The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-11-20

] 'eUnllClN suspended bN Director oil
Public Safety James \. Knapp. "a.
a pcmber of the Marion police force
was given a hearing before the mem.
bcrs OF the civil service commission
Saturday afternoon Today at noon
the commission reversed Director
| Hnapp's decision, found that Captain
Bond was not gulHy of gross neglect
as charged by rev J.. H. Weather
wax pastor OF the C'tlyary Evangel-
icu church. but die find Bond guilty
OF unbecomiEg corddct and suspend
| ed him from tho force for thirty
days from the date Of suspension by
Chief Klinefclter, November 4, 1911.
without pay,
Bond was represented at the hear
ing by Attorneys c. f. Mouser and
j. II, Eymou. city Solicitor r. r.
Boyd did not appear as counsel for
the prosecution. Director Knapp act
ed as his own attorney. in conducting
The prosecution. The following is the
finding of the commissions
Commissions Finding.
This is a case wherein A. l.. Bond
captain of police of the city Of Ma
rion. Ohio. was suspended by the
chief OF police of said city for gross
neglect of duty to-wit: That on the
evening of October 2S, 1911, said Cap
tain Bond refused to actively dis
perse certain persons Who were in
torforiug with speaker addressing
the public on the court house steps
In the said city OF Marion, the alle-
cations or charges being made by
Rev T.. l.. Weatherwax. The sus-
pended officer Captain Bond) car
ried the case 10 the director of pub
lie safety for Investigation and. upon
the sworn statements OF WeatherwaX
ana several other witnesses. the
safety director confirmed the action
OF the chief Of police and in his de-
c!sion indefinitely suspended Captain
Bond, who appealed from the decision
Of the safety director To the civil SER
vice commission The appeal was
heard by the commission and upon
the hearing the commission finds
first:
That there was great disturbance
at the meeting referred 10 in the
charges OF Rev WeatherwaN and
that Captain Bond did refuse to
hearken unto the pleading of Rev.
WoatherwaX to publicly make effort
40 restore order and I'm the heated
Conversation between Rcv. Weather
wax ana himself he (tke captain
said, 81 will take YOU down a peg or
two; l will bring you in; l win ar
rest you, etc" ON the other hand
the evidence shows that Captain Bond
did instruct two Uf the patrolmen go
circulate through the crowd and 10
arrest any person who violated the
law This was shown by the two
patrolmen on duty.
Wcathcrwax Did Full Duty.
The testimony OF eX-Sherim Bat
tcnneld was given some serious CON
sidcration by the commission because
Of his experience with mob which
formed at the county Jail to lynch a
murderer, under his care, during his
term of office as sheriff. his testimony
showing that nc spoke TO the lead
ers OF the mob rather than to the
mob az a. whole. That there was
danger Of an outbreak was testihal
10 by Rev WeatherwaX and the Wit
ness Hurley. The statement of Cap
tain Bond that a policeman was a
Joke or "a subject OF laughter gives
rise TO the question Of his sincerity
and did he act in good faith when
he refused Rev. WeatherwaX's re-
quest to speak to the crowd Ana
lust what he meant by the retort ~
know my business" as was stated by
one of his own witnesses was not
dear ia the comm sglOu.
That Rev. WeatherwaN as good
citizen ana as chairman of the meet
ing i'm question, did his full duty as
a lawabiding citizen, when he called
on Capt@in Bond 10 restore order, is
admitted by counsel for Bond and
that Bond did retort 10 WeatherWaN
in words unbecoming an officer VINO
was appealed to for protection. rms
is born out by the testimony OF w.
10. Morrow, r. II. FOX and George A.
Park. In conclusion the commission
finds that disorder did prevail az inc
said public meeting, that captain
Bond was present, and that he was
appealed 10 by a citizen who pre-
sided at said meeting That while
CAPTAIN Bond did not respond To the
request of said chairman in the man
ner desired. he (the Captain is not
guilty Of gross neglect, but the COM
mission does find him guilty OF un'
becoming conduct anil therefore u
II the opinion of the commission that
the Judgment Of the director of safety
should he changed from Indefinite
suspension to suspension for thirty
DAYS from the date Of suspension hy
Chief Klnefelter, November 4, 1911,
and that said thirty days suspension
be without pay
Respectfully submitted.
~, Z. Arnold President,
W. r. Jones, Clerk,
l.. Reber.
Civil Service Commission
natnd NJ Marion. Ohin. this 2Oth