Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-04-05
Try POLICE OFFICERS
Commissioners Investigate DePe.
IicliOn Of Duty Charges.
Oh. SYKES THE COMPLAINANT
Station Keeper Webb Exonerated and
Patrolman Shelton Reprimanded Be.
cause He Did Not Inspect Church
After Arrestins the Sexton.

Police Officers X. W. Shelton and
w. II. Webb were tried by the board
Of police commissioners last night nn
the charge of derelirion of duty, pre-
ferred by Rev. a. O. Sykes, rector of
ST. Panrs church. The hoard dismiss
ed the charge against Officer Webb
and instructed Chief Reynolds TO rep
rimand Officer Shelton.
The filing OF the charges resulted
from the arrest of Hardy Seay. the ne
gro sexton OF st. Paul's church. Sun
day morning, March %.
The sexton was arrested on Thirty
fourth street near Huntington avenue
as q suspicious character by Officer
Shelton. The officer did not know
that Seay was sexton for the church
ana finding him on the street after
o'clock in the morning. asked him TO
account for himself. The negro said
he was attending to business" and
when he persisted In refusing to give
& satisfactory explanation Of his ac-
lions the officer placed him under ar.
rest. After the officer had sent in
a call for the patrol wagon, Seay said
hat he was sexton for ST. Pauls and
that he had been attending to tho
furnaces, hot fire having been start
ed for the early morning services. The
officer said that 1t was too late then.
that the patrol wagon had been called
and the negro would have 10 go to thS
police station.
Officer Webb who was on duty at
he station, called DIR. Sykes over the
telephone and notified him of the ar.
rest Of The ianitOr. The doctor insist.
ed upon having he negro released at
once, saying that his church was liable
To burn down. The officer replied
that he would send Seay TO the church
as soon as magistrate conlh he got
ten 10 bail him few minutes lat
er DR. Sykes called up The station
again. The magistrate had not arriv-
ed ana the minister took Officer Webb
10 task for not releasing the sexton
nj once. DR. Sykes says that the Oh
ficcr snid that he didn't care il the
church did burn down Officer Webb
mates that lie merely said that he
culd not help it If the church burned:
that he would send the sexton as soon
as possible. a few minutes more
passed and then Justice Floyd Smith
arrived and bailed Seay.
After Seay was tried and dismissed
in the police court Dr. Sykes met
Officer Shelton on the street and ask
ed him why he acted as he did in the
matter The doctor contends that or
ficer Shelton said that he didn't care
whether or not The church burned.
The story OF the trouble was brought
ont by several witnesses. DR.. Sykes
testified himself and introduced Mr..
r. Fnnegan. who said that he was at
ST. Paul's until about o'clock on the
morning of the negro's arrest. Mr..
Ffnnegan had been repairing the fur
mace and left the church after the
fire was burning TO his satisfaction.
Officers Webb and Shelton. Sergeant
Gray and Mr.. Il. B. Cameron, who was
with Officer Shelton Mt the time The
arrest was made, were the other wit
nesscs.
The board found that Officer Shell
ton had been derelict in his duty In
that he did not go to ST. Patl's church
10 see about the condition Of the fur.
nnce after sending he negro to the
station. 1t was decided that Officer
Webb had been at fault.
Chairman Holmes and Mr. Holloway
were the commissioners present at the
sDecial meeting held to dispose Of The
charges.