Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-19
CLUBBING THE WRONG MAN.
Policemen Raid the Wrong House and
Beat the Proprietor.

Policemen Raid the Wrong House and
Beat the Proprietor.
HOW GEORGE CHASE WAS SURPRISED AT MID
MONTHS HOUSE BROKEN IN AND HIS FAM
lily TERRIFIED-CHAsE BEATEN AND SERIOUSLY
HURT-sTATEMENT OF THE POLICE.
In THE STAR of the 18th instant was an account
of the raiding by the police of an alleged
! gambling room kept by George J. Jones,
colored. at 1906 NJ street northwest Jones was
| fined in the Police Court. There appears to
! have been interesting and serious side of
the story which did not come out in the Police
| Court proceedings. A resident of tine neigh
! borhood called the attention of The STAR to
what he considered high-handed outrage per-
| petrated by some of the officers making the
raid and connected with the third precinct
| station.
| The facts as stated by this citizen. were as
| follows: About IL o'clock midnight. when
| the raid was made, the detail of officers who
were to make the attack in the rear of 1906
| (being over zealous) broke in the rear door of
the adjoining house, No. 1908, occupied by
George Chase. an honest, quiet and peaceable
| citizen. and who was perfectly innocent of any
connection whatever with the cause of the
| raid. There were three officers, who imme-
dlately lthe two former in citizens clothes,
anu, as itdTutu, were lHtONlCdleuD Tusneu IN
and up the stairs and without any provocaton,
| nor even stating what they wanted seized the
man Chase, who was about to retire. he having
a lighted lamp in his hand at the time, struck
him several severe blows in the face, and, after
knocking him down, struck him several blows
over the head with billy, cutting his head
severely, and also kicking him. They also
| struck his wife and picked up his small son
(Bryson) and threw him into a corner. break
ing table. When some one called murder
ont ind fho LODI
guardians Of the peace discovered their mis-
take and rushed out the back way. leaving the
poor man Chase on the floor more dead than
alive. The next day one of the officers who
did the striking called to see Chase, and said
he was very sorry that he had struck him; that
they had made q mistake in the house,"
THE PoLIcEMEN's STORY.
To STAR reporter, concerning the statement
regarding the alleged outrage. Lieut.. Guy. of
the third precinct detailed the circumstances
as reported to him by the policemen who were
engaged in the raid. Sergeant Myers, he said.
led the raiding party. The officers who went in
the rear Of the house to assist in the raid, ac-
cording to the police statement. made a mis-
take and went to the wrong house. The Off
GERS. he said. did not have their clubs with
them and consequently could not have dubbed
Chase. 1t is true, the police say, that the mis-
take was made and Chase was injured, but the
officers went to Chase's house believing that it
Wds TIE mousse IUey were TO Tdlu. CQaSe QeUeu
them and used an oath toward them. .'When |
the officers entered Chase was in their way"
said the lieutenant land he was accidentally |
knocked down. AS for his being kicked and
beaten. that is not true as / am informed"
The lieutenant said further that he was told |
that some of Chase neighbors had been trying
to get him to swear out warrants for the
officers.
TALK WITH CHASE.
Yesterday afternoon when STAR reporter |
called at 1903 NJ street northwest, he found |
Chase resting on sofa suffering from the
effects OF the beating he received at the hands |
of the police. 1t has now been eight days since |
the occurrence. but Chase is not yet able to be |
about. When the reporter detailed to him the |
statement made to The STAR by citizen. Mr. |
Chase said that everything contained in the |
statement was correct except that he was |
downstairs at the time instead of upstairs !
One week ago Monday night he said he was |
away from home until nearly midnight. When |
he went home he found that all the members
OF his family, including his wife and five chill
dren had retired. He locked the front door |
and was going about the house to see that all |
the windows and doors were secure, when ne |
was suddenly started by hearing his side fence |
broken. This was immediately followed by the |
breaking in Of the back door. The clasp Of |
the dead latch fell to the floor. At that time |
he had lighted lamp in his hand and was |
about to retire. He turned toward the rear !
door when three officers entered He could |
not tell their names.
whats the matter?" he asked them.
"Never mind" responded one of them, |
"come on, We want you"
"I'll come nowhere" Chase responded.
Then Chase said an officer with a very red !
face said: You won't and without another !
word struck him over the head with club ,
Then two of the officers seized him and held |
him while the third one beat him. The terror |
stricken members of his family left their beds !
and got down stairs quick as possible to See |
what was the matter, and one of his children |
was knocked or thrown in a corner against a |
table with much violence as to break the |
table"
Mrs. Chase. who is an elderly woman. was
punched in the throat by one of the officers in |
his endeavor to push her back and her shoulder
was badly injured.
Chase found that he had been seriously hurt. |
and he sent for DR.. West The doctor made a
careful examination but did not think tina t the |
skull was fractured, but at the same time he
said that unless Chase was careful his injuries
might prove serious. Mr.. Chase yet suffers
intense pain in his head all the time. and his
friends inclined to believe that he is injured
much worse than he really believes he is him
SELF
The day after he was beaten Chase said one
OF the officers called 20 see him and explained
to him that it was all a mistake. Il don't see
what mistake they could have made" said
Chase because even if had been the man
they wanted they had no cause for clubbing
me in such manner" He said that when able |
to get out he intends to swear out warrants
against the policemen who dubbed him.
The SALE of Moore & Leding's jewelry stock
closes positively Saturday night. Those wish