Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-04-25
CHARGES WERE PREFERRED.
COUNCIL TO ACT IN THE
FREEMAN CASE.
Held Regular Session In Council
Chamber And Dispose of
Large Volume Of

OF great interest TO the large num-
ber of persons present was the meeting
Of the city council last night. Mat
ter of a more or less public nature was
discussed and disposed of with the
present councils characteristic push.
Many persons thought that the charges
against Patrolman Freeman with ref
erence to the alleged assault on Alfred
S. Griffin, marine, would be placed
on hearing.
In this they were disappointed, how
ever, for the trial will not come up
till the next meeting of the Council.
The charges, however, were preferred
by Mayor Jones and were based on
Section 8, Article 81, of the City
Code. 1t is claimed that the officer
used undue force in making the arrest
of the marine; that he was not in any
danger of his life and that he could
have handled the man without resort
ing TO extreme measures.
When the specifications had been
read Counsellor Riley made motion,
which was adopted. that the matter
be referred to a special meeting of the
board on next Monday night. The
clerk was instructed to notify the par
ties Of both sides of the trouble that
they must appear before the board at
that time. This means that testimony
will be heard from the witnesses on
behalf of the marine and also ON the
part of the arresting officer.
The disposition of this phase of the
case was followed by the reading of
a communication from the command
ing officer Of the Marine Barracks.
The members of the Council were
rather taken back by the tone of the
letter 1t was brought out by letter
which the Mayor had directed to the
commanding officer Of the barracks
asking that he use his best officers TO
prevent any friction between the local
authorities and men from the bar
racks. 1t was thought that the officer
had not taken the Mayors communs
cation in the spirit in which it was
intended and that he had taken um-
bragg at the wording OF the letter
The members of the Council thought
that the matter should be settled as
speedily as possible in order that there
might be no further overt acts on the
part of the men. The Mayor therefore
appointed Alderman Baer and Alder
man III. f. Thompson and Counsellor
Riley, committee to investigate the
matter to take up the correspondence
with the commanding officer and see
if better understanding could not be
reached This committee will prob
ably report the result of its labors at
the next meeting of the Council.
A communication was received from
Mr.. w. II. Caulk with reference to
considerable trouble which had been
experienced with the main sewer into
which surface drainage from his prop
erty is conducted. The matter was
referred TO the stI eet committee.
1t was reported by Assistant Fire
Marshall Porter that the brake on the
engine of the Independent Fire Com
pany had been repaired at cost Of Sl2
and he therefore refunded TO the Coun-
Gil the balance of the $40 which had
been appropriated for doing the work.
The brake was repaired for the pur-
pose of making it possible to operate
it from the drivers seat, as stated ex
clusively in the Capital at the time.
The matter of the ownership of the
roadbed of Block street was again
brought to the attention of the Coun-
Gil by the opinion of Counsellor Riley
with reference to the matter. He
stated.that after carefully looking into
the matter he could arrive at no other
conclusion than that the street be-
longed to the city. He stated that it
had enjoyed possession of the street
for twenty years and during that time
the ownership had not been question
ed. His report was ordered filed.
1t was reported by Mayor Jones that
he had entered into three-yea con-
tract with the Annapolis Gas and
Electric Light Company for the light
ing of the city. The contract is to
date from April 30 of this year. The
rate is based on the same rate as has
heretofore been in force.
Collector and Treasurer Charles II.
Russell furnished list of delinquent
taxes due on the year 1904. which
amounts to $20S.7O. The report was
submitted to the committee on
finance.
Much interest was taken in the list
of corrected assessments of the city
which had been secured from Clerk
Himmelheber, of the County Commits
sioners through Counsellor Riley. and
for which the Council had made an
appropriation of $50. The list, which
will be used as the basis on which
the next assessments will be levied, is
very complete ana Is expected 20 De OF
great aid TO the city authorities. The
clerk was directed to take charge of
the list.
A report was received from the spe-
cial committee appointed for the pur-
pose of investigating the request of
Parlett q Parlett to straighten the
line of their property at the City
Dock. The committee advised that
the permission be granted and the
Council so ordered.
A proposition, which was not accept
ed, was contained in a communication
from Mr.. Shellman B. Brown, of the
Short Line railroad. He had been
communicated with in reference to
the extension of Calvert street across
the tracks of the company. He stated
that he would have no objection to
the extension If the city constructed
the crossing at its own expense, kept
it in repair and assumed all response
-bility for accidents in addition to
maintaining a watchman at that
point. The members of the Council
we're of the opinion that the PROPOSE
I