New-York tribune., 1899-07-16
POLICE BRUTALITY CHARGED.
DRIVER THROWN FROM HIS TRUCK AND A
SLEEPER CUFFED.

MAGISTRATE Cornell became indignant over two
cases Of police brutality which were brought TO
his attention in the Centre-st. court yesterday
morning. In one he reprimanded the police
man and advised that charges be brought against
him at Police Headquarters. and in the other he
adjourned the TO get corroboratVe eVluehce
from the sergeant at the desk at the time.
Patrolman Simeman of the Broadway Squad. ar
rested Patrick Ross, OF No 4A East Twenty-ilrst-
st. the driver of a truck on Friday, on charse
of resisting and dsobeying an order at broadway
and Chambers-st. Sifeman told the Magistrate
that Ross caused block in the traffic and re-
fused to move on Ross protested his innocence
He was badly used up. He fined IS. Yester-
day morning Magistrate Cornell received two let
ters one from John r. Anderson, OF No Al wall
St a broker and another from f. J. Theimer. OF
No. 1246 Fulton-st., Brooklyn. Both asserted that
the policeman fault. They stated that the po
lceman cautiously ordered the man from his truck
and applied strong language 10 him. and then
Jumped on the truck and pulled the driver OFT
and threw him TO the pavement Then they s'iu
that the policeman pounded him and treated MIN
with great brutality The driver, they said, seemed
stunned by the contact with the pavement. Inc
policeman only desisted when the crowd became
demonstrative.
Magistrate Cornell accepted the offer OF the
men to testify and told them to be present yes
terday morning. They were on hand. Maslsta'e
Cornell reopened the The men went on the
stand and repeated what they had told in their
letters They both said they witnesses Of
the affair and had the names of half dozen other
people who would testify and corroborate them
MAGISTRATE Cornell said that there no doubt
that the policeman was brutal 49,,
He dismissed the charge against Ross ana ad-
vsed him to prefer charges at once against the
policemaS at Police Headquarters. Sifiteman Is a
member of the Broadway Squad. He is big lei
low while Ross is not a very large man. lie
WINGED while the witnesses were telling of his con-
duct, and scowed on them when they LETT 'he
courtroom. ,--,-,
The other case was that of Edward Cummsky,
of the Church-st. station. On Friday night Der
nard F. Mcclure of No. 30S West FOrty-fourth-st
got on an Eighth-ave. car uptown intending 10
ride to Grand-st. He told the conductor TO wake
him up at Cirand-st If he fell asleep. He did fall
asleep and the conductor did not wake him until
he got to the Battery. He got off the car and sat
on a bench He fell asleep again. He was awak-
ened by a powerful blow the side of the race.
He sprang up thinking he was being sandbagged;
He saw a policeman who he afterward ascertained
man and for his expOstuations received another
blow. -, ,,, . 49,.
Mcclure said that he went TO the Church-st sta
ton and reported the matter 10 Sergeant Porter
Porter told him to get the policemans number. lie
found Cummisky and asked him for his number:
The policeman, he sdid, assaulted MIN dEaiH anu
then ested him.
'it Is peculiar" said Magistrate Cornell. why
policemen should resent giving their numbers 10
citizens There Is reason In the world why po-
licemen should not be willing and even ready 10
give their numbers 10 any citizen asking for them
give their numbers There must be some reason for
this reluctance shall adjourn this case until the
sergeant be got into court There mas Deeh
too much Of this sort of thing going on