The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-12-29
AND
R|SLER LOSE
THEIR APPEAL
SUSPENSION AND DISMISSAL OF
TWO BELLAIRE POLICE
MEN SUSTAINED.
! Officer John Hummell Wins Reinstate-
ment-Sensattonal Hearing
in Bellaire Case.

The civil service commission ni Bel.
airc. last night. sustained the action OF
chief of Police Albert Malone III the
suspension of l'atrOlman Lee isiSlcr ana
r. l.. Stewart and the subsequent action
of Director Of Public Safety ~. Is. fhli-
lips in dtSmiSsng l;iSler and StcwafI
from the force. The commission ulu
not sustain the action Of the chteL anu
public service director in the suspension
and Dismissal Of l'atrolnan John hum
nell. and he will be .rcinstated. The
the part ii the Civil Service Commits
Sinun. composed of William Siddell,
chairman: William McCiraw and r. w.
Schcrpper.
mission was the final result Of the hear
ing last night on The appeal of Rislcr.
Stewart and Hunmrll. who were suS-
pended by Chief Mahonc several weeks
officials and their dismissal from the
force by Director of Public Safety Phil
lips.
The Bellairc council chambers were
packed to their capacity with Interested
spectators last night and much OF the
testimony was OF a rary nature. Attor-
ney -. u. Dubois. of Bellairc. represent
ed Rislrr and Hummell. Attorney 5. ..
BOyce. nt Wheeling. represented Stew
art. Solicitor Cooper appeared for the
:city Of Bellaire.
Occurred November II.
The difficulty which led to the sus-
pension and dismissal of the Officers
occurred on November II. resulting in
Parrolmna RiSerS shooting up the city
building at Rcllaire and the dismissal
OF all three officers.
The evidence WAS somewhat compli-
Gated. The first witness was Director
OF Public Safety -. 4. Phillips. who ties
titled of having a conversation with
Lee Risler on the night of the shooting.
rtslcr. he said. WAS in an angry mood.
RoundSman james Croghan told OF
meeting Rislcr in an automobile witt
Clarence StctSon and Of later appearing
ing, at . O'Clock OH the morning of Nov
cmber u.s. He told of an argument
IamonE himself, Phillips and Risler when
the latter threatened to shoot StetSon.
and Chief Malone. an tatempt was made
to show that RiSler had been intoXicat ed
on the night of the shooting. but wit
inesses would not make the assertion.
Stewart Denies Charges.
| f. +. Stewart denied practically every
charge made against him.
/ \ Mrs. GrounX told Of Officers Stew
art and Rislcr visiting her home on the
| night in question. She testified that
Stewart had asked to kiss and hug her
and that he directed insulting and indie
cent remarks to her. She declared that
{ Stewart and RiSler had visited her home
| under preteXt Of having search war
| rant. but that they failed to read III
d l. ~
, her of startling questions at the woman
touching on the character of the place
but the commission ruled that she did
not have TO answer
GrounX home, told of the Incidents al
her House. Stewart, he said. proposed
, to kiss the woman and drank bottle OF
! beer there.
Mayor Wassman told Of Mrs. Grounx's
iappearing and telling her story and Of
Stewart being called on the carpet and
, denying the charges, calling the woman
Il liar" Chief Malone related praCti-
ca1ly the same story.
| Eisler was the first witness for Stew
Tart. His story confliCted in detail with
/ that OF Mrs. GrounN. He said they had
no warrant but went there on call an
stayed only or 10 minutes.
WHO called YOU" he WAS asked
clara Steele" was the answer.
! George Robertson. son OF the owner
tof the Robertson flats. told of his father
apartments there December IS, nearly :;
month after the trouble.
| Wheeling Policeman Testifies.
Sam Moran. II member ~ the Nl"'i'
said that he knew Mrs, GrounN under
the name OF Mamie Smith. Her rcputa
ton was bad. he declared. and he
wouldn't believe her: that she was
lccman George Elildebrand told practi'
cally the same story.
! Miss Gertrude Barnettc, who rooms
with her sister. Mrs. NJ. ". Kerr in Tho
! Robertson flats, stated that on the nigh,
of the trouble two officers came L" hel
tapartment AT l:4a o'clock. She did no,
recognize either. she said: ono came II
and the other remained outside the donr
! NJ. w. Kerr testified Of hearing some
one in the apartments and. uron MAX
ing an investigation. Of finding the two
;officerS there
Mrs r.. Bltker said that llummrll AMI
'Risler had visited her home. where q
party was in progress, hu, were there
only IL few minutes.
Stewart testified that there were fifty
empty bottles in the house but was moi
required TO answer il he had emptiet
amy OF them. Stewart attempted through
his evidence ~ show that Mrs. Groun9
land Mrs. Blaker conducted questionable
nlaceS in their apartments.
| Much Of the testimony was OF too sen
iuuol for Drint.