Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-03-21
THE BOWLING CASE
Members of Board of Safely
 Hardly Know What to Do.

The case of Luke Bowling, the spe- ctal policeman. who was found in the so-called Polish club on South Main street, Sunday evening. March g., when Sergeant Pagan and a squad of policemen raided the place, Is the most peculiar that ever came to the attention of the board For Bowling has violated no rule of the police de- partment nor broken any ordinance of the city, yet the members of the board feel that something ought to be done about it.
 Bowling was before the board yes terday afternoon. not on charges, but to give an explanation of his singular conduct. Sergeant John Pagan, who led the raid on the club, testified that Bowling was sitting down near a table when the policemen entered, and that when they began to collect the liquors and stow them in the police patrol. Bowling helped them. Bowling was in full uniform, and when the sergeant asked him what he was doing there Bowling told him that he had been engaged to pre- serve order. and that the proprietor. George Urkhart, told him, Bowling, it was cheaper to have a cop on the premises than have any disturbance take place,
 Mayor Thoms called up Bowling and asked him for his explanation. and Bowling told the story that he told on the witness stand when the proprietors of the club were prose- cuted for illegally selling liquor. That is, he was talking with Officer George Gabriel on Exchange place Sunday forenoon, March 3, when a man accosted the officer and asked him if he could get a special to do duty for him. Gabriel referred the man, who was Urkhart, to Bowling, and an agreement was struck by which Bowling was to do duty at 166 South Main street, no other name was mentioned, it seems, from mid day to midnight for $5.
 Bowling went home to lunch, after which he reported at the police station to Superintendent Beach that he had job at 166 South Main street. The superintendent asked him what kind of job it was and Bowling replied that he supposed 1t was Polish wedding, but he was not sure. And away he went. He had some difficulty in finding the place because he did not know where it was and he had no idea it was the so-called Polish club. He said he believed he was not doing wrong when he found himself in a place where men were coming and going and drinking, because he had often done duty for special parties before. Yet he was surprised when he saw the policemen enter in the evening, and he helped them stow away the liquors. Such was Dowling's story. Superintendent Beach said he did not exactly understand what Dow ling said to him when he was leaving the station house for the club. He understood him to say he had a job on South Main street and he sup posed it was a Polish wedding.
 The superintendent was asked why he did not prefer charges and he said he did not because he under stood some members of the board were going to do it. In fact he did not know what he could charge the officer with. He had violated no rule nor broken any law or ordinance as a policeman. He would say that he was guilty of poor judgment if he was guilty of anything.
 Mayor Thoms laughed at the mat ter and also said it evidently was poor judgment on the part of the officer. He did not know what could be done about 1t. It was certainly a mistake and nothing more, done in all good faith.
 Commissioner Griffin suggested dropping the matter right there. He saw no use in taking it any further. It was all a mistake and no one was hurt, he said.
 The board then adjourned to 4 :45 o'clock to-day. Miss Catherine Car roll Bergin took stenographic re- port of the hearing and sent out copies of the testimony to the mem- bers of the board. Commissioners Spain and Andrews were absent.