The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-17

PEAoEABLE CITIZEN DURING WEDNESDAY
pAnApE-srArEMENTs OF wITNEssEs-THE
CAPTAIN DEFIANT.
Another charge OF brutal clubbing has been made
against Captain Williams. of the Iwenty-nnt pre-
cinct The is stated to have taken place
at Madison square. during the review on Wednesday
evening" Just as the head of the procession came
in sight of the reviewing stand the police ordered
the portion of the crowd standing out in the street.
most of whom were women and children. to fall
back to the sidewalk. The order was it is claimed
Immediately and cheerfully obeyed; but for some
reason Captain Williams dissatisfied, and ne hur-
ried up the sidewalk followed by one or two ON
and began. it is alleged an ndiscrmnate assault
unoffending and peaceable citizens. in which he
is said to have been assisted by Officer Fleming NO.
50). This opposite Twenty-fourth street. on the
west side of Madison square. 1t is charged that he
sail nothing but raising his club, struck Forward
hitting young man named Charles W. Smith on
the chin and then again on the hip; then. turning
he struck another young man. whose name is not
yet ascertained. officer Fleming as is alleged fol-
lowed up the attack of his superior by
striking Smith terrific blow on the head. which
felled him to the ground. moment later
Smith was seized with commissions and was
then dragged back the grass and lay there bleed
ing freely from the cash in his head and auvering
in the agony caused by the shock and the blows 1t
is further stated that the outrage was so brutal and
uncalled for. that while women screamed and men
shuddered. there were some enough 10
call the police account at and insist on their
doing something to alleviate his sufferings before
the ambulance arrived and in obedience to this de-
mand the police churlishly furnished some wa'er
and bathed his head with it. Smith had
not emerged from insensibihty when be
was placed in the ambulance for conveyance
TO the New York Hospital. though the surgeon says
he was all right when he saw him. ten minutes after
he reached the institution The fuil story can best
be told by statements Of the different persons,
who witnessed the affair. to the HERALD reporters
AN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT.
proper time said:-'I saw the whole occurrence.
Captain Williams and Fleming were ahead OF the
was dubbed stood on the edge of the curbstone
in front of the Park Behind him the crowd
closely packed. Captain Williams commenced
roughly pushing the man back with his club There
avenue of escape for the poor fellow He
said to Williams. BE easy. III got out as soon
say. God damn your and punched him very hard
in the stomach with his club, hit him with it
number Of hard blows across the knees and
il had taken four policemen to shove back
the crowd; but when Williams was seen coming the
people turned and ran like sheep As the man stood
III the grass plot Fleming over to him with up
lifted club and hit him awful blow on the head.
right above the temple. The poor fellow fell in
Williams said to Fleming Hold up. Thatu
do. Stop The man lay there eight minutes and
years in the war and never saw such cowardly
act before. Why the man was little bit of fell
low and Fleming is as broad and as tall as Williams
himself"
WITNESSES IN THE CASE.
The following persons, it is claimed, corroborate
this story i'll every particular number of them who
seen by reporter narrated the occurrences in
similar terms They will testify to the assault.
The names are:-Thomas P. Donlan. No. 213 East
Twenty-eighth street; Charles Glover. No. $40
East Tenth street; Ed Z. Brown. No. 456
West Thirty-thrd street; c. " Deforest, No. 81
stone street; r. A. Kelly No 40 West Thirty second
Burton. No. 2oS broadway. a; Frontell. No. s26
Charles Lyons. No. 244 West Twenty-ninth street.
Mr.. Samuel whitechurch. the secretury OF the
able to substantiae all the facts given above but
has felt it his duty, as citizen and taxpayer,
to prefer charges against the ,,i two officers He
patrolmen $1,000 per annum to fill our hospitals
with wounded and murdered victims, to other
therefore, obtained the names of all the witnesses
possibly could who will sustain the charges have
formally preferred and forwarded to the Board of
Mr.. whitechurch yesterday made formal charge
against Captain Williams and the officer known
No. so. of the Twenty-ninth precinct, with mali
ciousy striking and brutaly knocking down with
clubs inotfensive and law-abiding citizen. who
orderly conduct. This act of the officers
was. he charges. liable to lead to u
breach OF the d peace the demoraifza nd OF
der when opportunity Offers those who 30 obnox-
iously commit, under the protection of shield
outrage against the lives OF those whom they are
sworn to protect He also charges them with
violating their oath of Office
VICTIM THE CLUB.
The injured man. Charles w. Smith, OF No. 40
Willow place. Brooklyn. made his statement to his
counsel, Mr.. Thomas 4. Pearsall, yesterday after
noon. He says he does not drink. and
"Wednesday afternoon was in the peaceabe
the sidewalk ali the time and had not
been the street at ALL When ordered to step back
further he said he would as quick as he could and
Immediately struck, and from what afterward
transpired it is certain that Captain Williams struck
him. He lost consciousness immediately. recovering
1t in the hospital, where the wound his head
dressed. During the night the man who hit him came
to his bedside in company with the doctor to ascertain
II he intended making charge against those who
tain and the Doctor seemed as thick two peas aud
they scared me that for fear of life promised
them would make no charge. and this fear led me
to ask my release from the hospital in the morning
1t seemed like q vault to me. and left to save my
life."
Mr. Smith is still suffering from the blow and is
not yet out of danger the worst results may yet
follow.
THE DocToR's STATEMENT.
To HERALD reporter DR.. Fisher, the house sur
gcon of the hospital. said the injury was slight. and
he thought the man had been drinking ana had
fallen. cutting himself by 30 doing.
doctor. are you positive he had been drinking?"
mo, could not detect the smell or liquor ON his
BREATH but it eemed like thousands OF other cases
what did the injured man tell you caused his
wohndsy'
THAT decline to say on professional grounds?"
Ibid he say who dubbed himY
81 cannot tell you"
The reporter then called ut the station house for
any Information that might be had there in the
matter.
Captain Williams abruptly said that no informa-
ton could be had there adding - shant take the
trouble to contradict anything that is printed Let
the HERALD fnd man that strike him. or
any one who will prefer q charge against me, and
then IL will be time for me to move. You cannot get
any Information whatever IN this case in this station
house."
The following entry made in tho blotter Of
the-station house OF the Twenty ninth preclnct:-
At Ave NJ Charles W. Smith, aged ty-sx years
No % Willow place, Brooklyn. received slight scalp
wound by being hit on the head by Patrolmsn Thomas
Fleming, of this 0wenty-ninth) precinct while dispcrs
Ing crowd Twenty seventh Fifth nyep ne
He was attended at the New York Hospital and subse.
quently left for home
CLAIM TO HAVE BEEN CLUBBED.
Mrs. Johanna Donovan. an elderly woman who