OLD COBDENITE AND THE IMMACULATE RHODES.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 159, 3 February 1868, Page 2

OLD COBDENITE AND THE IMMACULATE RHODES.

{To the Editor of the West-port Times and. Charleston. Argus.) Sir, —The letter in your issue of Friday, subject—Constable Rhodes—is one likely to lead persons at a distance from us astray, many think, perhaps, that the Charleston people are doing a wrong to Constable Rhodes by petitioning that he may be removed from their district. That this constable is an obnoxious member of the force, Westport people are fully aware of. I append some few of his actions that I have seen myself. No. I—At the Adelphi Theatre, the occasion of a ball, Constable Rhodes present; a man named Banner was there. This protege of yours wanted to fight this man, and challenged him accordingly. Tour friend got the worst of it. He then rushes out, calls in two other policemen. Banner was gone, not liking to get into the paternal arms that were waiting for him, and when Rhodes discovered that the man was gone, he orders the house to be closed, swearing if Mr Jones would not close the house that he, your immaculate, would take his license away to-morrow. Banner subsequently received fourteen days' for complying with the constable's wish.

No. 2 —ln the Casino deVenise he endeavoured to get a man out to fight him because there were two policemen outside the door. The party in question did not believe in playing fly to his spider. He insulted the man I allude to most grossly, till Rhodes' superior officer ordered him out; no names to this, but I can produce proof. No. 3—Once more your model policeman comes before me, brutally ill using a man that was outside Melville's shooting gallery door; time 1 o'clock p.m.; lin bed, fast asleep, was awakened by groans and words to this effect—" For God's sake dont't murder me." This was the work of your would-be ill-used policeman. I opened my door; the blows stopped, and on going up the street the poor wretch was crying out —" Don't strangle me," The man assaulted brought this case against the constable. Mr Kynnersly did not even reprove them. As a concluding epistle to all the little matters, concerning your favorite, one other item, —Go and ask Inspector Franklyn, living so near the camp, did any person offer some time ago tell him sufficient to dismiss Constable Rhodes. Put that question to him, and deny it he cannot. I could give fifty instances of the utter unfitness of this man being in the police. Now look at Constable Hunter, Constable Doris, and the Detective in charge; these men are good officers; do they not do their duty fearlessly and boldly, men whose deeds that will put such men as Rhodes out of comparison ; men who have done society some service—not petty meddlers with things that do not concern them. Have these Constables the respect of the people of Westport and elsewhere. I say they have, and well they have earned it by their gentlemanly manner of conducting themselves. Do they do their duty in any way worse than Rhodes ? No; but they fulfil what they have to do with a will. Respect always meets with respect. These, and such men as those I have mentioned, commands that esteem that should be the reward of every public officer.

Before I conclude, one word concerning Mr Drury—you have attacked, and most grossly too, a man who stood boldly forward and had given his opinion about Constable Ehodes, the meeting was not one with closed doors, freedom of speech was allowed and you scandalize him, bring forward some parts of his life (if your story is true —if as true as what you state about Rhodes, I do not believe one word of it) then I tell you that it is a contemptible thing for yo.u to attack a man because he is speaking the truth about a constable, that the town of Westport is fully aware of being obnoxious, meddling, and mis-■chief-making. One word more. Why is not Constable Ehodes dismissed if ho has done wrong ? I am, &c, Omega. [This correspondence must now «ease. It has gone far enough in our columns, and as we have given both sides of the question, and as it is a matter of perfect indifference to us whether Constable Rhodes is dismissed •or retained.—Ed. W. D. T]