The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1897-11-25
IT WAS AN OUTRAGE.
CRUEL TREATMENT OF A PRIS-
ONER BY POLICE.
Flesh Lacerated and Blood Vessel
Broken by an Instrument of Tort
ure-Bond Not Taken Until
Jail Yard Was Reached

Broken by an Instrument of Tort
ure-Bond Not Taken Until
Jail Yard Was Reached.
The arrest and cruel treatment Of
exChief of Police j. W. Bradford here
Wednesday afternoon Of last week Gre
it looked like there might be serious
trouble.
A fake or gambling table, on Trade
St, run by Isaac BlumeDtield, was "the
cause of it all''-and many people are
indignant that the officers should al
the city.
Mr. Bradford was arrested on war
rant sworn out by the wheel of
fortune" man charging him with
stealing razor belonging to Blumen-
field. He was tried before Justice Leh
Superior Court in bond OF S25. Dur
ing the trial, Blumenffeld, while on
the witness stand, charged the de-
feDdant with stealing his razor. When
he did this witnesses say that Mr..
Bradford attempted to strike the
plaintiff over the head with a stick
The case of assault was removed be-
fore Justice Bessent who imposed
tine of 50 and cost.
WHAT THE OFFICERS SAY.
Policemen White and Frazier are
the officers who are charged with
treating Mr.. Bradford almost like
brute. The reporter asked them for
a statement regarding the case.
Officer White told about the arrest
and the trial before Justice Lehman.
He said that Mr.. Bradford was drink
ing and cursed him nearly ali the time
he was with him. During the trial
he struck at Blumenfield and would
have hit him on the head had he not
warded off the tlow with one arm.
He and Officer Frazier went out with
the defendant to see If he could give
bond for S25. Mr.. Bradford said he
could give bond. Mr.. White says he
went with him to seven places, the
last one being at Salmon's bar, where
the defendant wished TO telephone to
Mr. E. Ziglar. While there Mr.
Bradford wanted to take drink. The
officers objected. Refusing to go out,
the officers placed chains around the
defendants wrists and took him down
to the Jail. The policemen claim that
Mr.. Bradford pulled back and in this
way the chain on one of his wrists cut
his arm. In going to the Jail large
crowd gathered and followed the Off
GERS to the Jail yard. White says
the money was not put up until they
got to the jail. He asked for either
the cash or a justified bond.
MR. BRADFORD's STATEMENT.
Mr. Bradford says he went to the
wheel of fortune" and invested Is
cents, drawing three dies. He left
the place, but returned to the table
and told Blumentield that be would
bet him 10 cents he could get his
razor. The owner OF the wheel put up
5 cents against Bradford's money.
When he did this Mr.. Bradford picked
up the razor and walked off. Blumen-
field called to Mr.. Bradford to return
the razor, but the latter replied that
he had beat him at his own trick;that
he did not tell him how he was going
to get the razor. The wheel of for
tune man then went off and had a
warrant issued.
Mr.. Bradford told about the trial
before Justice Lehman but denies at
tempting to strike the plaintiff with
stick. He did draw back to hit him
with his fist when Blumenffeld ac-
cused him of stealing the razor.
Mr.. Bradford says that the officers
gave him no showing to give bond;
that in going down to the jail White
said: Pm giving you, d you,
what you used to give Others"
The defendant also says that
his bond, but the officers refused to dc
anything until he got down to the
Jail.
One of the physicians who dressed
Mr.. Bradford's arm says blood vesse
was broken and he thinks the treat
ment Mr. Bradford received was bru
tai and uncalled for.
One of Mr. Bradford's friends says
| there is no censure against Justices
Lehman and Bessent as both were ex
ceedingly kind to him.
| INVESTIGATION DEMANDED.
A petition, signed by about twent!
| prominent citizens, was presented Il
| Mayor Crutchf1eld on Thursday. l
| demanded ADMINISTRATION OF Officer
| White and Frazier for their out
rageous conduct in the Bradford case
| PRIVATE INVESTIGATION.
The Police Committee held privat
investigation in the municipal build
ing Thursday morning. The partie
who signed the petition asking for tn
| l0V6SbIRdUiOu WcIc- -UclOI0 UuO COluLnl u
tee, but not one of them had any pei
sonal knowledge of the charges agains
the officers. They signed the petition
on statements made.by other parties
Alderman Vance, who is membe
of the committee, stated thatsaftel
noon that so far as he was concerne
he was willing for a thorough invests
CATION to be had If the parties VIII
saw the reported trouble wished
make statement.
Mr.. T. w. Watson gave Alderma
Vance the names of about ten wi
nesses that afternoon for a furtht
Investigation. 1t is not known whe