Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-01-25
MILES M'NIFF WANTS JUSTICE
Dismissed Police Officer Asks Board of Safety to Re-Open His Case and Give Him
 Hearing.

Ex-pOliceman Miles McNiff, with lis 4 .ounsel, Attorney Russell, appeared before the board of public safety yes terday afternoon with arguments for | rc-hearing of his case. It will be remembered that the officer was dis charged from the force last fall some time following the city election. \ week or so before the dismissal 1t was common property that trial or no trial the officer was a gOler anyway. The officer was put on his defence by matter that had no relevance whats0- ever to public welfare or his duty as a policeman. It was on a matter that was over year old and which to the satisfaction of those concerned had been settled. It will also be recalled that the officer appeared before the board of public safety with counsel and on motion of Commissioner Griggs it was decided to give the lawyer. Attorney J. !. O'Neill. no voice in the controversy at all.
 Officer McNiff objected 10 this but bis objections were igtiOred and the entire proceedings had the appearance of having been dressed up and re hearsed. This course of policy was in line with all the actions of the last board of safety. its secret sessions, and what not. in the homes of the members.
 Mayor Thoms' board. however, has taken different view of the matter. as was seen by the action of yester- day. in permitting Attorney Russell to express himself most fully on every detail.
 Mr Russell said that boards of ev cry municipality are public body and as such their actions are open 10 tn" people and it is not in the right If any such body to exclude any part at the public from it's meetings RepOri- CTS. as the vehicles through which the public is informed of the doings of municipal bodies. have right to be present at all their meetings. Mir Rus sell said that as citizen of the town, being born and bred here. he had an inalienable right to attend every meeting of the board of safety or any other board. and no one had the auth ority to challenge his right to be there.
 We want to he straight in this natter" said he. ''and all we want is square deal" He asked the board to look back on the members of the old board and see what they were. Not one of the five men, Mir Russell would v0uch, had q good word for him. It was evident that ons man dominated that board, and then Mir Russell said that it was easy for any member who wished to do so to doln- mate any board: moreover. if such Il member was Il colleague of the other members in some other organization.
 He asked what show had the officer when his counsel was cut adrift from him before such men. Mir Russell was educated to believe that every man on trial. no matter for what. ought to he given fair show. a square deal. That was the birth right of every man in this country. a square deal.
 Just think of it.. said .lis, iii tltsslAan who was the officeru h1t1ifstfo St aS !7lso his judge. Think of that. Why in no other body would such thing he tol- erated for moment. It was pre- posterous situation but true neverthe- less. All we ask is that this hearing he reopened. Give this man what you would expect yourself under the cir cumstances."
 Counsel said he is a member of the body to which the officer belonged, but he did not feel aggripred at any action he ever did in it's deliberations and so far as he knew every other member was satisfied with his work.
 The fact of the matter was that it was not on account of the officers ac- tion in the society that he was dis missed but on account of his reported activity at the last city election. "Now." said Mir Russell. If there was any charge upon which the officer could have been tried. presumIng that he was amenable to trial. it was for his activity in the last city election" But counsel protested that the boar,l had no right to say or even intimate to any one in the employ of the city. policeman or otherwise. that it wished