The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-02-11


Matter Now Before the Police Board.
In Yesterdays issue It was stated that
John McDonough had been before the
Police Court, charged with "beiDg drunk,
disorderly. and resisting tile police" that
upon the examination "McDonough stated
In court that he had been beaten by Ser
geant George III. Matthews after he had
been put into o. cell, and this statement
was corroberated by witness to the club
bing,v and that the Police Justice reported
the case to the Police Commissioners, and
sent McDonough to the Almshouse Hospi-
tai for treatment.
Mr.. MATTHEws's EVIDENCE.
There were no witnesses present at the
Police Court in behalf OF Sergeant Mat
thews, and since the charge against him
has been published. it is both just and pro-
per that his side OF the case should be
heard. 1t Is as follows: John McDo-
nough is an old offender. In the past
three years he has been arrested seven
teen times. the charges generally being
"unlawful assault" "drunk and disor-
derly,v "fghtiEg IN the streets" and "re-
sisting the police" Captain Pleasants
saws that he Is the worst man, white or
black, that they have TO deal with.
On Thursday night about II O'Clock Ser
geant Matthews's attention was called to n
disturbance going on in house in Bakers
alley. Bakers alley runs parallel with
Main and Cary, between Seventeenth and
Eighteenth streets, and is inhabited by the
lowest grade Of people known to this city
a mixture OF whites and blacks. Finding
McDonough there, but the trouble over,
Mr.. Matthews advised McDonough "t0 go
to his home, IL he had one" McDonough
became very abusive, and used to the otli-
Ger most intolerable language, whereupon
Mr.. Matthews took him under arrest. and
was proceeding to the station-house with
him. when he resisted so violently that he
felt justified in striking him over the head
twice with his club. One Of these blows
made cash over the left eye, from which
the blood gushed.
TIE NEIGHBORH0OD CUP"
McDonough's oaths and exclamations
gathered q considerable crowd, and with
the assistance OF Joe Edwards (who was
with McDonough at the tIme), eX-Police-
man Moody, and Mr.. William Bryant, Nc
Donough was taken to tie. statlon-h0use-
kicking and cursing all the way.
Councilman Frischkorn was across the
street al his brothers, and attracted by the
noise, came over TO the station and followed
the party upstairs. lie looked at Nc
Donough and saw the cash, from which
the blood was flowing freely.
When McDonough got in the station
house Sergeant Whitlock, Justice George
G.. Childrey, and Mr. c. w. Gentry were
there. They, too, observed the cash, and
were witnesses to the violence McDonough
displayed.
lie told Matthews TO "prepare; that he
would murder him yet" and in addition
used words that were calculated to gall the
most Indifferent soul.
He was put in the cell by ySergeants Whit
lock and Matthews, and kicked and ham
mered at the door till about 1 O'Clock,
when he fell asleep. The cell-door was not
opened from the time he was put in there
till CAPTAIN Pleasants went next morning
to give him his breakfast.
Officers Rex and Talman, a little later,
suggested TO him to wash his face. This he
declined to do, saying that he wanted to
look as bad as he could when he appeared
at court.
Mr.. Frischkorn saw him on his way 10
the court. and il confident that he had no
Olnpl WOInu lDHl lIit hOAANAh ~ mn '"N
night before; but thinks that the flesh
around it was more discolored than it was
when he first saw it.
THE TWO SIDES.
The statement that McDonough was
struck in the station-house rests upon the
evidence Of Edwards, who said that Me-
Donough told him so, and upon his own
opinion that McDonough in the morning
I
had marks upon him which he did not have
upon entering the station.
Against that testimony are the pos I'VE
assertions OF Mr.. Frschkorn. Justice Chill
drew. Mr.. Gentry, Sergeant Whitlock, ex-
Policeman Moody, and MIR. Bryant-not to
mention Mr.. Matthews, who, while freely
admitting that under great proyocation he
struck him in the alley, utterly denies that
be or any one else gave him blow in the
station-house.
! THE INJURIES.
Asfor Mr.. McDonough's injuries: While
il Is true that he looked bloody and bad in
the Police Court, and while it is certain
that the blow was 4 sharp one, the fact that
he left the almShouse Immediately after his
wound was dressed shows that his injuries
were not such rs to disable him.
The case will come before the Police
/ i