Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-12
Federal Officer Charges
City Detective Murnane
With Aggravated Assault

John Murnane, city detective, is
| charged in warrant sworn out to-
day before Alderman Hilton with
aggravated assault and battery and
with interfering with United States
officer in performance of his duty.
The case grew out of an assault
which Murnane made upon Officer
| Samuel w. LOCKER, of the Middle
town ordnance depot force. while
F., LOCKER was bringing two disorderly
workmen to Jail in Harrisburg Sat
urday night.
LOCKER. who is regarded as one
! of the most reliable men on the
Middletown job, tells this story of
the occurrence and says he means to
push the case gainst the Harrisburg
| officer to the limit.
Trouble in Restaurant
The men in Lockers charge were
| arrested by LOCKER and another Of
ficer and upon order of Lieutenant
L. Z. Melvin. LOCKER started with the
pair for the Dauphin county Jail, the
warrant having been sworn out for
a hearing to-day before Alderman
Hilton, of this city.
On the way to town in a govern
ment automobile one of the pris-
oners expressed a desire for a sand
wich before being taken to Jail aid
in order to accommodate him Look
er stopped at a Market street res
! taurant where both prisoners ate a
lunch and when two checks were
turned over to them the prisoner,
who had first asked for something to
eat, paid both. Discovering that he
had paid for both he asked for part
of his money back and LOCKER was
adjusting the difference, it is alleged,
( when Murnane appeared.
Challenging the authority of
! LOCKER to take the men to Jail. he
asked for the commitment and as
LOCKER placed his hand in his
pocket for the paper it is charged
Murnane pdlled a blackjack upon
him and struck him violently over
the jaw. which is badly swollen to-
! day and may be fractured.
10 Murnane, 1t is said, was evidently
considerably under the influence of
liquor. At least his manner is said
to have indicated as much.
After some argument, during
which LOCKER recovered sufficiently
from the blow to take his prisoners
who hs / not stirred. to the govern
ment automobile waiting outside
Murnane. it is said, followed and
jumped on the running board as the
machine got under way. in charge OF
Amos Barr, a government driver. Al
the courthouse Murnane protested
that the men had to be taken to
the police station before going to
Jail and, grabbing the steering wheel
ran the car up over the curb. almost
against the wall of the courthouse
endangering pedestrians and violat-
ing the traffic laws.
To quiet the boisterous detective
the party agreed first to go to the
police station where Murnane is
said to hc.vc tried to free the two
prisoners, telling thcm that the gov
ernment officer had no authority to
hold them. The men had sense
enough not to attempt to leave and
after LOCKER had showed his COM
mitment to Lieutenant Page. who
was in charge, he was allowed to re-
move the prisoners to Jail.
Lieutenant Discourtcous
You would-be officers take your
prisoners and get out of here. Mex
time wear something to show your
authority and YOU may not get into
trouble Why do YOU always take
- .,'r cases to Alderman Hilton"
l. eutenant Page asked.
LOCKER explained that his revol-
yer holster had been torn in the
scrimmage when the men were ar.
rested and that he had left his coa'
at Middletown in order to be free tc
handle the men if they became dis.
orderly. He. however. wore his uni.
form shirt, regulation police cap
trousers and puttees. Nobody seems
him could have failed to recognize
his rank.
LOCKER appeared beforr Alderman
Hilton to-day against the prisoner:
and they both pleaded guilty and
were fined $40 each, with costs.
The charges against Murnane were
J then made and Major Gray. the of.
ficer in charge at Middletown. re.
lquested District Attorney Stroup tC
take the testimony. Witnesses al
once were called to testify to the
facts as above set forth and the ar.
rest will be made soon as officer:
can get into touch with Murnane.
4 May Close the Town
It is said on reliable authority tha'
the Army officers at M1dd1etown are
much displeased with me treatment
they have received at the hands OF
the local police department. Boot
logging has been permitted on g
scale that has been very noticeable
and on Saturday night in particular
large numbers of intoxicated soldier:
swere to be seen about the streets.
These men started trouble on the
street cars, and il is said were re.
sponsible for starting the trouble
which resulted in the arrest of the
two workmen whom LOCKER was
bringing to Harrisburg. In addition
men from Middletown and New
| Cumberland have been sold vile
| whisky in Harrisburg and have gone
back and raised disturbances on the
| work.
! The government rule provides
that all saloons may be closed with
| in a five-mile radius of government
| work. and while the men in charge
at Middletown and New Cumberland
! which are in the five-mile zone. have
been reluctant to take this radical
action, it was said to-day that as a
result of the occurrences of Satur-
day night it would not be surprising
if every liquor-selling place within
the five-mile limit, including this
city, were closed by government de-
cree. Absolute lack of cooperation
by the local police department is
charged by Army officers responsible
for good order on the government
reservations and they are highly in
dignant.
Friends of Murnane said in his de
fense to-day that they never knew
him to drink, that he is of stead.
habits and must have lost his heat
in the racket Saturday night The!
did notbeli eve he was under the in
Iduence Of hQuors