The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-11-22
KICKED BY
POLICEMAN.
Saloon Keeper Ready Su-
ing an Officer.
FRACAS ON A STEAMBOAT
In II the Plaintiff Claims That He
Was Badly Injured.
FRACAS ON A STEAMBOAT
DIR. Won GOTTSCHALK A WITNESS

The trial Of the suit of saloon Keeper
Thomas Ready of Central Falls agains
Police Officer Joseph NJ. Whipple To re-
cover $1,000 for assault was begun before
Judge Wilbur and "A jury today. The case
arose out OF matters incidental to an ex-
cursion TO Rocky Point on July 30, 1896.
given by Mayor William Won GottsohalR
to the members OF the Central Falls po-
lice force.
Ready, on the same day. went to Bull
| locks Point To leave his sick daughter
WITH her aunt The little one became so
III that he decided TO take her home
| with his daughter h, took the 8 o'clock
! boat from Bullook's Point. When he
got on the boat, according To the testi-
mony given by him today, the police
officers greeted him with cries of, "Here
comes Ready, bs's a cur and yes, he's q
rascal Alter leaving his child In tho
cabin, Mr.. Ready claims he went TO the
| bow OF the boat and while tolking with
friend. the police Legan gibing him
again, and finally getting angry, plain
Till challenged any OF the officers TO
wrestle with him, insinuating that this
would be better than talk.
None OF the officers accepted the chal-
lenRe. but one officer. or some one else
taking advantage as Ready claims. of his
back being turned. pushed him against
the gang plank and lie fell over. When
he was down. Ready claims Officer Whip
pie kicked him in the side, causing him
much suffering, and also necessitated
his being confined TO his bed for n long
time, and loss OF strength. which he has
never recovered. Mayor Won Gottschalk
| AMI DIR. Howe dressed the wounds on the
head. caused by Readys fall, they being
on the boat, and later DIR. Howe and DIR.
| helieher attended him. Ready testified
| that Officer Sylvester kicked him in the
head during the disturbance.
| On cross-examination witness said he
/ never nad any trouble with Wbipple but
that the latter reported in Central Falls
| that he was insulted by remark of
Rea1y's The later considered the remark
Whipple complained of rs joke. A man
| named Marcella who was barkeeper on
tn, boat the day OF the difficulty testified
that lie had served the policemen with
four or five rounds of Sdrnks and heard
one Of the officers tell another to kill
Ready. using at the same time vile
epitnet. This was followed by Ready be-
log Knocked down and being kicked in
| the side and in the head. On cross ex-
animation Marceila admitted he might
have served not more than two rounds OF
| peer.
GEORGE j. Harding testified that he saw
both Officers Whlpple and Sylves.er kick
n ady, the former kicking Resdy IN the
rib and the latter in tie head. Daviu
| Anearn, a cornice maker, testified substan-
TALLY to the same effect az Harding
| Ahearn was returning from a job at
Rocky Point. Both witnesses then were
sharply cross examined but their testi-
| ;nony was not shaken.
Officer Whipple was the first witness for
the defense and denied ever having any
trouble with Ready previous to the day
of the excursion and then Ready began
the disturbance ty calling him vile
name which witness did not pay any at
tention To hut Officer Sylvester did.
Ready and the latter clinched ana wit
ness did no kicking, never getting close
enough to plaintiff 20 touch hiIn. Syl-
vester did no kicking either. for it was
just close wrestle that Sylvester and
| Ready had.
On cross examination whipple said he
| tried To get near the two wrcSJlers to pre-
, vent harm being done Sylvester but was
held back. He was not drunk nor were
any OF the Others in the party.
officer Sylvester cOrroboraied the testi.
mony OF Officer Whipple as to Ready s
tbreat to lick sinely or all together the
| policemen on the boat He was positiye
drunk. Whipple did not kick Reaoy
but witness and Ready olnohed, and
went over pile OF stools.
Mayor Won Gottschalk testified that he
was "A witness Of the whole affair which
did not last over half minute. That
X ,ady called Whipple vile name, which
the latter took no notice of at witness
suggestion Sylvester had caught hold of
Ready when the latter used vile name.
but neither sylvester nor Wbirple kicked
Ready No one In the party was drunk
and no one had been furnished with
drinks on the boat that was member of
| the party. On ross-examination the
Mayor said he dld not know any of the
men we're bit under the influence of
liquor, but could not positively deny that
Seret. Louks hat was so badly damaged
in a good-natured scufis that no had to
buy new one when he came TO :his
/ city.
DR.. Howe of Central Falls, who was
one OF the party, testified Officer Whipple
did not kick Ready.