Evening star., 1900-09-28
Witness Declares He Was Tortured
Into Swearing Falsely.
ALLEGATIONS AGAINST POLICEMAN
The Story Of Sweat Box Denied
by Lieut.. HoIinberger.
INVESTIGATION ORDERED

filed a motion for a new trial Glasscoe Is
now undergoing Imprisonment in the Dis
trict Jail for committing an alleged assault
Miss Margaret O'Brien several months
ago.
In support Of the motion Mr. Darlington
placed Charles Francis on the stand. His
evidence alleged the existence Of a Sweat
box" at the fourth precinct station, and he
made other statements which resulted in an
agreement between Judge Kimball, Prose-
cutting Attorney Mullowny and Mr.. Caring
ton to go there, probably this afternoon,
and see for themselves if there was in ex-
istence or had been such system that
named 1t was upon Francis testimony
that Glasscoe was convicted. Francis told
the court today that after being arrested
the night of the assault and taken to the
fourth precinct station he was compelled,
under duress and under threats of being
sent to the penitentiary, to testify that
GlasscCe committed the assault. He said
he was twice arrested and the second time
removed from the ordinary cell in the sta
tion house and placed in a "sweat box"
where he could hardly move and was in
this way forced to testify to what was abb
solutely untrue against Harry Glasscoe.
The truth In the matter, he today stated
was that he was arrested the night of
June II last between 11:30 and 11:45 o'clock
by Police Officer Sullivan and taken to the
station house and kept there until about
o CLOCK the following morning.
A few hours later he returned to the
home of Mr.. O'Brien Cthe father of the
assaulted girD to go to work, where he
again saw Officer Sullivan, and, after some
talk with him, he requested him to see If
there were any marks Miss OBrien.
He did not see any, he said, and so stated.
He was, he then asserted told he could
go home and he would not be further both
cred about the matter. The same even
ing Officer Sullivan went to his house and
rearrested him and locked him up In the
station house where Harry Glasscoe was
then confined. The witness was. he de-
clared, also placed in a cell, and the po-
ltceman named came to him number Of
times and told him that the only way to
escape going to the penitentiary was to
say that he was with Harry Glasscoe and
saw him assault Miss OBrien. and that If
he would so say he would be used as a
witness and nothing would be done to him.
Denied Knowledge of Case.
He assured Officer Sullivan, he declared.
again and again that he could not say so
because he did not see anything OF the
kind, and because. he declared, he left
Harry Glasscoe, and the latter rode home
while the witness walked home and he
knew nothing of the matter whatever. The
officer then said he would put the witness
somewhere else for a while and see what
he would say. Sullivan then, he declared,
took him from the cell in which he was
confined and put him in a place called a
sweat box The witness said he suffered
very greatly, not only because the place
was very small but because 1t very
not In there and because he was so cramped
that he was unable to stand up straight
and had to remain in one position all the
time
After about an hour had passed away
he went on to say, Officer Sullivan came
to see him again and told him that what
he had gone through was only taste Of
the punishment he would get If he did not
CO. hot hE
Miss O'Brien and that he would be punish
ed in the penitentiary in that way for years
instead of little while. He (Francis) was
completely used UP in every way he de-
ciared. and he then said If that was the
only way to save himself he would have to
do 1T. The officer, he alleged, then took
him out in the front room of the station,
where he saw Miss OBrien and a number
of other people and he then stated the un-
truth in which he said that Glasscoe was
Miss O'Briens assailant.
Continuing, Francis said he was after
ward told by officer Sullivan to stick to
the story he had told In the Police Court,
which. to his shame and sorrow, as he ex-
pressed 1t, he did While the case was in
progress at the Police Court. he declared,
Attorney Kicks came to the dock at recess
to see Glasscoe, who was his client. The
witness called Mr. Ricks to him and told
him substantially what he testified to to-
day. Mr.. Ricks afterward called him to
the stand to make him repeat in court
what he (Francls) had told him: but when
he saw Officer Sullivan standing near him
and looking at him, he feared he would I've
sent to the penitentiary and denied what
he had just told Mr.: Kicks, and again. un-
der duress and fear, told an untruth to save
himself as he believed, from going to the
penitentiary.
Declares Glnsscoe Innocent.
In concluding his testimony the witness
declared that, SO far as he knows. Harry
Glasscoe is absolutely innocent of the
offense of which he was charged; that the
witness never saw him assault or attempt
to assault Miss OBrien the 18th day Of
June last, or at any other time whatso-
ever, and that after imprisonment, torture
and under the belief that he could only
save himself from further suffering and i'm
prisonment, he was under duress and fear
compelled and induced to make the false
statements that he did in the Police Court
regarding Glasscoe. and charged him with
offense for which he is now innocently
and unjustly suffering punishment also
that the evidence given at today's proceed
ings was without hope of reward. with
out inducement Of any kind whatsoever
having been made to him by any one
whomsoever and in the endeavor to rectify
wrong and to save an innocent man from
further punishment let the consequences
to himself be what they may.
Prosecutor Muilowny ycross-examinedF'ran-
els. but the latter adhered to his direct tes-
timony.
In response to questions from Judge Kim
ball, Francis gave a minute description Of
the alleged sweat box" and said when he
was released from it his clothing was
wringfng wet from perspiration, which was
caused by the intense heat of the box
AT this point Judge K1mball postponed
the further hearing of the case until Tues
day next. and directed that summonses as
witnesses be issued for Lieutenant Hollin-
berger of the fourth precinct, Officer Sulli-
van and all other persons who can throw
any light the affair.
Mr.. Darlington told a Star reporter that
he some days ago filed petition for the
pardon of Glasscoe. and that the Depart-
ment of Justice had asked him for copies
OF all the papers in the case. These were
he said, now being prepared and would be
forwarded to the proper authorities as soon
as completed
Lieut.. HOlIinberger's Statement,
Lieut. Hollinberger was seen at the fourth
precinct station this afternoon and aues-
TONED relative to the above statements Of
Francis. The lieutenant replied that out
side of the fact that Policeman Sullivan
arrested Francis and brought him to
the station he had no part whatever in any
proceedings relative thereto and was not
again at the station during the evening
When Francis was brought in" the
lieutenant went on to say, Il took down
his statement just as is the rule with all
prisoners. Some time later Detectives Raur
and Muller. the former Of whom has known
Francis all his life cama dowp tho