The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-03
CRUEL GOTHAM "COPS"
MANY ALLEGED TO BE MERCILESS
wIELDERs OF THE CLUB.
Testimony Taken by the Lexow Conn
mfttee Regarding Brutal Conduct
of Tammany's Policemen.

NEW YORK, Oct. 2.-Clubbing by the
police was the main subject Of to-day's
incuisition by the Lexow committee. About
one hundred policemen were present at
the proceeding. There were, said lawyer
Frank Moss, officers who had been con-
victed by the Board of Police Commits
sioners Of clubbing citizens. ''Our object"
the attorney continued, 'is to show that
while there have been a hundred convic-
tions in the past three years for clubbing
only four dismissals have occurred. Thus,
we allege that the board encourages club
bing by failing to properly punish it." The
policemen were all big, strapping fellows.
They looked unhappy and apprehensive,
and as If they would give a months sal
ary to be well out of 1t ALL
When the committeeman had taken their
seats Mr.. Goff outlined the days work
as Mr.. Moss had done. Then Mr. Goff
made this astounding statement: Police
men are exempt from the operation of the
law. They commit felonies which would
put civilian in prison, and are only pun
ished by a fine. citizen may be Drained,
and the brutal officers will only have to
fear probably the loss of thirty days pay.
In other words, the policemen commit
crimes without fear that justice will be
melted out to them. We also call your at
tention to the perjury committed when
these policemen are brought to trial To
quote the language of a police commits
sioner, the air in the police headquarters
trial room Is blue with perjury.
sworn. He testified that he was counsel
to the Parkhurst society and a member
OF the executive committee. He then told
street Property Owners Association. which
started In 1885 and lasted for several years,
to purify. the block. He was counsel to
police were in league with the criminal
classes. Alexander S. Williams was In
command of the Nineteenth precinct, in
which Twenty-seventh street is contained.
The captain sent a ward around to
the indignation meetings of the associa-
would club them out of the precinct Mr..
Moss said he replied: ''Go tell your cap
tain he will explode can of dynamite if
he tackles u.s. Then the witness told
how Williams had been brought to trial i'm
1887, and, though the evidence was strong
and complete, he was acquitted by a tie
vote.
Commissioners French and McClaye had
voted for Williams's acquittal Mr. Moss
said, and Commissioners Porter and Voor-
his against It, The same day II the COM
missioners except Porter voted to make
Williams an inspector. Then Mr. Moss told
how Captain McLaughlin. nov inspector,
was tried for failing to close gambling
houses in his precinct. A decision in the
case has never been rendered.
fOuCemdn JOnn coleman, VINO watched
witness George Apo while the latter was
lying with his throat cut in Chambers
street Hospital was next called. The po-
liceman swore that Apo told him that ne
inflicted the wound on himself. Mr.. Goff
mixed the witness badly, but could not
draw from him a contradiction of his orig
inal statement. The policeman admitted
that he had been frequently convicted OF
clubbing. On one occasion Coleman dubbed
a man when the victim was the side
walk, and again he broke pitcher over
citizens head Then he called a respect
able man a thief, knocked little girl down
and cut her head In the latter case the
girl and her father were walking on Broad
way. The policeman approached with a
drunken, unsteady gait and struck the girl
In the mouth, Telling her TO the pavement.
Another cnarge brought against the officer
was that he knocked out boys teeth. To
these latter charges the policeman had put
this defense: Because / am sick. taking
medicine. etc" There were sixteen charges
in all, and on fifteen of them the police
man had been adjudged guilty. Four of
the charges were for assault and twelve for
neglect OF duty.
the commissioners are worse than the
officers for not breaking him." was the
comment OF Senator Bradley on hearing
Coeman's record.
Mr. Moss again took the stand, and. read
ing from the records. showed that there
were now on the force ninety officers who
had been convicted OF having assaulted citi-
zens.
Many stories of inhumanity were told
nv other witnesses A son OF Raw Or.