Holman questioned Det. Richard Mederos, whoserved the warrant, about the matter. But he nevercharged that the warrant to search Perry'sSomerville residence, issued for daytime, was usedafter 11 p.m., as some sources expected.

Mederos said the warrant was initially servedbefore 8 p.m., when it was valid, and he and twoother officers returned later only after Perrygave his consent to the search. Sources said Perrymay dispute that he gave his consent when hetestifies.

Sources close to Perry and Auterioindicate that both men could pursue civil suitsagainst the University to recover lost wages. Thetwo guards were each suspended without pay formore than six weeks over the summer.

The two guards have charged that the departmentdragged its feet in dealing with a union grievancethey filed over the suspensions, with Police ChiefPaul E. Johnson taking nearly two months to holdan appeal hearing.

In fact, a senior police official who has dealtclosely with the case acknowledged in an interviewlast month that the investigation of the allegedtheft had been mishandled. The official, who spokeon condition of anonymity, said the matter shouldhave been handled internally without filingcriminal charges.

The possibility of a civil countersuit may wellexplain the presence of Ryan, the Universityattorney, at yesterday's trial. Ryan, who hasdefended Harvard in a number of recent claimsfiled by police department employees, conferredfrequently with the assistant district attorneyand, a source said, sat in on a midday conferencewith the judge.

Ryan, for his part, said he was present becausethe University was involved and because he had tobe in the County Courthouse for another matteryesterday.

But before any civil suit comes the resolutionof the criminal trial. And police officers saythat whether or not Perry and Auterio areconvicted, the case has already done much todamage internal relations in the department.

"Everyone in the department is aware of thecase," said Officer Robert Kotowski, president ofthe police officers' union. "But no one has anyknowledge of particulars. It's going to beinteresting to see the outcome."CrimsonJohn C. MitchellEven the quiet Everett St. Garage becameembroiled in yesterday's trial of two Universitysecurity guards accused of stealing water coolersfrom the Law School. Elizabeth Davidson, who worksas a food services director at Harvard Law School,testified yesterday that, in a conversation on thegarage phone, guard George Perry admitted to herthat he had taken her set of keys to Harvardbuildings. University police had suspected thatPerry used the keys to open the area where thewater coolers were stored.