the findings as the result of the hear
ine on the charges filed against Chief
Brownell by Mayor Burke was completed
Friday night and sent to Mayor Burke by
special delivery. An adjourned meeting
of the board was held Friday night but
Chairman Bolger did not show up, hence
the other members of the board formu-
lated their report, which eXoncrates
Chief Brownoll on every charge. This
disposes of all the cases now before the
examiners. Officer Brothers was sus-
pended June and Officer Rivers was sus-
pended June Is, but no charges have been
filed against them. In the meantime they
are drawing full pay and specials are
doing their duty, also on full pay The
report of the examiners in Chief Brow
nells case is as follows:
burlington, VT. Aug. A. 1919.
To James f. Burke. Mayor of the City
of Burlington:
In the matter of your charges against
Chief Of Police Edward r. Brownell, the
board of police examiners of said city
respectfully report that upon due notice
to said Brownel and his counsel, J. T..
Cushinan. they heard the testimony Of
fered by you against said BrOvnel and
the testimony offered on his behalf and
they report to YOU their findings, as fol
lows, viz:
As to the first charge: The police on
aminerS find that said Browuell was
| present at a political caucus held on or
| about the 18th day of February 1908, but
did not take part in the same in viola
| tior of rule No. 10 of the police rules
and they find him not guilty of said
charge
| As to the second charge: The police
examiners find that said Brownell acted
as chairman Of a political caucus held
on or about the nth day Of February,
| 1903 h,rt did not take part therein in
violation of said rule No 49, and they
lind him not guilty of said charge
As to the third charge: The police OK
aminers find that said Brownell was
| present at a certain political meeting held
in Dodds's hall on or about the 9th day
Of February, 1A08, hut was not one of the
speakers al said meeting and div not
take part in any political canvass then
going on in said city in violation Of said
rule No. IS and they ind him not guilty
Of said charge.
AS to the fourth charge: The police
examiners fnd that said Brownell was
! present at a political meeting held in
St. johns hall on or about the 18th day
| of February, 1909 and acted as chairman,
but was not one of the public speakers
at that meeting and took no part therein
| IN violation Of said rule No. H. and they
| lind him not guilty of said charge.
In respect to these four charges the
police examiners question whether said
| rule No. l3 applies Ia the chief of police
Of said city, but if it docs apply, they
| find as a fact that said Brownel did not
violate said rule and they. therefore.
| find him not guilty Of either of SAID four
charges
As to the fifth charge: Tho police exam
| incrs report that this charge was testified
| to by one Frank Ready, a hackman, and
| that his testimony was unsupported They
| find as fact in respect to this charge
that said Brownell on the night in ques-
| ton was attending to his official duties
| in trying to lind and take to his home an
| intoxicated person at the request of
| prominent citizens of the city, and in try
! ing to locate an alleged gambling place
AT the request of other prominent citizens
of the city; that in performance of like
| duties as chief of police. said Rrownell
had on various occasions been out late
at night and until early hours in the
| morning. and sometimes had been taken
home by the complaining witness. Frank
| Ready, whose business kept him out
| nights very often: that on the morning
! in question said Brownell after attend
Ing to his official duties, as stated, came
| to the police Office about four o'clock,
and as testified to by himself and officer
| Patrick CosgroVe, was perfectly sober,
and after waiting a while for said Ready
! to go to the early morning train was
taken to his home by said Ready
The police examiners find as fact that
said Brownell did not spend "A night OF
dohauChery In company with women of
| il-repute on the occasion testified to by
| said Ready, and was not carried home
| from the police Office by him in a state
| of ntoXication, and that said Rrowncll
is not guilty of said charges,
AS to the sixth charge: The police eX-
aminers find as a fact that said Brownell
was not seen on the days mentioned or
on any other day in company of. or as
ISOLATED with women of questionable
repute under circumstances calling forth
unfavorable comment, and that he did
not bring his ONCE as chief OF police into
dsrepute by any such alleged conduct,
and that the police examiners find him
not guilty of said charge.
The mayor stated to the police exami-
ners that he made no claim against said
| Brownell as to the seventh and ninth
charges, and the police examiners ind
as a fact that said Brownel is not guilty
of either of these charges
| AS to the eighth charge: The police
| examiners find as "A fact that the COM
planning witness, Rose Miller. was and
is n woman OF ill-repute and that her
lather made complaint against her To
the chief of police on that ground, and
asked him to try and correct her CON
duct, that said Brownell called said