The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-17
CAPT, DOUGLASS ON TRIAL,
A. S. NeWburgh, an Attorney,
Demands Damages for
Rough Treatm
ELECTED FROM A COURTROOM.
The Defendant and His Officers
Contradict the Testimony Of
Citizens.

Captain of Police Douglass was the de-
fendant yesterday in a suit brought by a
citizen for rough handling. which, he
claims, he received at Douglass hands.
The complainant in the suit is AS. New
burgh, a young attorney, who claims that
his feelings were lacerated and his dignity
damaged to the extent of $3.50 SO. His suf-
fering came from. humiliation in being
violently elected from Judge Conlan S
courtroom during the examination OF
Durrant.
Newburgh was represented by Judge
Aitken and Ray Barry. E. III. Wakeman
conducted the defense. Newburgh was the
first witness.
He said he had gone into the courtroom
to see Durrant. A man had been pushed
against him by Officer George c.. Douglass,
son of Captain Douglass. In this way his
hat was smashed.
II turned to the officer" he said, "and
pay for that hat. He told me TO keep
quiet or he'd put me out. Then told
him was an attorney and he had no right
to put me out, and he said he'd show me
if I didn't make less noise.
"Then Captain Douglass came up and
ordered me out. I started to tell him |
was an attorney, but he grabbed me by
the coat-collar, rushed me to the door and
pushed me into the corridor almost before
l could finish"
Newburgh furnished considerable amuse-
ment by his energy in showing how things
happened and by his interest in the pro-
ceedings generally. He was asked if he
was not antagonistic to the police force.
He responded thoughtfully:
mo, sir-no, | don't think l am. You
see" he added, there are some few gen.
tlemen on the force"
The witness took great bragg at some
of the questions asked him by Mr.. Wake
man. He told of some of the witnesses
who would testify to his standing.
Never mind your witnesses" remarked
Mr.. Wakeman. We'll deluge you with
witnesses"
Eyes, you may, but what kind2" was
the retort. "iour witnesses can be bought
for dollar apiece. :"
gone into Judge Conlan's courtroom
drawn by curiosity, testified that he was
standing only few feet from Newburgh
when the officer pushed the crowd back
He saw Newburgh raise his hat and say
something, but could not hear his remark.
He heard the officer order him to keep
quiet, though.
The witness was sure that the only per-
son he could hear was the policeman
Then he saw Captain Douglass approach.
"He grasped the young man by the coat
and showed him back. He took lapel of
Mr.. Newburgh's coat in either hand and
twisted him around, and then grabbed him
by the collar and pushed him to the door
and out into the corridor
"Are you sure Captain Douglass kept his
hand on the young mans collar all the
timer" was asked.
II am certain of it," was the response.
Asked as to how the young man had
been handled, he said roughly.
Ed M. Cummings, an attorney, saw the
occurrence. He knew neither Mr.. New
burgh nor Captain Douglass. He thought
the officer was unduly rough.
'If he had handled me as he did the
young man | know what I'd have done, /"
he said, significantly, but was not asked to
explain his warlike declaration.
Captain Douglass, in his own defense,
said that the man was making a disturb
ance, and was put out without any IN
necessary violence. He had acted in &C
cordance with the orders of Judge Conlan,
who had cried "That's right. Put him
OUT" as he showed Mr.. .Newburgh the
door.
He said that he did not know Mr.. New
burgh was an attorney. All he knew was
that there was a disturbance and that the
plaintiff was evidently the cause of it. So
he 'gave him a: starter" told him to leave
the room, and the young man went.
70 "give starter" he explained, was to
use enough violence to make an offender
begin to do what you want him to. He
denied having pushed Newburgh to the
door, saying that he had only turned him
around and given him a shove. and that
Newburgh walked to the door,
His son, Officer George G. Douglass,
William Winter, then acting bailiff of
judge Conlan's court, and Officer Dewene
corroborated the testimony of Captain
Douglass. As the defense wanted to sum-
mon Judge Conlan and Mr.. Newburgh de-
sired the presence of District Attorney
Barnes and all the Superior Judges except
Judge Bahrs further proceedings were
postponed till June s.