The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-17
USING The CLUB AGAIN
POLICEMEN REPORTED AS GET
TING brutal IN THEIR TREAT
MENT OF CITIZENS
Gwo MEN CLUBBED BY NO. 1874

standing on the Edge of a Crowd
at Fort Smelling, They Were
Beaten Over the Hend by the Of
ficer-Their story of the Affair
A Central Station Prisoner Tells
of Being Beaten by Sergeant Ross
Something over a year ago citizens
were aroused 10 high pitch of indigna-
ton by the brutal conduct of policemen
in making arrests, and only when the
public demanded a cessation of the CLUB
bing were the bullying policemen made
to realize that they did not own the
town. From indications it appears that
the policemen have forgotten the lesson
of the past and are inaugurating another
reign OF brutality for two citizens were
pounded up by the bluecoats at Fort
Smelling yesterday, and the night before
another young man was knocked into
the middle of the street for daring to re-
ply to the order of a policeman. The
clubbing at the fort is alleged to have
been ineXcusable as it is alleged that
the policeman was under the influence of
liquor and without provocation pounded
two inoffensive young men over the
heads. Each received wounds necessi-
tating the services of a physician.
Harry Moon, living at 733 Case street,
and James Appleton, living at AL York
street, were the victims Of the policeman
at Harris park, Fort Smelling. Accord
ing to their stories the assault upon them
was without the slightest justification.
Both young men assert that the police
man who did the clubbing was intoxicat-
ed and after the clubbing tried to apollo
gize for his brutality. Moon received
several blows about the head, one of
which cut an ugly cash over the left
temple. The wound is an inch and a
half long and penetrates almost to the
skull Appleton, who was standing near
his friend, was also struck on the head
and sustained a painful wound. After
the assault the young men were given
no assistance and were compelled to re-
turn to town with blood from their
wounds scattering their clothing.
The attack upon Moon and Appleton,
according to the story they tell, took
place just as the park was about to
close, shortly before u o'clock. There
was crowd about one of the booths,
they say, when the policeman came along
and started to push and jostle everybody
he could lay his hands on Moon and
Appleton happened to be near the edge
of the crowd. Because everyone did not
Immediately take to their heels Moon
and Appleton say the officer at once
pulled out his club, and without an ad-
monition or word of warning to clear the
park, set about pounding them upon the
heads. Both young men declare there
was no distuIb ance nor fight of any kind
which necessitated such action They
claim that if the officer had ordered the
park cleared there would have been no
trouble. Half of the crowd did not know
who was doing the pushing, they claim,
and naturally may not have moved very
quickly. AS for themselves they declare
they were quietly and peaceably standing
by the edge of the crowd doing abSo-
lutely nothing, when they were both al
most felled by blows from the policeman
club
Young Moon says that when he was in
Harris saloon after the clubbing the
policeman came up and spoke to him
asking to be allowed to apologize for
having split his head open. Moon says
the policeman had evidently been drink.
ing. He says he pushed the bluecoat
away from him and told him before those
in the barroOm that he was drunk Moor
says Sergt. Joe Davis was in the saloon
and told him the policeman was a new
man who did not know any better than
to club peaceable citizens. Both victims
of the polceman's wrath tell ,the same
story and declare that they will report
the attack upon them to the mayor to-
day.
Sergt. Davis took the star of the off,
Ger. 1t was No. 1874, and the owner be-
longs to the Margaret street detail
SERGEANT ROSS ON HIS MUSCLE.
The third instance of the present police
method Of dealing with citizens happened
al Seventh and Wabasha streets, at
o'clock yesterday morning, when Mike
Lee claims to have been knocked down
by Sergeant Ross. Lee says he was
standing on the corner listening to ar
argument between two other men wher
Sergeant Ross came along with Lieut.
Babe. He says Sergeant Ross remarked
are you standing here for?" Lee SAYS he
answered that he was on his way home
when he claims Sergeant Ross struck him
in the face, following up the first blow
with another that stretched him on hi.
back. When he got up Sergeant Ross ar
rested Lee, charging him with drunken
ness and disOrderly conduct. Lee denie.
that he was drunk and says he was mere
~ standing quietly on the corner wher
he was first roundly cursed and then as
milf