Evening star., 1895-04-29
DAMAGES FOR HIS DEATH
Oolored Citizens to Sue the District for the
Killing Of Foster.
A New Plan Suggested-The District
Considered Responsible for Police
man Green's Act.

The refusal Of the last grand jury and the
present one to bring in an indictment
against Policeman Green for the shooting
of Reuben Foster has not put an end to
the movement among colored ministers of
this city to secure some reparation for the
wrong which they assert has been done.
The sermons in several Of the colored pull
pts yesterday were on the subject Of the
killing of Foster and the exonerating of
Green. The colored clergymen who con-
stituted the committee which waited on
the Commissioners during the week and
asked for the removal from the force Of
Policeman Greer talked earnestly to their
congregations upon the subject. and urged
them to attend mass meeting, which is to
be held tonight, when ways and means
will be devised for the further prosecution
of the matter along some line. 1t Is pro-
posed now, since the efforts to have Green
prosecuted criminally have failed. to bring
a civil suit against the District of Colum-
bia for criminal negligence in the killing
of Foster. Members of the ministers COM
mittee say that If the killing was acci-
dental while Green was 1dfscharging his
duty the District government is responsible
for the death of Foster, and that the fam
lily of the deceased ought to be compensated
for the loss Of his life.
The New Movement.
DR.. Walter H. Brooks, pastor of the Nine
teenth Street Baptist Church, who was a
member Of the committee which waited on
the District Commissioners. said yesterday
that he had consulted with some Of the
leading lawyers in the District, and that
they had said to him that they believed that
the District could be made civilly liable for
the death of Foster, II it can be proven
that his death was caused by an accident
and that the accident was occasioned by
the discharge Of the duty Of a police officer.
Mr.. Brooks stated that men who have
taken an active partsin the prosecution Of
the matter thus far are willing to raise the
necessary funds to make a test Of the mat
ter. and the churches VIII contribute lib
orally to that end. The Baptist Ministers
Union. the Equal Rights Council and the
Citizens Protective Association will. Mr..
Brooks declared. keep the matter before
the public continually until some redress is
had for the injury which they claim has
been DONE There have been more colored
men killed in this city by policemen" said
Mr.. Brooks, than in any other city In the
country, and 1t Is time that 1t should be
stopped. II we do nothing in the matter
the wrong will go on. but II we agitate the
lives Of colored men will be less wantonly
sacrificed"
Mass Meeting.
The mass meeting which has been called
for tonight will be held at the Metropoli-
tan Baptist Church. on r street, under the
auspices of the Citizens Protective Asso-
CO etion, of which Perry H. Carson is the
president. The report Of the committee
which some time ago. headed by Perry
Carson, visited the Commissioners and ask
ed for the removal Of Green. will be re-
ceived and further action In the matter
will be advised.
The Baptist Ministers Union held its reg
ular meeting today in the Mt. Carmel Bap-
hQ yyhi icf q
appointed from last weeks meeting to
wait on the Commissioners submitted Its
report, saying that the Commissioners had
promised to- give the matter their attention.