Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-09-07

The committee of the council con-
cluded the investigating the charges
against Policeman Longcor last
night, and that farcical scandal is
probably concluded, with the excep-
| tion of the report the committee will
make to the council Saturday night.
| The public Is not in breathless sus-
pense as to the tenor of that report,
and it may be said that the agony is
now over.
Mr.. Longcor was his own best wit
ness last night. He was on the stand
for half an hour, and made a good
witness. He told his side of the story
frankly, and everything he said was
plausible, except his attempted ex.
planation of his efforts to intimidate
Alderman Acheson. Mr.. Longcor had
plenty of witnesses to prove the
Quixotic intentions of himself every
time he rented a room at the Salem
lodging house, and established to the
satisfaction of himself, and probably
the committee, that he entertained
only fatherly and Platonic affection
for the girls he occasionally called on
during the silent watches of the
night.
Mr.. Longcor was ably backed up
in his photographed narrative by
Louis Folsom, L.. B. McClane and one
or two others.
Marshall Cornelius was still con-
fined to his bed by sickness, and at
o'clock last evening the members
of the committee and the attorneys
went to his residence and talked with
him about the case. Mr.. Inman made
another motion to postpone the hear
ing until Mr.. Cornelius could sit up.
| The committee refused. Then Mr..
| Inman again moved that the affi.
davits be read and placed on the rec
ord. The committee declined to al
low this, but read the affidavits with
the avowed intent of asking Mr..
Longcor questions concerning them,
making them admissible in kind of
an ex parte way In other words, If
there was anything in the affidavits
that Mr.. Longcor desired, II was all
right, but otherwise. otherwise. No
ruling was made in these words, but
! this is merely the inference.
1t was o'clock when the commit
tee got warmed up to its work. l..
B. McClane was the first witness. He
saw Emil SCHNEIDER on the occasion
of his arrest, and said he was fully
ripe enough to pull. He gave Mr..
Longcor a good reputation.
Louis Folsom, night watchman at
the county court house, was the next
and most amusing witness of the ev-
ening. With great sang froid, he re-
lated how he had arranged a series
of signals to call the policemen, the
sheriff and other dignitaries when he
wanted them, and how he OCCASION
ally rendered assistance to the police
men, the sheriff and other officers.
He said he arranged 1t so that If
anyone wanted Longcor of nights
they could call the court house, and
If he was not there they could call
the Statesman office. He denied
that he ever fired off pistol for Mr.
Longcor, but said the gun went off
of its own sweet will, the night the
firing caused so much alarm.
Mr.. Folsom said that he deeply
sympathized with Chief Cornelius,
and regarded him as a very unfortu-
nate gentleman.
Mr.. Folsom said he had not talked
with Marshal Cornelius about the
duties of the Office Of chief of police
since the marshal was elected, but
before that time he had conversed
with him as to what he should do.
and what he should not do. He inti-
mated that he gave the chief good
drill in the duties of his post.
That was kind of Mr.. Folsom.
Mr.. Longcor went on the stand !
next, and in a general way denied ev-
erything. He told of the arrest OF
Emil SCHNEIDER, and said that the
young man was very drunk, and that
he had only s1S.26 in his pockets
when he pulled him.
The policeman told of twice rent
ing rooms at the Salem lodging
house. but he claimed he was only
trying to rescue some girls from q
cruel fate. He was willing to pay
money out OF his own pockets. for
room rent in house OF bad reputa-
ton that he might snatch Few
brands from the burning.
n