Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1913-06-18
WEBSTER USED
IN COPS CASE
Definition of Intoxicated Read
by Alderman Clark.

Noah Webster, the immortal and
unparalleled photographer, though
dead for many years, featured i'll the
trial of Patrolman Hugh Steed on
the charge of intoXication preferred
by Roundsman Morris. The learned
mans definition of intoxication was
quoted by Alderman John j. Clark,
chairman of the police committee of
the Board of Aldermen, at the hear
ing at city hall yesterday afternoon,
and Aldermen H. w. Sandbeck, Jr.,
and F. William Hilker agreed with
him that the evidence submitted to
them did not prove that the patrol
man had been intoxicated, according
to the authority of Webster. Mr.
Clark stated that it Is hard matter
to judge whether man is intoxicated
and SO submitted Webster's deiini-
ton as a test. The accused was
thereupon found not guilty of the
charge.
No witness would swear that the
patrolman had been drunk, but two
sWore to erratic or unusual actions
on the part of the officer, which ap-
peared to show that he had been
drinking on the morning of June b,
when it was charged he was intoXi-
Gated. One point which Chairman
| Clark gave particular emphasis was
that the police records showed no
report that Steed was Intoxicated
| or under the influence of liquor
| when he had reported at the police
station shortly after being seen by
Roundsman Morris in the alleged
Intoxicated condition"
The chairman thought that If the
officer had been intoxicated at the
time, 1t was the duty Of the desk
sergeant to make record OF the
fact. On being questioned Sergeant
James Mulligan, on duty at the time,
stated that Steed was under the in
| fiuence of liqour, but would not say
that the officer was intoxicated.
1t appeared that Roundsman Nor
ris, who preferred the charge, and
Sergeant Mulligan, who was wit
ness for the prosecution, did not
make any distinction between In
toWication" and under the influence
of liquor"
The call, which Steed missed send
ing In on the night of June 3, was
explained by the patrolman satisfac-
! torily to the investigating commit
! tee. the accused officer saying that
his call box had been transferred
and that the sergeant on the desk
when he went on duty had not in
structed him to that effect, and he
did not make the call as scheduled
| 4 hn n
| time.
Patrolman Niels J. Tonnesen. who
saw Steed at the time he was al
| legged to have been intoxicated, tes-
tilted that he was sitting with Steed
| for about Ave minutes before
Roundsman Morris approached and
| he had not noticed anything wrong
with him" and that he did mot no
tice the officer was drunk" How
ever. on being cross examined by
Roundsman Morris, he acknowl-
edged that Steed had made mis-
step when he got up from his seat.
Mr.. Golden, Watchman along
Water street, testified that he had
seen Steed shortly before O'Clock
on the morning of June 5, and that
he could not then see anything
wrong with him, and that Steed was
not staggering.
Roundsman Morris stated that
Steed had appeared intoxicated when
he saw him about 80 o'clock a.
m. on June 5, but said the officer
was not in helpless state nor fall
ing over himself" Chairman Clark
contended that 1t was the rounds
mans duty to relieve the patrolman
If the latter had been intoxicated,
as he could not then have properly
attended to his duties, but the
roundsman made the excuse that
It was then but about fifteen min
utes before Steed would have been
regularly relieved. The alderman,
nevertheless, held that 1t still was
his duty to relieve Steed if the lat
ter had been really unable to attend
to his duties, even for fifteen min
utes.
Patrolman Steed when confront
ed with the charge of intoXication
at the beginning of the trial was
resolute in his, 81 am not guilty"
He denied having been intoxicated
as charged by Roundsman Morris.
Though witnesses had given evil
dence tending to show that Steed had
been drinking, the police committee
agreed that no proof had been pre-
sented to show that the officer had
been intoxicated" as preferred In
the charge against him made by
Roundsman Morris.
Roundsman Morris told Chairman
Clark that it was not any glory for
him to prefer charges against a man
and that he had only done his duty
as he saw fit. He said he regarded
all the patrolmen alike.