The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-13
Officer Rogers Case
May Be Inves-
tigated.
CONLEY DISCHARGED IN COURT.
No EvidenceAgainst Young
Man Who Was Pun
meled by Patrolman.

Chief of Police James M. brennan
thinks that the action of Patrolman Ro-
gers who raped young fellow named
William Conley on the head three times
with his billy at Washington square
Saturday night, necessitates an investi-
cation.
An employee of the city who does not
wish to be mixed up in the affair on
account of his position, saw the whole
affair and from his statements it APP
pears very much as though Policeman
Rogers lost his reason entirely and
banged away on Conleys head until he
managed to get back his reason.
In the central district court yester-
day morning Conley was arraigned on
a charge of drunkenness and from the
evidence offered by Conley and his
brother Frank, it looks bad for the po-
liceman. He was not suspended last
| night and the chief told a Spy man that
he was very busy yesterday and left
the matter in the hands of Deputy
| Chief Atkinson. He will investigate
the matter thoroughly however, and if
he thinks the officer was headstrong in
his action he will suspend him.
John E. Sullivan of the law firm Of
Sullivan & O'Connell, who appeared for
| Conley in court yesterday morning, will
I have the matter brought to the atten-
| ton of the police committee of the
| board of aldermen to allow the MEM
bers to determine whether or no an Off
Ger has right to strike a young fellow
on the head with billy.
In court yesterday morning Judge
| Utley was perfectly satisfied that young
Conley was innocent and his state
ments were true, and the judge cut
the evidence off short by ordering Con-
ley discharged
The evidence offered at the case
| brought out the story that Rogers met
an old man on Summer street Saturday,
night as told in Sundays Spy.
Rogers stated to the court that he
knew where the old man lived and he
| took him by the arm with the intention
of bringing him home. AS he crossed
| Washington square there were a num-
Der of young men standing around and
one of them he recognized as Conley,
who made a vile statement about the
officer. AS he did so the officer states
| that he let go his hold on the old man
and started after Conley. Conley start
ed to run as soon as he noticed the po-
| liceman coming toward him and the po-
| liceman being the best runner, caught
up with Conley, and instead of grabbing
hold of him he raised his club and
| struck him on the head. He states
that he did this to bring Conley to
standstill. The officer accounted for
one of the wounds on Conleys head by
stating that he fell into a doorway
while he was scuffling with him.
| Conley took the stand in his own be
| half. His head was covered with cuts
and court plaster, and his white shirt
looked as if it had been soaked in
blood. He stated that as Rogers was
| crossing the square some one called
out: Let go of that old man you -"
and Rogers Immediately dropped the
old man and made rush for the crowd,
| Couley started to run and the officer
| made dash at him. He seemed to be-
wild with rage and Conley claimed that
ne struck him without provocati1n.
| Frank Coney, a brother of the pris-
oner, testified that his brother made
no resistance to the officer whatever.
Frank drew the handle of the billy
with leather attachment from his poe
| lIet, and the other piece was also pro-
| duced in court. The billy was broken
in striking Conley over the head, al
| though Rogers claims that his billy
was cracked for some time previous to
| the incident, and it was held together
with nails.
Samuel Wright. physical instructor
at the Spencer high school, testified
about the case, and stated that he told
the officer to stop striking Conley on
| the head, and he would assist him to
make the arrest If necessary" but he
refused to do So" continued Wright,
land he broke his billy over ConleY's
| head
Judge Utley ordered the evidence
| stopped at this juncture and told the
| prisoner he was discharged. Lawyer
Sullivan handed the pieces of the club
| to Chief brennan, remarking that he
could keep them for a souvenir, and the
chief responded that he would have to
put harder material in the policemen
billies. Mr.. Sullivan again stated that
| if he did the residents of Worcester
would have to get harder skulls, and
the chief grinned, but said nothing.
Rogers went on duty last night with
Sergt Drohan's relief, at o'clock, and
the chief had not got time to look the
| matter I'D.
Louis H. Derby, charged with as
sault and battery on his wife at her
! home, "a Dewey street was sentenced
to the house of correction for four
| months. James Moran, alias John H.
Williams, who tried to strike Moy Dow,
a Chinaman, for five cents, on Front
street, Sunday afternoon, was sem
fenced to eight months in the house of
| correction. Tie case of William c.
Bates, charged with fast driving, was
continued on recommendation Of Jas.
F. Ryan, his counsel. Peter Hedlund,
charged with illegal liquor keeping,
was held until today. The case Of
Thomas O'Connor, charged with larce-
ny of s. from a Southbridge street store
keeper, had his case continued until
| the juvenile session of the court this
morning. Matthew Ralph and Edward
Kirby were each sentenced 70 the house
Of correction for four months. Frank
| Abrahamson, charged with drunken
ness. was ordered to pay a fine Of S.
and Henry Lasender was fined SO for