Daily Republican., 1879-07-25
The May or's Weak Defence.


The May Or's Weak Defence.
Mayor Almond has given his versio
Of the story Of the outrage committs
upon Charles Green, his wife and chill
on Monday, the l4th instant, by Sci
geant of Police WheIan and Count
Constable Dillon, but anybody VIII
takes the trouble to read the Mayor
article carefully cannot fail to see tn
weak points in it. The Mayor neve
attempted to show by what authorit
Sergeant Whslan and Constable Dillol
arrested Green and his wife, for it an
pears upon the evidence given at tn
hearing ofths Greens before Magistrat
Pole in Philadelphia, on Wednesday
that no warrant had ever been sen
to the Wilmington officers for tn,
arrest Of the Greens. In consequence
of this the arrest was illegal, worse,
was an outrage and every hour tn
prisoners were kept confined in the cit,
cells only increased that outrage
Strange that Mayor Almond has n,
condemnation for such an outrage
1t does not look as if the Greens had
agreed to 60 to Philadelphia voluntari-
lily and quietly when they so vio-
lently resisted being taken back
while at the depot. "Tbey were
taken to the city prison and would
have been tokan to PhiladelpLia a!
once" says the Mayor, but when the
wife said there was some mouey she
wanted to get before she went they
were allowed to remain over. and the ir
request was granted, the woman get,
ting her money. Those who recollect
how the Chester county farmer was
feeoed out OF twenty dollars, will know
how necessary it is for a person falling
into Sergeant Whelan's hands to have
plenty of money. The language used
by the Mayor leads to the impression
that warrant or no warrant, requisi-
ton or no requisition, the arrested
would have been sent to Philadelphia
immediately. The Mayor certainly
knew that the arrest was illegal, aud
that if the prisoners knew their rights
and privileges under the law they
could prosecute the two officers 70. false
arrest and false Imprisonment. No
wonder the man was violent and ;ndig-
nant at such an arrest. The Mayor,
Amiable and good natured as he Is,
would we doubt not have been indig
naDt ard violent too, had he been ar
rested for tlumped up charge oflarceny
without warrant, and dragged off
to another State without a requisi
top. II he n'groe were violent, their
illegal arrest, false imprisonment and
violently forcing them to another State
for trial without any form of law, was
enough % make them violent. The
Mayor maintains that the prisoners met
with 10 III treatment while they we're
In the cells had plenty to eat and
1rink no one cursed them-not even
'alled them "niggers ;"nor threatened
% have them whipped. Green it seems
lid all the cursing, and, no doubt, the
lamb-like officials ears were shocked at
Green's profanity. The officers swore
aot an oath-th-y never do, "what !
never we'll hardly ever" In this the
Mayor attempts to prove too much.
Those cOnversant with the manner in
which prisoners are fed in the cells will
augh to know how easily the Mayor
las been imposed upon, and they will
augh more heartily still at the asser-
ion that there was no cursing. As to
he conduct of the prisoners at the
epot after they reached it nobody
loubts that Green behaved shame1
ully and tried hard to break loose
rom Sergeant Whelan. 1t may be
IL true that Green got small pieces
f umbrella wires, and gouged Whelan
q the hand. The prisoner no doubt
new that he was illegally held and
hat be had as good right to handcutf
he officer as the officer had to handcuff t
lin.
Green's conduct was no doubt shame ,
al. He should have known that he i
'as only "niggsr," and should have
ubmitted quietly to an arrest without
warrant and transfer to Pennsylva- !
ia without requisition. 1t was at the I
epot where it became necessary for I
tficer Whelan to tame his prisoner, .
nd this it appears he did in a very :.
hort time by the aid of his bludgeon t
nd his feet. The Mayor does not b
his side Of the story any :
hen he intimates that Green was not "
adly hurt, that he only played "pos b
I'm" to get up sympathy for himself o
I'd that his discharge from the hospital I
st Saturday showed that he was not :,
uch hurt. He was in the hospital t,
ON Monday until Saturday, six a
ays, long enough to recuperate
ON some very severe bruises /.
l.