South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-08-05
OFFICERS DENY
TRIBUNE STORY
Editors Refuse to Prove or
DiSprove SmlrCh on WOm-
ans Character.


and Policewomap Minnie Evans as .
joy-riders. was the consensus OF the (
testimony o. the officers at a meet /
ing OF the board OF public safety yes-l
terday afternoon.
During the morning session the /
Tribune staff was placed on the wit /
ness stand "a an effort 20 make them /.
divulge the name OF the person. or
the source from which they got the 4
material for their article, which aC- I
cused the three guardians of the /
peace OF conduct, which if proven
true, would be serious enough 10
warrant their dismissal from the
force.
NO evidence of any kind 20 sub
stantiate their story was produced /
BY the five witnesses called. All
were mute when the questions began
TO get down 10 the gist of the sub
ject. After the hearing adjourned it
was intimated that the matter might
be taken to the circuit court, the
publishers being unwilling TO give
proof of their allegations.
Parker Examined.
Officer Earl Parker, for eight
years a member of the South Bend
police department. was the first of
the officers TO be examined Con-
corning his actions that night the
policeman said.
"On the night OF July IS. Mrs.
Evans and Mrs Trudelle brought
girl prisoner TO the captains office
and left there at 1855 TO go TO the
L. n.F
ficer Miller and / accompanied them.
j sat in the front seat as is the Gus
tOm. When we had delivered the
girl TO the authorities at the jail,
Mrs. Evans glanced at her watch and
remarked that t was two minutes
10 twelve.
she called Mrs. Trudelle and we
got into the patrol. drove to the cor
ner of jefferson and Michigan SITS.
where Mrs. Trudelle was to catch a
car for her home.
The car which Mrs. Evans would
have taken TO 20 home had stopped
running ard when we had arrived at
the street car station 1 said TO Miller
4 guess we Will have To take Mrs.
Evans home That is the custom
when the policewomen are out after
the cars have stopped running. Mil
Ter turned and said, Where do you
go addressing Mrs. Evans. Then we
took the policewoman home"
Speed Twenty Miles.
Then atty. Seebirt asked Parker
at what speed was the machine go
ing.
AT no time during the entire trip
did we go faster than 20 miles an
hour. The distance is about II or
IS blocks and it took eight or nine
minutes TO make the trip"
The city attorney asked the Off
Ger if the car, as mentioned in the
Tribune story. nearly turned over
while rounding 8 corner The police
mans response was an emphatic
NO sir, it did not
Parker further said that the acct
dent to the machine. a broken rear
axle. was repaired in L 3 minutes and
that there was an extra axle in the
machine at the time but he and Mil
Ter did not know 1t. The extra axle
is carried because of the frequency
OF such accidents.
officer William p. Miller was the
next witness. His story correspond
ed with that of his fellow policeman
in every detail. He was asked if
there was any improper or boisterous
conduct during the ride and answer
ed that at no time was there such
conduct. adding that except for his
inquiry to Mrs Evans as to where
she went. meaning in what direction
he did not address her during the
ride.
Mrs. Evans On Stand.
Mrs Minnie Evans was then call
ed upon and gave practically the
same testimony as the policemen.
Mrs. TrudelIe was also brought be
fore the board and said that she had
left the machine at jefferson and
Michigan, boarded a car and return
ed home.
AT 4:SO o'clock Officer william
Cassidy. former chief of detectives.
was summoned. He said that he had
seen the car as IL passed down Mich
igan II. and thought that II was go
ing at about % miles an hour. He
did not see Mrs Evans in the ma
chine and paid no attention TO the
patrol after it had passed.
City Atty Seebirt conducted the
examination and, after +. A. Miller
r.. H Horst. J.. r. Mccormack, r.
NJ. Hutchinson and r. II. DOwney
had been sworn in. Seebirt asked
them IL they had written. knew who
had written. or had been told by
anyone that he wrote the story with
which the board was concerned. To
all of these questions, A. g. Graham.
attorney for the publishers, object
ed. and the witnesses refused to
answer upon advice OF counsel
When the newspaper men were
asked n they had been told who
wrote the article. Graham s objec-
ton was based upon the fact that
had anyone so told them, it would
have been hearssty. Graham further
contended that the hearing was a
"hshing expedition for the purpose
OF EN- EMBARRASSING the publication and
not TO md facts against the police
ofiicers."
REPORTED IMPROVED.
Mr. E2ox- fvrsesan If I'D va ri zbur-g