Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1900-09-13
NEW YORKS POLICE
Must Answer in Court to Charges
of Brutality.
THE CHARGES AGAINST DEVERY.
League Has Evidence That the PO-
lice Commisisoners Cannot Ignore.
Prisoner Beaten In Station House.

League Has Evidence That the Po-
lice Commissioners Cannot Ignore.
Prisoner beaten In Station House.
New York, Sept 8.-Former Police
Commissioner Frank Moss, on behalf
of the recently organized Citizens Pro-
tective League, late yesterday after
noon preferred charges against Chief
of Police Devery, Inspector Thompson
and Acting Captain Cooney, of the
West Thirty-seventh street station. He
accuses them of brutality, neglect of
duty and incompetency in their method
of treating the race riots in the West
Side 1t is stated that the league has
evidence against the chief and his sub
ordinates that the police commission
ers cannot ignore. Frank Moss will
act as counsel for the league. He has
a staff of men at work on the testi-
mony.
The investigation of the charge OF
clubbing and other forms of brutalities
made by colored people against the
police of the West Thirty-seventh
street station, after the recent race
troubles, which the police commits
sioners were asked by the mayor to
hold, began yesterday in the trial room
at police headquarters, President York
presiding.
The first complainant, w. j. Elliott,
appeared with his counsel, and the So
ciety for the Prevention OF Crime was
also present by counsel.
Elliott, who had been arrested in a
pawn shop while pricing some revol-
vers, claimed that after having been
placed in custody he had been taken
to a police station, where, as he was
being led through the muster room, he
had been beaten almost into insensi-
bility by a crowd of policemen. He
was corroborated by two other colored
men. A number of officers, when
questioned by President York, denied
the alleged attack in the station.
Elliott was represented by Attorney
Ludlow, but President York refused
to let the lawyer examine his client or
cross examine the policemen. Ludlow
protested in vain, Mr.. York taking the
ground that as the attorney represent
ed a number of clients who have
brought suit against the city for injur-
les received in the riots he did not pur-
pose allowing the investigation to be
the means of furnishing evidence
against the city in these suits. To the
charge made by the attorney that the
investigation was simply a whitewash
President York threatened to have the
lawyer expelled from the room.
Attorney Frank Moss, prominent in
the recent investigation of vice in this
city, also appeared at the police in
vestigation. He represented the So
ciety for the Prevention of Crime, the
City Vigilance League and the Citizens
Protective League, the latter being the
organization of colored men formed
since the riot. Mr.. Moss, not satisfied
at the way the investigation was 60
ing, asked if he would be allowed to
examine his witnesses and cross ex-
anime the policemen. President York
declined to give him this privilege
Thereupon Mr. Moss entered protest
and filed with the president the formal
charges against Chief of Police Dew
cry, Inspector Thompson and Acting
Captain Cooney.
The investigation will be resumed on
Friday next.