Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-01-23
RELIEVED FROM DUTY.
Officers Nelson T. Smith and Chester A. Allen Retired From Police Force.

A. Allen Retired From Police Force.
 After two hours of a wearying ses- sion the board of safety yesterday af- ternoon concluded the examination into the physical ability of Officer Smith and the mental and physical ability of Officer Allen. Before the ex- animation began Commissioner Driggs stated that he had heard a good deal of comment regarding the executive sessions held recently by the board, and he would like to have the charter on that point read, to show the public the standing of the board in the mat | ter. Chairman Beach then read the section, which concludes thus, after saying that all meetings of the board l shall be public:
 "The consultation shall be confiden- l tial and held secret by the board" This shows plainly enough that the board acted properly in discussing the | evidence In this case. Indeed, it is L44e opinion of A great many that all such hearings should be private for the sake of the feelings of the policemen under 1 examination. .....
 Officer Smith was then led in before the meeting, and he said that his only witness was ex-Officer William Brick 1 el, who resigned from the force some years ago MT Brickel testified that he knew the officer before he went on the force and that he always walked as he does now. He was on duty with him one night on Baldwin street ten or twelve years ago, when they saw l two men run out of a barn and Ofh- cer Smith ran after them and .hat nigl& he sprained his left ankle.
 Chief Egan then testified that he knew Officer Smith some eighteen years, and he had the same walk then as now, but he walks heavier now. He thought he was 30 per cent worse | to-day than eighteen years ago. The o.icer had q bad fall some two years ago while arresting a prisoner. The | chief had no recollection of the acci- dent on Baldwin street. Detective l -1odds, Sergeants Cahey, 'Blakely and I Pagan and Captain Bannon testified 1 also. The trend of their story was substantially that of the chiefs. Ser I geant Blakely was. under the impress l sion that Smiths prisoner got away I from him the night the accident oc- cured to him on Bank street. Ser geant Pagan added that the officer was bitten on the hand by dog that was l supposed to have hydrophobia. Ah the witnesses agreed that the ofncer walks heavier now than some years ago. Dr Poore said his complaint is commonly known as flat foot, that IS l to say. the arch of the foot falls in I stead of rising when step is being I taken. Such cases are very common, he said. Officer Smith then stated that he had never had any trouble with his feet until after the accident on Bank street, | when he fell while arresting a drunk en man, and that before he went on the police force his legs got hurt in an elevator This disposed of the Of1cer Smith case, and Officer Allen was called in.
 It will be remembered that it was ] shown at the last hearing that the officer was suffering from rupture of the stomach and that he wears a truss, | which. however, the officer called strust.'' Mrs Allen, his wife, testified that he never wore a truss until after he was injured in the assault on Bald win street, the night of July 5, ls96.
 He was laid up about & week that time. l H. w. Lake. the druggist testified Il to selling the officer a truss. 1Ch1er d Egan then testified that the otncer was j laid up seven days and in his opinion he could not have been hurt very bad ly to have recovered in so short time
 The officer never spoke to him about the injury, and he never heard Of It until at the examination.
 wear after the Baldwin street row the officer was hurt very badly, his own horse running away With nm. He was laid up that time three monCns, <. and about two years ago he sllppeu l while fishing through the ice and dis d located his right shoulder. lie WAS
 laid LID seven weeks then. The chief
 said the officer reported for duty when
 he was not able to raise his arm ana he told him to go home until he would
 be well.
 Tn reply to Commissioner Van Keu- ren. the chief said the officer makes
 an intelligent verbal report when he can he understood. Each officer is supposed to keep note book in which
 he enters things that may be of use {. to him or which he would think shouio
 be reported at headquarters. me
 chief could not say if the officer makes
 satisfactory reports because he does
 not examine the books, and unless
 there is something unusual hls atten-
 ton is not called to them.
 Sergeant B1akely, who inspects the records and copies them into anotner
 hook. said he has no difficulty w1tn
 the officers reports.
 Dr Poore testified that he examined the officer when he was hurt Ill the Baldwin street row and found no evl-
 dence of rupture, and the otncer maae
 no complaint of such an injury. In his
 opinion the officer recovered from the effects of that row very quickly. To
 Commissioner Driggs the doctor said
 the officers condition was not dans
 gerous one but 1t was not such that would incline one to seek trouble; stlli he would not pass for appointment on the police force any man with such an injury. The officer then told his. story. He said that his reason for saying
 nothing about the injury was because ha did not think it necessary "to ad- yerHse it or let the public know he
 was hurt"
 He was asked by Commissioner Van Keuren what two things were neces- sary to make an arrest legal, and .ne of1cer said to make the arrest as quiet ly as possible, to put his hand on the nerson's shoulder and take him away"