The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1910-07-15
OFFICER BURNEY's
CASE IS CALLED
ONLY A FEW WITNESSES WERE
! EXAMINED LAST NIGHT. LOOKS
AS IF 1T WILL TAKE SEVERAL
. MEETINGS TO HEAR ALL.


The trial of the four police officers
charged with all kinds of violations
of the police rules and the state laws
were taken up at the city hall last
night, after the regular business of
the city council had been transact
ed. With the exception of Alderman
Bowen, who is out of thet city, the
full membership of council was pres
ent. and the capacity of both sides
of the council chamber was taxed to
care for the large crowd drawn there
by curiosity. 1t took the council
about an hour to decide whether it
was a court or a board of inquiry,
and then it developed that one of the
star witnesses for the city, a negro
near beer dealer, by the name of
Adams, was not present. Two other
witnesses, counted on for strong
testimony, were there however, and
the case against Officer R. B. Burney
who is charged with distributing i'm
munlty baths at so much per week.
and entering saloons and purchasing
beer and whiskey, was taken up
Judge Max Isaac appeared as
council for the defendant, but he had
a pretty hard time persuading coun-
sci to let him act, they having voted
to go into the investigation without
hearing from him. The judge pro-
tested, and council reconsidered and
To o11o
He introduced several demUrers
which were Overruled sediatim by
council.
ne first one was that Burney had
not been served in time to allow ten
days before trial and the other was
that the mayor should not sit as
memter of the court as he was the
prosecutor in the case. Judge
Whitfield for the city, contended that
Burney was not a regular police Of
tlcer, was not under the ctVfl service
law, and that he was not in position
to demand trial, council having the
legal right to deal with him as it
would with any other employe whom
1t wanted to discharge for cause. It
was moved to then and there sustain
the charges against Burney and May
or Hopkins objected, saying he
thought the man ought to be given a
trial, since he was in court and ready
to defend himself The position Of
the mayor was sustained and finally
City attorney Whitfield and Judge
Isaac announced ready, and the fire.
works began.
The first witness was Ben McLen-
don, a well known negro who runs a
beer joint on Oglethorpe, who was
the most unwilling witness probably
ever sworn in the city hall and who
had dame Martha skinned a country
mile for being the prince of Liars"
1t was easy to see that McLendon
had been intimidated and it took all
that Judge Whitfield could do to pick
out Of him the confession that he and
his partner, Adams, had been paying
Bu-ney three dollars per week
though he could not tell council why |
and in every possible manner at
tempted to shield the defendant
Mayor Hopkins, however, took the
witness in hand and he confessed to
the truth of an affidavit he had sign
ed in the presence of the mayor set
ting out most of the specifications
set out in the charges. He was on
the stand an hour and was apparent |
ly delighted to be relieved after |
cross examination by Judge Isaac !
The next witness was DELPHI Pyles |
who formerly conducted a butcher |
thrope. He was a close second to !
McLendon in the game of lying and |
was suffering with a very faulty |
memory. 1t was he who stated to !
Mayor Hopkins and Alderman Ludwig !
that he har arranged with Burney |
and Lowe to secure immunity. etc, !
for the payment of five dollars per |
week. He confessed that he told the |
gentlmen about paying the money to |
Burney, but said he was paying some |
pork bills to Burneys father, who !
turned over to the officer, the bills |
for collection. Pyles was inclined to |
he impudent, and like the first Wit |
ness, was anxious to draw the veil
around the accused officers as much |
as possible.
At the concluion of the testimony |
of Pyles, council went in to executive
session and on reassembling, it was
moved to recess until eight o'clock
this evening.
At the rate council is moving and
with the large number of witnesses |
summoned it will take several days
to try the cases. -
TIE other suspended officers, Lowe