The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-11-10
IS OK ON DUTY
OFFICERS ARE
Council Acquits Two Colored
Policemen of Charges
Against Them.

Colored Policemen John z. How
ard and Henry Farmer were ac-
Quilted by the city council Monday
night of charges of immoral conduct
preferred by Minnie Mcdonald. no
torious woman of Eairnont. and
Howard was acquitted OF the addit-
fonal charge of absenting himself
from duty without leave.
All the members of the council at
tended the trial. except Councilman
Bland. Pool Hickman was the first
witness called for the city, but he did
not know anything about the AFFAIR.
He started to tell what happened
some three weeks ago, but that was
not geremane to the case and he was
excused.
Fred Anderson for the city told
about being with the woman and
said he was going to the home OF her
brother with her in the East End.
He and the woman had some wtis-
key. Howard and Farmer got with
them and they drank whisky on the
Pike street bridge together. and he
went back and got another pint with
the woman's money. Anderson sta
ted they were hugging one another.
He stated that he was feeling pref
'ty good before he left her and when
he left he guessed she was too. He
stated that he did not hear any in
decent proposals, only curslng, and
that he did not know anything about
any bracelet. He did not deny that
he had asked the accused policemen
for. money TO go to Grafton as he did.
not want to testify. He stated that
= hi 1,NfH 70. keselk
The only thing the chief knew
about it was that he saw Howard on
the old fair grounds, when he should
have been on duty at the East End.
but virtually admitted that he had
given the coIored officers no orders
since May 80 last. though they were
by law under his supervision.
Policeman Frank Rush saw 'Ander-
son and the Mcdonald woman near
the postofice the night in question
and both were pretty drunk he said.
She took Howard by the arm, but the
latter pulled back and later they
went down the street and Rush went
elsewhere in charge of his duty
Policeman Howard explained thar
his wife was helping to conduct an
eating stand at the fair and he went
there to get his dinner. He relieved
Policeman Gill at the crossing until
they could go home in the East End
and eat their dinners. While on this
relief work he made several arrests.
Both Howard and Farmer fatty de-
MED that they acted in an unbecom-
ing manner toward the woman and
both stated that Anderson was with
the woman when they last saw her
that night They denied being in
the alley with the woman as charged.
Farmer told of the woman accusing
him of having her pocketbook and
bracelet and that he informed her at
the time that she would probably
and it-where she and Anderson were
that night. He says he went there
later and found them. He told the
chief of police about 1t the next night
after finding them and that she could
have them by Identifying them.
Douglas Howe, coloJsd, swore that
the woman was on the fair grounds
next day accusing various colored
men of having robbed her OF the
pocket book and bracelet.
Ex-Mayor Grille testified to the wo-
mans being in jail under his admin
istratlon for drunkenness and Ioiter-
ing. and Sheriff Flanigan likewise
told of his Impression of the low char
acter of the woman because of her
foul month and bad behavior in the
prison. Both stated that they had
heard nothing against the characters
of the policemen.
The council then went into execu-
tive session and in short while it
was announced that the men had
been re-instated, by vote of five TO
four.
Councilman johnson acted as at
torney for the city and Attorney
Thomas Ramage conducted the de-
Tense for the accused officers.
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