Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-12-18
HARDING MAKES
PLEA OF GUILTY
Admits Entering Building in
Uniform Not in Discharge
of His Duty.

The trial of ,Patrolman Robert
Harding was held before the Board
OF Aldermen in committee session
last night, and laoted short while
df account of the ratrolman plead
ing guilty to Q charge of entering
the Presto restaurant on Smith
street to get a cup OF coffee on the
afternoon OF Saturday. november 81,
entering q building In uniform not
in discharge Of his duty. Alderman
at-larke John Wester stated after
the plea had been made that the
decision of the board would be
on Monday night. katH
The hearing opened with City
Clerk Arthur Graham reading a let
ter from Mayor Frank Dorsey under
date of December 6. In which the
executive stated that further sus-
pension Of patrolmen in cases of
this kind would be dispensed with,
on account of the decisions reached
in cases Of other patrolmen who
were suspended pending trial. After
this letter had been partly read the
chairman dispending with the read
ing of same. Patrolman Harding
was not suspended from duty pend
ing trial.
The city clerk then read the
charges of Sergeant Niels ]. Tonne
sen, under date of November 81.
against the officer who was patrol
ing post No. A on that day, for being
Off his post when he vert into the
Presto restaurant at 2:15 o'clock,
where he was found asleep by the
sergeant at $3.50 o'clock. The re-
port of DIR. William II. Mccormick,
Jr., who examined the officer Oh
November 27 at the request of Ser
geant Tonnesen, was then read by
the city clerk. Officer Harding was
taken to police headquarters by the
sergeant, and then to DIR. McCor-
mick's office when 1t was found the
city physician was not at home. The
doctors report stated that the man
was not intoxicated when examined
at $40 o'clock.
The charges OF Detective Ser
geant Lawrence A. Long, who was
acting chief at the time of this hap
pening, were read by the clerk.
These charges were dated November
20, and were for violation OF the
ment. The acting chiefs charges,
made on the report of Sergeant
Niels Tonnesen, were as follows,
first. leaving his post without just
cause; second, enterfng>a building
in uniform not in discharge of his
duty: third. not properly patroling
his post; fourth, sleeping on post,
and fifth. neglecting his duty.
Chairman John Wester requested
the defendant to plead to the
charges and Officer Harding stated.
Honorable Aldermen, 4 was not
feeling well for three or four days,
whatever come over me, / do not
know, some spell came over me,
what it was / do not know. / went
into the restaurant to get a cup of
coffee hoping 1t would change my
feeling, and stayed there from
twenty to twenty-five minutes, until
Sergeant Tonnesen called me out"
Chairman Wester inquired If
there were any further questions.
and City Attorney Goldberger re-
quested that the officer plead to one
of the charges. and the officer stated
that he had gone into the Presto
restaurant for cup of coffee, and
would plead to that charge. The
city attorney asked the officer II the
restaurant was of his beat and q
reply in the affirmative was re-
ceived. Alderman John Clark stated
at this time. There is one truthful
man on the police force. Acknowl-
edges his guilt"
A motion for adjournment was
made by Chairman Wester, and Sec
onded by Aldermen Anderson and