The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-12-08
II n. :, Promoter. y j i tas q ponce Bai.

The principal promoters Of what is known
as the Metropolitan Police bill are ex-Chie
ofPolies Hendricks, i Isex Detective Herman
dez and ex-Mayor Pillsbury. These three
men appeal 70 the colored members Of the
General Assembly ier the passage Of bill
whose only object Is to give the trioa hana
some support at the public expense. They
found their claims .upon their devotion to
Republican principles, Sand upon rZloye
for the )col@ed man. Il is easy, in-s their dr
opinion, to -hoodBipk, the Legislature, and
TO PERSUADE the members that the Police
Ring are without reproach, Is citizens and
as politicians, We admit that they have
GRABBED GlthIt they could, Sand that thss
have, . lively sense Of fayors TO come And
we know that one or theft number hasshown
his affection for his dusky sisters 10 way
which is not generally looked upon as the
quintesselca Of morality. Bit we remind
the Legislatars that the official conduct OF
Hendricks, Hernandez and Pillsourg proves
them 10 bs unfit o;hold any position Of pub
lie trust. - 80 Lsg7aEc csl 70 Teslu
On Friday night. September 49, Chief Of
Police Hendricks and, Detective Hernandez
were ,gqiby ri q etpel and va9to1 attack
upon two poor colored women: Hernandez
beat one Of the eolored women, Hannah
Deas sobrutalls' that she has notyet recoy-
areds from the injuries she received, The
charges against him, upop which he was
committed for trial ars: First, assault and
battery upon Or Hannah Deas; second, assault
and battery Virginia Turner; and
thir., asSalEpdth intent tekill and assault
with 4 deadly weapon upon Annie Baker.
Chief OF Police Hendricks wa. present dur @
inc the affray, and Hannah Teas, and aVir-
einia Turner took out warrap' sfor bis Arrest
on the charge Of assault am battery: Nor
did these tuo. police officers content them
selves viii Srutsing and wounlling the poor
colored women, These were taken TO- the
GuardhoSsai and locked up until morning,
on, the, ,pretence that they were iesisting the
police. When -this sad story was published
In THE NEWS, both Hendricks anil Herman
dez tried to explain away the damaging
accusation. Their only excuse wat 'rhe IN
stsolence OF these girls" and the suggestion
that "the character OF these girls made q
denial Of their statements unr ecessary.
This was an aggrayation Of the offence. We
SAY that the women who we're gool enough
to beths oompanions Of Hendricks aRd Her
nandez, Me good enough to'giwa sstinesy
against them. Their very poverty and i'm
purity rare only stronger claims upon the
protection Of the law. And We contend that
ex.Mayor Pillsbury is equally guilty with
Hendricks and Hernandez. He was their
official superior. The charges against them
were sustained by an array OF proof which
would have convinced any man who was not
wiliully blind. Yet Mayor Pillsbury took no
steps to examine into the case, and retained
Hendricks as his trusted adviser up to the
last moment OF his official term. We sup
pose that ''the character Of these girls"
made It unnecessary, id Mayor 'illsburys
opinion, to give heed to their complaints.
There are members of the Legislature
LOW in Columbia who know that what'we
have written is true They have official
knowledge OF the facts. Will they advocate
the passage Of bill which will give Hen
bricks and Hernandez the power to do every
night, without let or bindrance, what they
did on the night Of the a9th September!
Can any colored member Of the Legislature
face his wife aad children, with clear con-
science, IL, he votes to restore to cfice men
who make their official position an excuse
for beating and abusing the desolate and
the poor? By their conduct in regard to the
Metropolitan Police bill the members OF the
General Assembly. will show what regard
they have for the safekeeping and just treat.
ment OF their celored constituents. They
cannot eva.e, the responsibility which cir.
cumstances have placed upon them.