Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-11
BEATING JOSEPH RODGERS.
Policeman Curry's t.cuse-Sudge Harper
Disposition Of the Case.

Policeman Curry's Gxcuse-Gudge Harper's
Disposition Of the Case.
In the case Of Joseph Rodgers. tried in the
Police Court yesterday, charged with disor.
derby conduct and assault on Policeman Curry.
Mr.. Clagett represented the prosecution. bu,
he had nothing to say in justification of the
officers us Of his club on the colored man 9
head.
Ohicer Curry in giving his testimony said
that he first saw Rodgers and colored woman
near 10th street and Massachusetts, avenue
northeast. Both were under the influence of
liquor, and when he heard them talking loudly
he advised them to go home. Later in the
morning he heard them in the alley near 9Th
street They were cursing and wrangling over
~ cents In the basement door Of an unfinished
house. He placed them under arrest and they
went along all right until the mouth of the
aiiey was reached; when Rodgers struck al
him and said: ''rll be ii you can take
both of us" He tried to pull the woman from
MIN and then struck him in the face
Then struck him with my club" said the
omcer, and knocked him down"
What did you arrest him for?'' inquired
Lawyer Hewlett .
officer
What WAS the disorder2'
HE was cursing and swearing
How drunk was the MANI"
sEvEN-rRNTHs DRUNK.
He was about seven-tenths drunk, should
judge
And You had to kill a seven-tenths drunken
man to get him to the station2"
III he had not struck me l would not have
struck him."
Policeman Brown was next called and he told
OF conversation that he had with Rodgers
while the latter was lying in the pool of blood.
when he reached there the injured man said,
Hello, Brown" and he inquired what was the
matter Rodgers. he said. responded, IF he
hadn't got me I'd got him." Witness then
asked what he was doing there and he replied,
i've been in bad company"
Policeman Pearson told of visit he made TO
the prisoners cell at o'clock in the morning.
when the latter told him: Il did not intend to
hurt the officer"
RODGERS DENIES THAT HE RESISTED.
The defense called Mr.. A. P. Cunningham,
who told the same story that was printed in
The STAR yesterday, charncterizing the conduct
of the policeman as piece of brutality
Witness only heard Of one blow, but there
were several cuts on the mans head.
". L. Graves gave similar testimony, and the
prisoner with the battered head gave evidence
in his own behalf. He seemed to be in intense
pain and was hardly able to tell his side of the
affair. lie admitted that he had been drink
any bad language or resisted the officer.
Mr. Hewlett in his argument said that per-
sons were often brought into court for infiict-
ing blows on dumb animals and fined for it.
but never did he know of an animal being
beaten SO severely as was this poor old colored
man. This, he said, lis the worst spectacle
ever witnessed in court of justice. This poor
man Was numerically beaten, and in manner
that was worse than a brute could have been
beaten, unless it was done by person with
heart of steel"
NOT SCRATCH ON THE OFFICER.
He referred to the fact that there was not q
scratch or bruise on the officer, and [. Gated
that the charge Of assault was brought to pro-
tect the latter. He argued that if the officer
could not take seven-tenths drunken man to
the station without killing him he is not fit to
make an arrest of any sort
This thing, said counsel, has got to stop,
and mean it. These people are not to be
beaten In this way without any excuse what
ever, and unless it is soon stopped some one
else will take a hand This is not Mississippi
or Louisiana"
SENTENCE SUSPENDED.
Judge Harper in disposing of the case spoke
of his knowledge Of police affairs and said that
the question of the officers conduct was not to
be decided by the court. The trial board was
the proper place for that, and he said the case
should properly go before that board.
The court found from the evidence that the
defendant had violated the law, but in consid-
Grafton OF the punishment he had already re-
ceiyed the court would impose fine Of 50 and
suspend sentence.