The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-03
UP TO O'NEILL
SUSPENDED {. O. COP MAY
YET REVEAL ALL.
He Denied He Told Fellow-Policemen
That Werner Robbed Churoh-Latter
Denied It, Too.

ROUCemdQ III AECAAl VI a
Orange. who was suspended from the
force in that city last night by the police
committee of the East Orange City Coun-
ell for having, 1t is alleged, told three
members Of the department that Police
man Rudolph Werner, also OF East Or
anre. had entered a church last year by
means of a key, broke open a collection
box and purchased a bottle OF whiskey
with the small amount of money that had
been taken from the box, has engaged
Justice ] Franklin Fort to ADVISE MIN
how to proceed. 1t Is said OMEN may Is
sue a statement clearing nimseli. NoVeaa
tions are expected. -
0'Neili strenuously denied last night
having told any such Story, anu Welnsa
as strenuously denied having peen guhes
of doing the act. The suspension OF .ns
policeman holds good until Monday night,
unless he proves Werner committed the
act, and that night, unless O'Nell mshes
good the committee VIII reeomm ne ais, IL
the City Council that ONelh DC as-
missed from the force.
Policeman Thon as Rydberg. with
Chanceman Gustav Vetter and EDWARD
Williams, testified last night that OfNeiii
had told them the story a long time age.
AS they did not report 1t to the ponce Oh.
hcials the three men are TO be publicly
reprimanded. 1t is said. ~
Rydberg, during his testimony In the
investigation, which was held in the Coun-
Gil chambers, the court room being TOO
small to seat the crowd that came 10
suited O'Neill one morning while several
of the men We're going toward police head
quarters and that later O'Neill told the
W steryy of ABOUT S,s gosf sG DO say IL o' Ne la aaid
two weeks ago, according to Rydbers,
that he was going to swear before the
police committee that he never told the
story. Rydberg said he had not reported
the matter to the chief of police because
the latter was not In. nor to all the police
committee because he heard the men were
going to make 1t hot for him. He admitted
having told Councilman Harry s. Burr,
of the committee, about 1t.
The church where the robbery was sup
posed to have been committed Is the old
Sanford Street NJ. E. Church, East Or
ange. No witness was sworn by the COM
mittee.
the story about three months ago and that
O'Neill also told Werner he would never
have a days luck after. O'Nein came to
him later, he continued, and did not want
him to tell it to the committee, as it
might be the means of sending him to
prison. Chanceman Williams said O'Neill
told him the story; ovs aenlea II nve
sation.
Policeman Morris Fennessey said he
heard the yarn being passed around and
heard three citizens talking about the
affair at Main and Walnut streets, East
Orange. 1t was also stated that prac-
the matter. but Chief Bell announced his
first information came from the news
papers, the EVENING STAR being the
first to make the matter public.
When O'Neill was asked to testify he
said Not guilty" and claimed he never
told any such story, and was willing 10
swear To 1t.
Werner was next called, and said:
All | know Is that some time ago
Fennessey approached me and told of the
story going around. l told him to put
- .l1~,, &c N fn1xa yN-han ,..~,nopnf
O'Neill he said he told no such story. I
heard no more about It until last Friday
night. Vetter told me OF it and told
would go to Jail if he didn't prove it. Tho
next thing a reporter asked me ahcft IL,
and l told him to ask the citizens Though
the paper, to believe me innocent until
this man proves me guilty. / an willing
to swear / never did it. l am just as
innocent as an unborn child or any other
child"
Later Werner was asked by Chairman
Somers what oughht to hahppen TO a man
guilty OF ropbing the church. as told.
He ought to be sent to Jail for life.
was Werner's reply.
Councilman Burr and Chief Bell stated
that they had been over to the Sanford
Street Church Sunday, and were told the
collection box had been robbed in Feb
ruary of last year, which is said to be
about the time both policemen were doing
duty in the vicinity.
Both men were put through a stiff cross
examination by Councilman Edward. s.
tree of the City Council and Messrs-
Somers and Burr, but both held to their
Iinwood c. ellis, of East Orange,
stated that while he was in the office of
Chief Bell last Friday night Werner and
O'Neill were being examined by the head
OF the department. O'Neill. he said, was
talking, and Werner leaned over and
touched him on the arm to say no one
was accusing him regarding something on
the 18th or Goth of February. Werner said
he did not touch O'Neill on the arm.
John ], Moore, overseer of the poor. said
a member of the church told him the lock
on the poorbox had been broken open, but
1t was then believed to be the work OF
some boys. (
Policeman Rydberg had told him the story
of the alleged church robbery.
During the talk Rydberg asked Policemen
Williams and Vetter If they heard some
one was going to use a revolver on him.
but they said no. Chief Bell also stated
that he believed Werner and O'Neill were
the best Of friends n often asked to get
their day off at the same time, to enable
them to go fishing together. 1t also devel-
oped that hard feeling exists between Wer-
ner and Rydberg.
Mayor William Cardwell told the commit
tee that he was told OF the story on the
Tuesday before 1t came out. and tried to
find Chief Bell In order that an investiga-
ton might be made. Bell was in Newark.
The Mayor went out of town and when he
returned on Friday night the story had
been made public.