The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-10-18
Says he DID NOT
DESIRE ARREST MADE
So Informed Chief Of Police,
Sheets at the City
Jail.
EVIDENCE UPON WHICH HE
WOULD INVOLVE SHEETS
Is a Story of an Innocent
Abroad That Seems Abso-
lutely Incredible.

In the preliminary hearing before
Judge Armstrong Wednesday of the
charges believed to have been
trumped up against Chief Of
Police George A. Sheets by political
opponents, in the hope that they might
thereby gain some small political adj
vantage, there was not one iota of
evidence produced that could in any
way implicate Chief Sheets with ths,
robbery Of which the McWhirters claim
they were the victims.
The story of Alexander McWhirter, the
eldest Of the pair Of Ayrshire Scotch
men, was lengthy recital of bunko
game common to the Western country,
but of evidence which could in any
way connect Chief Sheets with the
game, by which they charge they are
the loosers Of some $4,000, there was
an absolute lack.
At the time of the occurrence the
only man said to be connected with
it that Chief Sheets ever knew anv.
thing Of. or who was brought to hia
attention, was the supposed auxiliary
officer, W. w. Bell. When Me-
Whirter went with Bell to the police
station. he refused 70 make any COM
plaint against Bell, and when Chief
Sheets asked McWhirter if he desired
the arrest OF Bell, the Scotchman an
swered that he did not
The testimony shows, and McWhirter
admits, that Bell did not receive anv
Of the stolen money. Bell repeatedly
stated in the presence of Chief Sheets
that he had not got any of the money.
McWhirter corroborated these state
ments, and as he would not consent to
Bells arrest or make any complaints
against him, Chief Sheets, of course,
could do nothing but permit Bell to go
free.
In this particular McWhirter's S testi-
mony is regarded as very weak.
Apparently his only desire was to
get back his money, or at least
part of it, and continue his
journey to the coast. After a long
delay, he received $1,000 from Bell az
n loan, and be and his brother then
left Immediately for the Salt Lake
Route depot and started westward, evil
IDENTIFY satisfied that they had been
successful in regaining this much OF
their treasure.
McWhirter Occupies Day.
The entire day was consumed in the
direct and cross-examination of Alex
ander McWhirter in the preliminary
examination of Chief of Police Sheets
on charge of suppressing informa-
tion from magistrate in Judge Arm
strong's court in this city Wednesday.
When court adjourned at o'clock
last evening McWhirter was still ON
the stand, Judge Varian still pursuing
the cross~examination, and it will be
resumed at 10 o clock this morning.
Alexander McWhirter is the eldest
of the two McWhirter brothers, who
were the supposed victims Of bunko
game in this city September Is. The
story told by McWhirter on the wit
ness stand almost passes comprehen
sion. Never before in the history Of
Utah Jurisprudence and probably never
in the history OF American jurispru-
dence has such a tale of unsophistica-
ton, pusillauimity and absolute help
Iessness been unfolded in court Of
Justice, 1t almost challenges belief: it
seems incredible that two men could
possibly have been led into the trap,
presuming that these men were led
INTO and stood the subsequent machina
tions without realizing the fact that
hey were being heeced-were aeeced
m fact-that they were simply the
prey Of clever and daring rogues, The
story seems to have no redceming fea-
ure, it is unparalleled.
AS to the Evidence
But so far as any evidence upon
which Chief of Police Sheets could be
leld to answer the charge preferred
against him is concerned there was
lone yesterday Any man or any pub
ic official may err in judgment under
ertain circumstances, but an error OF
udgment or an indiscretion can not by
my manner of technical manipulation
,e construed as a violation of and
+ an infringement of statutory pro-
ision when there is not any evidence
nd the effort made for political effect
must absolutely fail.
No complaint was read at the pre-