Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-24
A SIMPLE ASSAULT
" u
Small Charge Against a Pistol
Firing Policeman.
Mr.. MUtLoWNEY DISSENrS
Officer Curry Now Held in Bail fo'
Grand Jury.
c a S f OF JEALO S Y

! The secret system seems to be in vogue
In the ninth precinct just now. especially
when the alleged preservers of the public
! peace are the disturbers. Different treat
ment is also accorded a prisoner when the
| prisoner Is policeman. There was a
| shooting case within hearing of the officers
who remained in the station yesterday a
short while after roll call. The individual
| who handled the pistol was a policeman
and so was the man at whom. it is charged
| the shot was fired. Usually in cases where
| deadly weapons figure the charge made is
| assault with intent to Kill and real estate
/ security is required for his release. But
! in this case the defendant being a police
man there was a departure from this rule
and $40 collateral was accepted as security
for the appearance of the officer. The
policeman, however, did not follow the eX-
| ample OF an officer who beat colored man
! here about two years ago and disappeared,
E! but he was in court this morning, ready to
answer the charge of simple assault on
which Lieut.. Iieffner released him on col
| lateral
The policeman charged is Officer Edward
Curry and the officer at whom it is charg-
ed he shot is Officer J. ]. Pearce, Po-
hceman Curry lives at No. sol + street
EC rtneast, only a short distance from the
ninth precinct station house.
Two years ago Curry. who had served in
the navy and secured an appointment on
the force boarded at the house of Widow
Sweeney, who is a number of years older
than himself. and he is not much under
thirty years He Jared So we'll in the house
that he soon fell in love with the widow.
and two years ago he accepted the widow
and the rest of the household, which con-
! sisted of three children, the oldest being a
! boy of seventeen years. Thus the wearer of
4 no RlAth ftNf
carrier of the baton and pistol started out
on the sea of matrimonial bliss. But the
Sreen-eyed monster II Is said, soon figured
III the lalnlly Ia such an extent that fol-
! lowing the days of his courtship and honey
moon the unevenness of love was calcu-
lated to remind the sailor OF the choppy
seas over which he mad sailed
me hfteen-yedr-oli daughter of Mrs. Cur
ry, II is said, had been on the officers beat
TO watch his movements, and as the result
of this affair the stepfather called her to
account yesterday. Then the wife took an
active part Curry wanted to spank the
girl, but the mother promptly informed
him that thetgiri was not his TO spank But
he mad accepted the whole family only two
years ago, and he persisted in exercising
I parental care over the child Still the moth
er objected and then she was given a
swollen face There We're screams and
! cries. and Policeman Pearce ran to the
horse 10 see what was the matter.
It's only n family affair said the hus-
hand. who WIS almost out of his reason be-
"a of his temper.
The officer who mad res pended to the cries
did not enter the house, he says, but
Curry drew his revolver and made for him.
He grabbed Curry to save his own life, and
one shot was tirei. short sCuttle eusued.
and Pearce, Whli much smaller than Cur
ry. turned has back to the door and de-
parted. 3
When the; pistol shot was heard by the
men in the station several of them rushed
from the building and started to lind the
man who had fired
Acting Sergt. Pearson and Officer Sam
Browne went one way, while Policeman
Sedgwick and Geatman went toward the
front of the house They saw officer
Pearce retreating. and they went after him
thin king he had probably fired the shot. but
they soon learned to the contrary, and
started back to the Curry house. In the
meanwhile Pearson and Browne had reach
ed the house OF the belligerelt officer. and
the latter once mole remarked: It's moth
ing but family affair." and added. IN
kill the first -- -- VINO puts his
| hand on me-
| after a struggle he quieted down and was
| taken to the station. There Lieut. Heffner
! heard the statements of the officers and
| fixed the offense at simple assault.
Then an effort was made by the men on
duty to keep the affair quiet, and for a
while they succeeded. but only to have the
matter more thoroughly discussed later.
When statements of various kinds were
made Lieut.. Heffner made some inquiries.
He said this morning that Mrs Curry de-
MED having sent the daughter to watch
| her stepfather he had suspected, but
said she had sent her to the store for
groceries.
| This morning when the case reached the
| Police Court the blotter showed a charge
| of simple assault, and Curry was present
with his counsel. Lawyer James Z. Padgett,
| to defend the case.
But Mr.. Mulownay took a view Of the
! case entirely different from that taken
/ by the police lieutenant and ordered Off
Ger PearCe to swear out n Warrant charg-
/ Jig Curry with assault with intent to kill,
! treating the case the same as he would
/ had the defendant not been a policeman n.
The warrant was issued and counsel then
! waived an examination. Curry was held
! for tie action of the grand jury. and bon 4
/ in the sum of 500 was given for his APP
| pearance.
Lieut. Befner and the officers who were
/ in the station at the time say that Curry
/ was not under the influence Of liquor. He
! has been suspended pending a hearing be-
! fore the trial board. Curry has heretofore
/ been regarded as an excellent officer and
| he Is very popular among his Companions
| on the force.