The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-08-01

What seems to have been on unpro-
voked and undeserved assault was COM
mitted upon Charles j. Ormsby early
yesterday morning by Messrs. Mabry
and Merriman, two members Of the Roa-
noke police force. Mr.. Ormsby has, of
late, been the victim of a seemingly
malicious persecution and has unneces-
sarily been brought before the public
A TIMES reporter made q careful in
quiry yesterday among large number
Of eye witnesses of the disgraceful af-
fair, and they all told practically the
same story that the action of tho police
men was brutal i'll the extreme. Two
other gentlemen standing high in the
community were insultod by these Of
ficers.
The story of the assault, as gathered
from eye witnesses, is as fol ows: About
2:30 o'clock yesterday morning the two
policemen in question were seated with
ME-. OrmsbY in front Of the Palace II ito ,
engaged in conversation. Who thcy
were thus occupied, MIR. Powell, OF
Salem. drove up to the hotel in a buggy
accompanied by a friend. Mr.. Powell
steppeu out OF the buggy, leaving his
companion in there. This latter person
took exception to some remarks Mr.
Ormsby made and joined in the CONVEX
sation. Mr. Ormsby replied to him.
whereupon he jumped from the buggy
and advanced toward Ormsby. The men
did not hit each other, however, and the
stranger invited Mr.. Ormsby to get in
the buggy and take ride, which Ormsby
accepted, stepping into the buggy.
The two policemen informed Ormsby
that he had better get out of the buggy
and MIR. Powell coming up just then
asked Ormsby what he was doing in his
buggy. Ormsby stepped out and Mr.
Powell and his friend stepped in and
drove off. All this time. the witnesses
say, OrmsbY's voice was not raised above
its natural pitch.
After Mr.. Powell had driven away
Ormsby seated himself on a chair in
front of the hotel and began smoking
Then the officers approached him and
told him that he must get away from
there, claiming that he was loud and
boisterous. Mr.. Ormsby refused to
move, informing them that he was a
guest of the hotel and had a perfect
right to be where be was. The police
men said they would make him move
and they both grabbed hold of him,
trying TO force him into the ho.cl, Mr..
Ormsby naturally resisted the move
ment
AT this juncture well-known physi-
clan appeared and told tho policemen
that he would take Mr.. Ormsby to his
room and see that there would be no
disturbance. Ono of tho officers an
swered that Ormsby was going to the
station house with them and ordered the
physician to stand back and not inter.
fere in the matter.
Sno
pair of nippcrs on Ormsby's wrist, which
had been hurt and was badly swollen,
but he resented this indignity, and
though he has but one arm, the police
men could not accom- plish their purpose,
Ormsby throwing Policeman Mcrriman
into the middle of the street, where ho
lay sprawling in tue dust. by this time
quite crowd had collected and the
sight Of three big policemen, the first
two having been joined in the mean
time by a third. assau)ting one-armed
man in such brutal manner was more
than some of them could stand, and
several gentlemen started to Mr.
Ormsby's assistance. but they were in
terrupted by other spectators.
FINALLY OrmSby consented to go peace
ably to the station house, although he
claimed that he had done nothing what
ever to be arrested for. During the as
sault Mr.. Ormsby refraincd from using
profane language, but a witness to the
affair informed TIMES reporter yester-
day that the policeman INDUCED in a
number Of oaths.
Mr.. Ormsby was accompanied to the
station house by two friends, one of
whom went his bail, and it is said that
charges have been preferred against
them for obstructing the officers in the
performance of their duty and for swear
ing in the station house. The matter
VIII be tried by r. A. Buckner, pre- 8 :
dent of the CITY Council, at o'ci, elk
this morning.