The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-07-18


All Of these witnesses swore that simp-
son did not touch Parnell after they
got upstairs. but that he was at the
lever about eight feet from Williams
and Parnell at the time that Parnell
was hit.
Several witnesses also swore that
ISimpson told Williams not to hit Par
nell again after he had struck him.
sOther offlcers in the station testified
that Parnell did not call for a doctor
or for medicine during the night, and
I 0fncers Yniestra and Roach testified
THAT Officer Roach had asked Parnell
when he was released II he wanted a
physician and that he had said that he
did not They also testified that Roach
had tried to put a sticking plaster on
IParnell's lip, but that It would not stay.
Of1cer Williams testified to practi-
cally what the other witnesses did,
admitting that he had hit Parnell, but
claiming self-defense. He explained
that the entrance to the cell was so
narrow that q sufficient number Of men
could not get around a man to handle
him properly. WILLIAMS also stated
that when he went up to see about
Parnell shortly after he had been
locked UP. that Parnell had cursed him
and had told him he would whip him
II he would let him out. Joe Johnson
was with williams at the time and
corroborated his testimony in this in
stance.
In his testimony Capt. Simpson ex-
planned the reason he had rSSsrrd Par
nell placed in cell. He SAID that in
his experience Of three years az turn
key he had found that II q drunken
man was placed in the bull ring he
would almost Invariably get into a
night with some other prisoner, and
that it was the rule at the station
when a person is charged with being
drunk to place him in a separate cell.
DEMANDS SQUARE DEAL.
, Several times during the taking OF
the testimony, members Of the board
interrupted Capt. Simpson in the ex-
animation Of his witnesses, and OBJ
jected to statements made by him
when he was on the stand in his own
behalf. On the last occasion, z. P.
Preston took the floor and looking at
the members opposite him, said: You
are not giving this man a square deal,
and I demand that he have a square
deal and q fair trial" Mr.. Preston
then asked the chairman to allow the
witness to give his testimony without
further interruption.
This was only one of the many rather
heated parleys engaged in during the
session, a considerable amount of fric-
! ton being much in evidence through
out the meeting.
EXECUTIVE SESSION NO. I.
Afer completing the evidence In the
/ case against Oficer Simpson, on mo-
ton Of e. P. Preston, the board went
into executive session and the clerk 8
ONCE, which was full of interested citi-
gems who are voters and are naturally
interested In public affairs Of this kind,
was cleared of all but the members of
the board and the clerk. After re-
naming in executive session for some
time. those who had patience enough
! to wait were again admitted to the
room and the clerk read the verdict to
Captain Simpson. In reading the de-
cision of the board, the clerk read the
first motion made which was to dis
miss Capt Simpson from the depart
ment, but stated that this motion was
lost, and read the decision already
mentioned.
NO WITNESSES EXAMINED.
Of1cer williams stated that as the
testimony had been heard in the trial
OF Officer Simpson, he would not place
HIS witnesses on the stand again. He
stated that he had acted In self defense
and that he would DO the same thing
over again under similar conditions.
Pat ]. Williams had left the room
before the beginning Of WillIams's trial
and Joseph l. Johnson refused to par
ttcipate IN the trial. Some warm words
were passed between that gentleman
and r. p. Preston at this juncture and
II was necessary for the chairman to
call them to order.
EXECUTIVE SESSION NO. 2.
r. p. Preston again made a motion
20 go into executive session and the
motion again prevailed, and a number
of the citizens were again excluded
After rernaininr In exeo,,ti,,s .asuIop