The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-04-24
OFFICER BOB
Continued from Page one)

NOOHtlHueu from rage One1
submitted in writing. In explana-
ton of shying from verbal defense,
Garrison wrote he was doing so
because ''due to nervous shock and
humiliation, | might miss i'm
portant details and also because I
am financially unable to retain an
attorney"
From there on, the written decla-
ration not only told of his past
domestic difficulties, but launched
scathing attack on City Manager
Dave King and took a whip crack
at The Citizen for publishing items
in connection with the expose.
In hot broadside Garrison said
that the solid mess began when his
present wife (they were married
April IL, just 10 days ago. wrote
to the Mayor and the City Com
mission on March 1, charging City
Manager Dave King with being a
"Peeping Tom" After that episode,
in which King went to Garrison's
home to see whether he was really
i'll as he claimed in exemption
from duty, the police officer wrote
that King took personal revenge
on me-" Garrison also said that
there was discrimination against
him as there had been to mo other
in the city personnel"
The report continued saying
bluntly that Kings revenge at
being accused as a ''Peeping Tom"
branched out into an attempt to
cost not only Garrison's job through
investigations, but also to stop Ann
Benton, now his wife, from further
employment at the Naval Air Sta
ton.
Next. he prodded The Citizen in
his statement. Never since have
been living in Key West do / ever
remember anyone having an apply
to wed item featured on the front
page of The Citizen Clipping as
evidence) which not only states
that l have applied to wed. It
also brings out, and / quote, Both
have been the center of contro-
versy since my wife hurled a
charge at City Manager King"
Further written revelation of the
circumstances leading up to the
scandal told the background. Gar
rison said in 1916 he left his
former wife, Rosa Virginia Garri-
son in Washington, d. c. because
she ''was an alcoholic" and had
been placed in Gallinger Hospital
as a mental patient. Garrison then
went to Bedford Springs, Pa,
where he was employed at the
Bedford Springs hotel. Ann Benton
was also employed there.
"We fell in love with each other. !"
he wrote. At the close of the sea-
son, Garrison claims he tried to
locate his wife in Washington but
was unsuccessful.
The next jump was from Bedford
Springs to Florida. Garrison told
how he worked at the Hollywood
Beach hotel. Hollywood, Fla, and
that the object of his affection was
employed at the Whitehall hotel in
Palm Beach. The romance evident
" continued on committing basis,
and they hoped to make things
right" pending the location Of Gar
rison's wife who for mysterious
reasons could not be found. Gar
rison admitted in his statement
that he knew he could not get a
divorce from "a mentally unbal-
anced woman"
Still hoping for the best things
in life, Garrison bought property
in Key West and the couple made
a home here. Garrison became a
member Of the city police depart
ment and outside of a past sus-
pension, and some illness, every
thing was rosy, until the charges
of conduct unbecoming to an Of.
ficer were brought up.
A "a