Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-30
Officer Accused of Violating
Police Regulations.
BEFORE TRIAL BOARD
ACCUSED OF DISRESPECT TOWARD
HIS SUPERIORS.
Testimony of Several Witnesses Given
and Hearing Adjourned Until
Saturday Next.


| Mounted Sergt. S. ]. Harry of the George
town precinct on the charges preferred
against him by Policeman Hillery Smith.
as published In The Evening Star, several
witnesses gave testimony. and the hearing
was adjourned until next Saturday. The
| sergeant, as has been stated, was accused
| of numerous violations of the regulations.
1t was charged that he had neglected duty
| and had talked In disparasing way about
several of his superior officers Policeman
| Smith was the first witness sworn.
Chairman Sinclair took the witness in
| hand and questioned him concerning the
| several specifications. Witness, after being
| sworn. produced notebook in which he
had made entries of the alleged shortcom-
| ings of the sergeant. The officer told the
| board that Sergeant Harry at the time OF
the death of Commissioner Ross, made the
remark: Now that that old - - is
dead, maybe that swell head Dick mean-
| ing MAJOR SylVeSter) won't be the whole
thing; he II have boss over him.
| Respecting Captain Giessford, the witness
said he had heard him spoken of by
Sergeant Harry as a little insignificant
- - who had never done anything but
wear out the seat of his pants
AT the time Lieutenant Jordan was
| placed in charge of the Georgetown pre-
| cinct the witness said Sergeant Harry
| marked: Jordan is a good man, and you
| men will have to do your duty, as you will
not have that - old granny to run to-.
Witness also said he had heard the SER
geant refer to Lieutenant Daley in an ex-
tremely disrespectful way. He said he had
heard the defendant repeat portions of his
statements several times.
Witness then detailed his other charges,
telling the board that he lad seen the
sergeant spend more than four hours at a
| time in the Teneytown station and in the
watch box that was used before the pres
h,,il. li,,ry a t;y,,Ac
| said. the sergeant was alone, and at other
| times he was accompanied by the officer
on the beat. This occurred during the
winter of 1903 and 1904. Witness recalled
that on occasion he saw the sergeant
asleep in the station.
AT another time" he stated. "he had his
eyes closed and nodding."
The policeman also charged that the ser
geant had performed his duty without rid
ing his horse.
why did you not report him before
nOw?' Attorney Wolf asked.
Il didn't consider it was my duty. he
responded, and it was an embarrassing
thing to do.
Made Notes of Charges.
Witness admitted that he had been COM
planned against this year by Sergt. Harry,
and it was after that that he preferred
charges against the sergeant. He COM
menced taking notes of the sergeant's
movements in October and discussed the
matter with friends He said he had dis
cussed the sergeant's conduct with DR..
Chappell and the latter had advised him
not to have him brought up on charges.
Attorney Rosenberg referred to the rec
ords of the police station and pointed out
that they did not bear out his testimony
upon two dates he specified. Witness said
he still had no change to make in his tes-
timony. He said he mad called the atten-
ton of Desk Sergeant Shepherd and Po-
licemen Neale and Blake to the fact that
in the Tenleytown station, and that he was
either asleep nodding.
Now" said counsel, Desk Sergeant
Shepherd will swear that such was not the
case. What have you to say of that?'
II can't help what he Will swear to" the
witness answered.
Witness said he heard Sergt. Harry say
he had cursed Major Sylvester and given
him go over the telephone.
Witness said he had spoken to number
of men in the precinct about Sergt. Harry
since he preferred the charges against him
and he made the entries in his notebook
because Sergt Harry had been logging
other men and witness kept the. record for
self-protection.
Eyes. sir,"Lanswered the officer. he was
always nagging at me and finding fault
with every little thing.
Witness thought the sergeant had it in
for him from the very day he entered the
precinct.
And now you think you are getting
even?"
mo. sir"
Retired Policeman's Testimony.
Retired Policeman Eli Riley. who for
merly did duty under Sergt. Harry. testi-
fed that he had seen Sergt. Harry enter
the box at Tenleytown several times. On
one occasion, he said, he him remain
in the box for period Of three hours.
Did you ever see him asleep in the box?'
the witness was asked.
I've seen him with his head hanging
down and he was breathing heavily as II
he were sleeping" the witness replied.
Witness said he had heard the defendant
refer to Maj. Sylvester as - swell
head" and say he had cursed the major
over the telephone and the latter was not
man enough to resent it. He said he had
heard the sergeant speak of Capt. Gessford
as 60 little upstart, and had also
used disrespectful language about Lieut.
Daley.
when did he make these remarks?' the
witness was asked.
II can't tell that" he answered. II
didn't keep tab on him and never expected
to be called upon to tell Of It."
Cross-examined by Attorney Rosenberg,
witness said he and Smith belong to the
same order
rs that the pin of the order you are
wearing"
HAS the fact that you belong to the
same order any signifcance?"
''None whatever"
Policeman Neale testified that he had seen
Sergt Harry in the Tenleytown station a
number OF times.
How long did he remain there?'' the
witness asked.
II don't know, he answered. IT never
kept time on him.
Witness said the sergeant was always
on duty when he saw him. At times. he
stated. he had seen him apparently asleep.
He had his eyes closed" the witness ex-
planned, land at times he would open them
and look around him"
Witness said he had heard the sergeant
use disrespectful language about Maj. Syl-
vester and Lieut.. Daley, but he could not
give the exact language
did you ever hear him use any such
language respecting Capt Gessford?" he
was asked.
II heard him say he did not see what he
had ever done to be made captain" was
the response of the witness.
Asked where the sergeant was when wit
saw him apparently asleep, he said
he was in the room where men were play
ing cards.
They We're not playing crap?" asked At
torney Wolf.
''rhat was in Georgetown" remarked a