The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1906-10-11
Police and Fire Commissioners
Hear Charges Against Chief
of Police 0'Hare
OFFICERS COURSE UPHELD
Charges Hinged on the Fact That it was
Alleged That the Chief had De-
cIined to Release Prisoner
without Hearing

Chief of Police Owen O'Hare oc-
cupied his usual place at his desk in
the police Office this morning and he
was free of the charges which had
been brought against him by Justice
George B. McCarron. The police and
fire commission met on Saturday af-
ternoon to have a hearing on the
charges and as result Of the hearing
the charges were laid on the table
and the matter dropped.
All of the commissioners were pres
ent at the session and Chief O'Hare
was the only witness called. The per-
sonal matters between the justice and
the official were not gone into at
length by the commission and the
hearing was principally on the
charge that the chief had de-
c1ined to release a prisoner for whom
bail had been offered. When the COM
mission was considering the charges
the chief had been at work IN the
court of Court Commissioner Slater
and he was called from court TO APP
pear before the commission. He adj
mitted that he had made the state
ments alleged by McCarron, but stated
that it had been only after an argu
ment in which hot words had passed
between the men.
In regard to the main charge ofrefus-
ing to release a man for whom bond
had been offered, the chief made full
and complete statement to the COM
mission and the commission voted to
uphold him in the stand taken. 1t
was stated by the chief that the man
in question was a foreigner who had
been arrested on charge of assault
ing Police Officer Tony Borden ard
biting off the end of his finger. The
man had been landed in Jail and Jacob
Stern had furnished bail for him.
Chief O'Hare stated that he had
been asked to release the man on this
bail, but that he had declined to do it
and had insisted that the friends of
the man wait until after Borden had
filed his charges in the case. Borden
came down the next morning and re-
fused to push the charges against the
man and he was arraigned on charge
Of intoxication and fined So and cost.
After the chief had given his testi-
mony he left the room, and the COM
missioners remained in session only a
few minutes. None of the members
of the commission was inclined to dis
cuss the matter more than to say
that the chief should have been up
held in refusing to release the man.
1t is possible that there will be
further developments in the case, but
the first blood in the contest is with
the chief. The Board took no notice
of the alleged professional jealousy
shown in the complaint.
Justice McCarron this afternoon in
an interview stated that notwith-
standing the action of the commission
he would not recognize O'Hare as In
officer. 81 will issue no warrants to
him nor can he return any before me.
If O'Hare wants to come into my
court and make complaint he has
the same right as any other private
citizen, but will turn no warrant
over to him for service"
Mr.. McCarron stated that he knew
that this action would practically
close his court to the uses of the po-
lice. AS Chief O'Hare is the only
member of the force who can return
warrant the police would be barred
from securing hearing Of any case in
his court