The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1909-04-14
GRAFT CHARGES FALL
RATHER FLAT
OFFICER LINvILLE MAKES A
FINE SHOWING DECISION
TONIGHT.

! At the conclusion Of the hearing Of
the graft" charges before the board
of police commissioner last night
the commission decided TO postpone
decision in the matter until tonight.
when they are 10 meet again. II may
be said that the charges did not
amount to much, that nothing Of a
grave nature was adduccd, and it may
not be short Of the truth to say that
Officer Thomas Linvillc came out Of
the investigation covered with glory.
II the investigation showed anything,
| II showed that LinylIc had not done
any wrong, and that The charges in
relation to him were without founda-
ton. For despite all the agitation Of
the matter, in the case Of police
officer who in the course OF his duties
has made enemies OF certain kind
| BY the scorc-who now would have
taken keen delight in coming forward
to try 10 pToye something black in bis
Irccord-yet not a scintilla OF evil
dencc was brought out against him.
While il may be going little bit
too fast to try 10 Iorecast what the
decision Of the police commission
will be, yet il may be a safe guess that
Officer Linville will be exonerated
fully and the commissioners may
even commend him for his services
jas an officer.
As regards Officer Dubeau, he stands
guilty" Of having received 81 from a
woman Of the town. 1t was given as
Ia Christmas gift. 1t was not possible
to paint the matter any worse than
that but the commission may possibly
not praise him overmuch for taking
any money from woman Of the
town, no matter what the motive was.
The proceedings last night passed
off uneyentfully, and there was but
little excitement. Martin Foard acted
as chairman Of the session, with both
Commissioners Gordon and Logan
present. and Mr., Foard presided with
dignity and acumen.
Mr. Abercrombic, the city attorney.
who presented the charges, was late
in arriving. not getting there until
much of the testimony was in. 1t
looks as il Mr., Abercrombie was
drawn into the matter by listening to
hints and rumors, which, when it
came TO Show down." could not be
substantiated. and he explained that
he preferred the charges in no malice.
but that inasmuch as they had been
brought 10 him as city attorney, and
as they appeared grave enough on
their face. that he felt in duty bound
to present them to the commission.
ers.
Officer Linville took up the charges
against him one by one and explained
them away, in most cases refut-
ing them with the greatest ease and
in nearly every case by documentary
evidence.
The only real charge against him
was that OF receiving $40 from the
hop head Ricketts,, and as has been
explained before, the police court
records show that Officer Thompson
received this $40 and turned it in as
bail money and that it was duly for
feited in police court the next day,
That was in the days when officers
were accustomed to take bail money
without first taking the prisoner to
the police station. The other charges
were of very general nature. like
that of permitting a dance hall to run
over the Wigwam saloon, etc. Off
Ger Linville stated that there is no
dance hall there; that there may be
some dancing going on, but that in
no sense of the word is there a dance
hall Commissioner Gordon ended
the matter by stating that the three
commissioners had gone down and in
vestigated the alleged dance hall
Monday night and found'that it is not
place of that character
Officer Linville at one stage of the
proceedings severely arraigned Mr..
Abercrombie, and made severe charg,
es against him He also admitted that
he had told Mr., Abercrombie that he
would bring his charges before the
police commission, or apologize, or
else he (Linville) would do the other
thing"
Asked what he meant,by "the other
thing" Officer Linville said he meant
that if he didn't bring the charges OF
apologize, he would beat the living
stufRng out Of him, or die in the at
tempt" He also had said my boy,
you don't know who you're monkey