Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-22
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
POLICE COMMISSIONERS DISCUSS
CONDUCT OF TWO OFFICERS.
John D. Gaines Dead-Miss Petit Mar
ried to Frank Mickleback-
General News Items.
Special Correspondence OF The Evening Star
ALEX ANDRIA Va July %, 1904

ALEXANDRIA. Va, July %, 1904.
The policy and precedents of the police
force in general and the conduct OF two
officers in particular were inquired into Tor
two hours by the board OF police commits
sioners at an adjourned meeting held last
evening. In the special case under consid-
Grafton no decision reached, but from
expressions from some of the commission
ers after the long list of witnesses had been
questioned exhaustively it appeared that
the session has resulted in n better under
standing of the practices and methods in
vogue in the police department. All of the
members of the board were present when
the meeting opened at o'clock with Mayor
Simpson presiding. BY reason of the alb
sence of witnesses called to testify as to
the charges made by William TraverS
against Lieut.. Smith. that hearing was
postponed with the understanding that the
board would be called together at some
time in the near future.
Mayor Simpson then asked the commits
sioners If they were ready to proceed with
an investigation of the circumstances upon
which Commonwealth Attorney Brent, in
recent cases in the corporation court. based
criticism of the conduct of Officers LyleS
and Arlington. Owing to the absence of the
latter officer. who was sick, 1t was suggested
that the matter be postponed but upon the
mayors explanation that the men We're not
being tried under charges it was determined
TO proceed Mr.. Brent the first witness
called stated that his testimony was based
upon the testimony of the officers them
serves to the effect that they had failed to
arrest man. one Henry Wrenn who con-
fessed to having stolen property in his pos
session; that they had left the property in
his possession and had relied solely upon his
word to have II delivered at the station
mouse several hours after they went off
duty.
Mr.. Moncure's Views.
MIR. Richard c. L. Moncure, who had rep
resented Wrenn and Richard Burnett In
the recent cases in the corporation court,
was asked to explain his ground for the
statement he was reported to have made In
argument to the effect that the arrest of
the two men was result of fractional dis
cord on the police force. Mr. Moncure said
ne was informed that a certain rivalry ex-
iSted between officers of the force. and that
IL mad been manifested in the circumstances
connected with the arrest of his clients
Recalling his reference in the corporation
court, he said he had not intended to repre-
sent the existence of a serious condition of
aHairs, but had desired simply to direct at
tention to the effect in that particular case
or the rivalry between the officers
Lieut.. Smith stated that Officers I.yles
and Arlington had gone to work on the case
In the morning, but had failed. when he
called at Wrenns place that afternoon. to
tel MIN or an agreement concerning the
delivery OF the goods at the station house
that night Being questioned as to the
policy of the force in regard to working up
cases the lieutenant stated that when in
formation was received 1t was given to all.
and all alike were instructed He said ii
was customary for officers in special cases
10 continue their work after the time for
being relieved had been reached Some
dealers had been allowed to send stolen
goods TO the station house and appear there
the next day without arrest but the wit
ness declared that in n case like that in
point he would have put the man at once
under arrest Sergt. Smith also told of the
practices of the force in working up cases
lie said that In the case of stolen goods it
was often necessary to place more or less
confidence in dealers in secondhand arti-
Giles. II was customary for officers acting
upon information given at the outset alike
TO all to specially work up cases among
themselves until 4 consummatio had been
reached. Officer Lyles told of the promise
he and officer Arlington had received from
Nrenn for the delivery of the goods and of
the capture of the negro charged with the
Immediate theft. He cited instances to
show that throughout the case he and his
feNow-patrolman had acted in accordance
with the customs of the force. Other wit
nesses examined were Wrenn who was
brought from jail and Burnett who had
been acquitted on the same charge.
Notes.
Mr.. John d. Gaines, well-known resi-
dent of the fourth ward, died last night
after a lingering illness at his home 300
South Patrick street. Mr. Gaines came to
this city from Fairfax several years ago
and has been in declining health for some
time Several children survive him. He
was in the Seventy-ninth year of his age.
The funeral will take place Sunday after
noon, and the remains will be inferred in
Bethel cemetery.
BY a decree entered in the United States
circuit court for the eastern district of
Virginia by Judge Waddill. sitting at Nor
folk, Mr. S. @. Brent of this city was APP
pointed master in chancery to take and
state the account in the case of the Com
putting Scale Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, |
against James kincheloe and II. Ashby
Thompson, trading as Kincheloe & Co. An
alleged infringement on a patent is involv-
ed in the suit.
Miss Irene l.. Petit, daughter of Mrs.
James l.. Petit, and Mr.. Frank Mickleback
of this city were quietly married at the
home of the brides mother. corner of St.
Asaph and Orinoco streets Wednesday aft
ernoon. Rev. ]. II. S. Ewell of the Meth
odist Protestant Church performed the GER
emory. They left for northern bridal
trip.
A man named S. Walner was brought
here this morning from Washington by Of
ficer Lyles on n warrant charging him with
the larceny of a gold watch valued at $50
the property of Bertha Hyman. The case
will probably be tried in the police court
tomorrow morning.