Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-24
THEY WERE BOTH RIGHT.
Judge Miller Dismisses Young Classic,
but Justifies the Police Oflicer.

Judge Miller Dismisses Young Classic,
but Justifies the Police Officer.
Yesterday afternoon about hundred of the
boys Of the high school gathered in the Police
Court. All were interested in the case against
young Classic, son of Mr. d. W. Classic. charged
with disorderly conduct last Monday at the
corner of 7th and o streets northwest Messrs.
J. Z. Padgett and W. H. Manogue appeared
for the District, and Mr.. Classic, the father.
and Mr.. Barton for the defendant.
Sergeant Perry testified that on Monday
colored man arrested by OfRcer Law was taken
by that officer and himself to the patrol box;
that number Of the boys he said, got around
them, the defendant appearing TO be the leader.
Ihe crowd was hallooing and yelling SHANE!
Let him Co." DC. When at the box Classic was
with the crowd and called out Sergeant g."
and witness arrested him. He had been told
to stand back before and refused to leave.
After he had arrested the defendant the boys
SAID that they were only 'guying," and il was
proposed that Mr.. Lane would be responsible
for the prisoner. Witness, however, took him
with the colored man to the station-house
On cross-examination witness said that the
conduct OF the boys was calculated to affect
the prisoner-encourage him to resist.
AT this point some Of the high school boys
laughed, and Mr.. Padgett suggested that this
was continuation of their action at the patrol
box.
Witness continuing, said that there was no
force employed, but the boys crowded on them
and one of them was showed back When the
defendant was taking his number witness ar
rested him and said that he would have plenty
Of time to take numbers.
OFFICER Laws TESTIMONY.
Officer Law testified that he saw the boys
playing with the colored man, and Mr. sher-
man, the janitor, spoke to them and the col
ored man went in an alley; when the man came
out Sherman told witness to arrest him and
that he would prefer charges. Witness and
Sherman took hold Of the cOlored man and the
boys gathered around them and cried: ''Shamer'
"What's the matter with the niger? He's all
right" whats the matter with the policeman
He's all wrong" Classic, who was in the crowd,
said the man had done nothing. The crowd
followed them up and gathered around. Ser
geant Perry came up and Sherman let 60.
Classic was at the box with the crowd and was
told to 60 back, and was about to write the SER
geant's number when arrested.
James Dyer, colored, testified that he took
hold of the prisoner, Shields, at the request of
the sergeant. The defendant had his pencil
out when arrested, and tho crowd was yelling
and hallooing They're no good" The de-
PENDANT said that the sergeant did not know
what he was doing, and he would take his num-
Der.
+. W. Kahlert testified to the crowd pressing
around and Sergeant Perry ordering them
back. The defendant he said, insisted on get
ting the sergeant's number when the arrest was
made.
Allen T. Sherman, the janitor, testified that
the colored man was drunk and the boys were
skylarking with him; that he (witness) got him
away, but he came back and was arrested. The
boys called out, He hasn't done anything. ~
He's crazy" &C., and threw paper, sticks,
DC. He did not see Classic till he was in the
t~Al - IL.
crowd, and it was disorderly one.
Other witnesses testified to the crowd, and
that the boys jeered the officers.
YOUNG CLASSICS STATEMENT.
The defendant quite a tall young man wear
ing glasses, testified that he and two or three
others were on the steps of the high school
building, and a crowd of younger boys-frst
and second year boys-were below ''guying''
the cOlored man. When the man was arrested
and carried off witness followed and pushed
through the crowd and said to the officer The
man was doing nothing" The officer replied;
III show you how to mind your business, "
and struck witness, pushing him back. Wit
ness said: I'm take his number" and got a
pencil and was writing the number. Some
said sergeant 6" and officer 205," and wrote
them both. The officer then said: iii give
you something to arrest sergeant No. 6 for"
On cross-examination witness denied that he
used the word ''shame" or that he heard Ser
geant Perry order the crowd back He denied
that he asked Sergeant Perry his number or
that he refused to leave. He was not in the
crowd or of the crowd, but went through the
crowd to do an act Of justice-to explain to the
officer.
G. G. Sawtelle, IT,, testified that he was with
Classic on the steps, and with him felt indig.
| nant that the man should have been arrested
He went with Classic after the crowd and
pushed through. Mr.. Classic said: 1T is a
& ham FOR maj haa NJ oov,I he
officer struck Classic. showing the crowd back
Then Classic asked for pencil, and the officer
said: I'm give you something to take my mum
Der for
HOW JUDGE MILLER SETTLED IT.
The court here intimated that they need 20
no further, for they might hear testimony till
Thanksgiving and obtain no more light on the
case. The testimony showed clearly, he said,
that the crowd was disorderly one, but the
question here is, did the defendant participate
with the others. 1t is commended that he was
not of the crowd, and, having witnessed the
arrest, he went after the officer to explain that
the man had done nothing. If he thought that
the defendant was one Of the crowd he would
be inclined to impose the heaviest penalty.
but he could not from the evidence look upon
him as such. Under the circumstances and
the excitement of the moment Sergeant Perry
was perfectly justifiable in making the arrest.
for it was natural amid the cries of the crowd
to suppose that Classic was not only one of the
crowd, but was leading them on. It was, how
ever, shown that the defendant had done only
what would have been done had there been no
crowd about him and what any fair-minded
man would do. The court dismissed the case.
Another Charge Against Mr.. Newman.
ACCUSED OF OBTAINING MONEY By FALSE PRE-
FENCES FROM o. F. BRERsE AND SONS OF Ball
TIMoRE.
Marion d. Newman alias g. NJ. st. Clair alias
Rev. Dallas N. Hughes alias Noble is still con-
fined in Jail awaiting the action Of the grand
jury. That body has already considered two
charges against him, and will probably make
their report on Monday. As published in yes
terday's STAR, they considered the case in
which he is charged with obtaining the money
from Mrs. Kate Smith under an alleged prom
Use of marriage. They also considered charge
OF obtaining money from o. F. Breese
& Sons, general agents in Baltimore
for the Mutual life insurance COM
pany of New York. Some time in October.
it is charged, the prisoner called at the Office
of the company in Baltimore and applied for a