The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-30
SERGT. LAPORTE SUSTAINED
Board of Safety Acquits Him of the
Charge of Clubbing a Woman.
Various Witnesses Testify Concerning the
Threatening Nature of the Crowd
He Contended With.


charged with conduct unbecoming an off,
Ger. occurred in the Council chamber yes
terday afternoon, before the court. CON-
posed of the Commissioners of Public
Safety. The charges were preferred by
Charles Bailey, of 100 Maple street, who &C
cused Laporte of having struck his wife
and knocked her child out OF her arms on
the occasion of the Columbian day cele-
brations, while the parade was passing on
Washington street. A large number of
witnesses were present, but Mrs. Bailey
was not OF the number. Her husband stated
that she was sick. Why the trial had been
postponed until this late day the commits
sioners did not state.
Dr.. s. 4. carp was one of the first wit
nesses called. He had been on Washing
ton street on the day in question, and had
seen Sergeant Laporte trying to keep the
crowds back. in order that the parade
could pass. The crowd was q very unruly
one. he said, and seemed bent upon irritat.
ing the officer. He thought the officer ala
not use force enough. He did not see La
porte strike any body.
Charles Bailey. who brought the charges.
testified that Laporto had struck his wife
on the head with his mace with so much
force that she dropped her child
to the ground, and that when
he bailey stopped down to pick
1t up Laporte struck him on the head.
George Powell testified to the same effect.
George Jennings's testimony was in the
officers favor. He had only seen Laporte
trying to do his duty. Had not seen him
strike O woman.
Mrs. Lee Henshaw. whose husband
runs a restaurant on West Washing
ton street, was next called. She
said that on the DAY of the parade
been levin the parade from an upstairs
window. Their attention had especially
been called to Sergeant Laporte from the
fact that he was the only officer
sible for him to keep the crowds
back. The crowd continually jeered at
him, but she did not SEQ him strike any
body, although he kept trying to shove the
crowds back all the time.
Park Theater, said DR.. EaIp had COW
cred the ground In his testimony.
but he wanted to speak of the fact
that the crowd between Illinois and Ten
nessee streets on that day seemed TO be I'M
usually unruly and provoking. 1t was the
toughest crowd be had ever seen-n0t all
of it. but the part that made the trouble
There was plenty of room on the sidewalks,
he said. but the crowd pushed into the
parade had to pass in single fle."
The off Ger, he said. did the best he could.
but didn't use force enough. Before the
parade had all passed some of the crowd
began to take on q riotous demeanor. He
did not see Laporte strike anybody with
his mace.
Captain Lang, ex-superintendent of po-
lice, WINS the next witness. He said he
was on horseback the day of the parade
and was stationed near where Lap0rto was.
1t was one of the most provoking crowds
he had ever seen, and he dtdn't think the
officer had used undue vlolence-not hardly
enough.
August Doeppers said the crowd was
equal to the ones that congregated on the
streets during the street-car strike. He
saw q negro try to strike LaPorte with q
cane. He thought the officer had tenn
ported with the CROWD too much; that
there should have been more violence on
his part in the absence of any support what
ever.
/. p. Rupert q watched the riotous
demonstration as he called it, from q
Bates House window. He hadn't seen the
officer strike any body.
w. /. Ripley volunteered as q witness.
Laporte seemed to have had his hands full
on that day, be said. bnt he thought he had
been too harsh in his treatment of the
CROWD.
Laporte was then put on the stand. He
testified that he had not struck Mrs. Bailey
or any other woman. only having used his
mace on two negroes. who stood back in
the crowd and kept pushing the women in
drawn his revolver after o colored man bad
drawn a knife and others similarly armed
had menaced him. A few other witnesses
were called, but their testimony developed
nothing new. After a few moments DELHI
GRAFTON President Hawkins stated that the
charges had not been sustained by the EVIL
dence. and Laporte was dismissed without
q reprimand,