Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-11
THE F0LIcE AND TEE COLoRKp
PEOPLE.

y
To the Edifnr Of The Hveains Star,
Tread with interest In your irsue Of yseter-
day the interview with Col. Perry H. oarson
and the letter Of WIN. C. Chase. 60, relative
to the present chief Of police and concludsd
that might in . modest vsy submit few
observations in the premises, not without value
maybe 10 the great mass OF cisizens. white
and black, who make up this COM
munfty. An ofhcef should be kept
in the public service only 90 long as the public
good is promoted by retaining hun in his place.
When he has lost the confd-nce Of large por-
ton Of the community and has been indicted by
the grand inquest OF tho county for fescny,
whatever may be the finding Of q petty fury.
that officers usefulness has been destroyed
In the place OF his service and he should not be
retainedin any public employment whatever.
whether IL il bis fault or his misfortune. o. a
mere matter of policy his retention il m sffrout
70 the lav-abiding citizens. . reflection on the
large body OF faithful officers whom he discrea-
It's, and he should be retired forth with and per-
manently TO private life and private pursuits.
The Attorney General q the responsible sd-
wiser OF the governor OF the District Of Colum-
bia, may be expected to see 10 il that no large
class Of citizens Of this community shall have
just cause of complaint in . matter Of this hind.
even though the twelve have failed In their
duty and the efforts Of the public prosecutor
to bring home merited punishment have
thereby been tbSarted. But getting
rid Of o police man who has been indicted by
the grand jury Of the District for manEiaughter
is one thing and retiring an upright. eompe-
tent and highly respected chef OF police 10
quite another thing and there b no good
reason whatever why the first should not be had
without the cost of the latter.
SHOULD LEAVE MAJ. MOORE WHERE Bl is
In my opinion much more good may be &C.
complished for the humble and helpless class
OF people, with whom the police force princi-
pally comes in contact, by leaving Mai. Moore
where he 10 and By conference with him and
with his heutenants through him on the part Of
! influential colored citizens, secure such consid-
Grafton in any behalf as may be right and proper
In view OF maintaining effectually the public
peace order and security.
In this way the community may have the
services OF one OF its foremost citizens whose
capacity and experience in his place render
him of exceeding value TO the public and all
Just causes Of complaint from whatever quarter
may be removed and abuses corrected. The chief
OF police. together with his lisutenants. would
look after the policemen, teaching them how
| TO exercise authority with dignity, moderation,
courtesy and courage without insolenoe. undue
haste or passion. and the committee Of infuen-
tial colored citizens might. through sermon. on
the first day OF the week and meetings. debat-
Ing societies. literary societies. celebration cd
dresses newspapers. schools and every method Of
reaching the masses Of those who toll and vet
wax not. whether by collective and public eff
| fort or sole and individual admonition, betake
themselves to their own people and teach them
the law and explain to them the necessity Of lite
observance In ordeAnot to fall under Its denun-
citation.
BY COOPERATING Is THIS WAY
and by employers taking q little time 10 advise
their employees in a pleasant and friendly way
how to keep the law in the particular service in
which they may be engaged the peace. pros
perity and good order of the District might be
maintained without the present suffering
and friction and scandal OF mulcting between
$500 and $500 day for trifiing misdeneanors
from class Of humble. uncultured people. who
have at best to live from hand to mouth and
can i'll afford to lose their scanty and
hard-earned cash by extortionste fines
or their character by arrest and
of il all feeling Ike Rahab. utterly de.oiate
ard forsaken if no man or angel cared for
them or had compassion upon them. II is won-
derful how much good can be accomplished and
how much evil aver.ed in this direction by a
pescemsker possessing nd 1rcss and understand
Ing something of human nature.
An ILLUSTRATIVE CASE.
And even at the risk Of making this commun-
icstion too long will venture 10 give one IL
| iast-Gtion olt of more than 100 might bring
forward on .his point. About two years ago
happened to be called to the Police Court on
the 9Th Of July to look after a boy of one of my
clients who had been nabbed by an
officer for unduly celebrating the Fourth
and just before leaving my attention was at
fracted by hearing the clerk, Mr.. Potts. call the
case Of George Washington and half q dozen
others with him for an assault on Officer Kim
mel. who was then on the detective force and
wore no uniform when on duty. Officer KIM
mel and the accused came forward TO be
sworn. The officer was sight
to see. There were confused wounds
all over his face, neck. head and breast he was
bitten from the left hand along the arm up to
his ear. and from the lowest part Of his spine
to the back Of his neck: his bead was bandaged
around the crown and forehead, his jaws and
eyes we're tied up, one arm was poulticsd
and the other in a sling, ard the parts of his
anatomy not poulticed was covered with court
plaster SO far he could exhibit il to the
court, his word being taken - to the balance.
peevious day he had gone into Balls alley and
driven away q disorderly white man who WAS
then in the alley; that one OF the women
accused had begun railing At him
for not arresting the disordsrly white man in
stead Of ordering him away; that he, the officer,
directed her to hush and upon her refusal 70 do
SO he had stepped into her doorway to arrest
her; that she resisted him and screamed and
thereupon men and women to the number Of six
or more had rushed down from the upper
foors Of the tenement and set upon him;
that the fight continued, down the alley into I'd
street, the accused all beating, biting and
scratching him, and that George Washington
had wrested the blackjack away from the officer
and worn it out ON his head.
The officer had called for help from the by
ISLANDERS and had arrested the whole Washing
ton tribe and intended to bring in half the dem
izens Of the alley, as he was quite sure they had
got In hex at him during the melee. When
the officer had concluded his testimony old man
Washington stood sullen and silent. / saw that
it was likely to prove q serious matter for
the Washingtons and 50 stepped 70 the bar
and stated to the court that would
defend the prisoners. / then cross-examined
the officer closely. Asked him II in the absence
OF his uniform and badge the accused had any
way Of knowing that he was an ofRcer and
whether the whole trouble might not be due 10
his failure 10 proclaim himself and HE author
ity before attempting an arrest The o0acer
answered that his authority was known BY the
woman whom he attempted TO arrest Without
such notification or emblems Of badge and uni
form, but that he could not say whether II was
known to the others who rushed down from the
floors above when the woman scraamed
Old man Washington then testified under
my guidance hat he was seventy
years old; was nsver arrested before
this occasion; that on the evening stated he was
upstairs with other members Of bis family and