Case Name: People of the State of New York ex rel. Francis Mallon, Relator, v. Theodore Roosevelt and Others, Composing the Board of Police Commissioners of the Police Department of the City of New York, Respondents
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1897
Citations: 16 A.D. 331
Docket Number: 
Parties: People of the State of New York ex rel. Francis Mallon, Relator, v. Theodore Roosevelt and Others, Composing the Board of Police Commissioners of the Police Department of the City of New York, Respondents.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 16
Pages: 331–337

Head Matter:
People of the State of New York ex rel. Francis Mallon, Relator, v. Theodore Roosevelt and Others, Composing the Board of Police Commissioners of the Police Department of the City of New York, Respondents.
Police commissioners of JSfew TorJc city — tJieir determination upon a question of fact will not he reversed unless clearly against the weight of evidence.
The Appellate Division will not reverse a determination oí the board of police commissioners of the city of New York upon a mere question of fact, where one, at least, of the commissioners had the advantage of observing the conduct of the witnesses while giving their testimony, unless the findings of fact made by the commissioners are so clearly against the weight of evidence that the court would be obliged to set aside a verdict of a jury if rendered to like effect in the matter. '
Patterson andRuMSEY, JJ., dissented, holding that, upon the facts, the dismissal of the police officer by the board of police commissioners was not justified.
Certiorari issued out of the Supreme Court and attested on the 4th day of September, 1896, directed to Theodore Roosevelt and others, composing the board of police commissioners of the police department of the city of Hew York, commanding them to certify and return to the office of the clerk of the county of Hew York all and singular their proceedings relating to the removal of the relator from the police department of the city of Hew York.
Stephen S. Blahe, for the relator.
T. Connoly and Terence Farley, for the respondents.

Opinion:
Parker, J.:
We have presented on this review questions of fact only. The evidence is capable of such a presentation as to at least raise a doubt whether the commissioners rightly decided those questions. In such a situation we are to remember that the commissioners, or at least one of them, had the advantage of observing the conduct of the witnesses while giving their testimony, and to bear in -mind the rule that the findings of fact made upon- a trial will not be interfered with unless so clearly against the weight of evidence as would compel us to set aside a verdict of a jury. Thus proceeding, we are not called upon to interfere with the action of the commissioners in dismissing the relator from the. force.
The writ should be dismissed, with costs.
Van Brunt, P. J., and Williams, J., concurred; Patterson and Rtjmsey,, JJ., dissented.