New-York tribune., 1900-12-09
WHITEwAsH FOR POLICE.
eSoSE ARE GUILTY FOR CLUBBING
coLORED MEN AT RACE RIOTS
eFerLT OF THIS TAKE INVESTIGATION
WAS PREDICTED WHEN COUNSEL
WE'RE ENCLrDED

report embodying q is signed by President Ber-
narc J. York. chairman ~ the Committee on
Rules and Discipline OF the Police Board. 10 which
zhe task of making alleged Investigation" OF
shs ~eli foun6~d charges against the patroimen ot
Acting Captain COoney's precinct delegated.
Al the very first meeting which this committee
heio n refused let the coTnpiainants be repre-
scented by counsel. and this once under
stood by the entire force well as by all citizens
familiar with police methods in this city to bs =
and certain sign that the ciubbers were 10 0e
exonerated. Hence the report Of the committee
vna6s public yesterday, will cause no surprise
The committee declares that Il could ma no
evidence on which 20 base a charge against any
policeman SUFFICIENT 20 warrant trial by the
Board
ELLIoTTs CHARGES DISMISSED.
The report contains some ludicrous arguments
Here are extracts from 81:
AT tho nrst hearing before your committee the
charges made by William J. Elliott were investi-
Fated. .--,-- -, a.. -,o,o.,ed 70 be
,,srn,,sd h 70 apeear as counsel and claimed the
Tght 20 eKsmins inc 6 enc 81 - cannse FOR large
number of colored people. filed claims against Tue
city 81 NF| T eiSge5 or aes5its committed by police
Tcers and believing that the desire and intention
fSe 81 'sis ssarses sto made IA Elliott beore your commit
wee more As means TO 3id MN m r,,H ~ nH ID frue
facts hc denied the right 10 appear as Sonr, I
IN anv way 10 have any knowledge In regard 10 the
assaults were cVamined 10y your committee undef
Prom an examination of the same II VII appear y
that Eliots conduit S Sn s2T srrest sh' OF
No claim is made that he Was assaulted on the
while IN custody on the way 70 the sta, a.
zion house. but that tho assault was eonmitte%o % "
the muster room of tho station mouse ne ne S tsse
mony ~ Elliott Is corfoboTatea Dg that 90, ~ a., , H
disiuterested newspaper men who whlle hot IN an
5rrence eubstantiay agree i'm stating that Elliott
pushed or misuscd while on ms way lhrSush ~
80 ro .l,isb mao IN necessary for the door
Tnnn q 81
Elliott through the officers while going 20 the
muster room The Testimony OF Elliott and the
other witnesses is aiy eontrasieed by sas ne 2e'ns
COwARDs II THEY DID TT.
An officer who would commit an assault on
rrson.r in station ho@Ss , or permit NJ 51Ss 16isor an
81 nc force ITse gravity OF such "A charge is ap-
parent and the evidence 10 sustain il should ne
IS very contractors. and the bias Of the COM
plsinant Is RppaienI 40 ConNlcIloh o 80 ,,e5 Teise
this evidence II Is not sueh as would JUSTIFY
Rarra5 me Pi5i'@s MN 81 SUCH an G9%S1q,nS oenSa O
Your committee took means to ascertain the
nsitreStod by tiie police. such names we're taken
from nc o@5er e srIes S,a Sis0 % rom bcyp Tg peS eS
amined under oath. az well as all oncers VINO
ferent cases or with he riotous trouble as whole.
While IL is apparent from the q testimony taken taken
mind that the conditions existing in the neighbor-
previous a police nan while in the discharge of his
duty had been killed by colored man. which
created uneasy feeling on the part Of the colored
residents of the district.
THE ARREST OF WALTERS.
on the evening preceding TIE day Of the funeral
of the onieer a eolored man named Walters was was
named Healey; During the trouble a large crowd
discharged his revolver in The direction OF The
crowd. Walters placed under arrest. and while
"f people Increased This was undoubtedly the i'm
mediate cause which led to the disorder and the
assaults which followed.
Your committee has had submitted reports from
The inspector OF the district and the acting captain
of the Twentieth Precinct n which precinct mostly
reports showing the number OF officers and men
performing duty in this district. and the
Existence Of the S order IN IN he s district E ana While
q is apparent that the officers on duty used their
clubs in their efforts 10 restore order there rs
4 nothing in the evidence taken by your COMMITTEES
THinst any TiS oesT for the use of his club as in
he specihc cases where The officer has been iden.
tined by complainant the evidence taken Is or
such eontradictory character and The bias q the
would not on a trial Of charge be so proved as 70
yustfy conviction.
one John Halnes of having assaulted him. Haines
was not 5ot fSsnineq Joy your % committee Tor & the e 5eS
tsnced by a Magistrate prison for six months.
ELLIOTT AIT FROM BEHIND
The impossibility Of Elliott identifying any Of tie
eowardiy policemen who assaulted him should
cause no surprise. He Was hit from behind and
knocked down As he lay on his sace on the noor
shower of blows and kicks rained upon
him quickly and hercely that. OF course, he
could tell which OF the crowd did A.. The COM
mittee could easily have ascertained that he en-
tered the police station In fairly good condition
came out a battered wreck. The remark In
the report that the killing Of a policeman by a
negro a day before the riots began and
that this created uneasy feeling the part
thC colorci residents Of the district" hears
the neNspapc~ accounts that the negroes knew the
lolice had Il in for them" II is a curious fact,
Borrower. thet Of the negroes who were Tegu-
lar fFeouenters OF certain notorious dives IN
cooney's precinct cluhhed, bur revenge was
had on the better element Of the colorei people
IN that region.
The statement that the committee could no, ma
one important witness because ne had been sent
70 prison for six months Is a fair sample OF the
truthfulness which all through this report.
Here Is another extract:
iMPUGNs CoUNsEL's AUTHORITY.
Certain counsel appeared before your COMMITTEES
81 the colored people Of the city OF NeN-York
not shoSS n VAS shown 10 roT 1cn gSj wa, MAS
the netghhorhood IN which the trouble occurred
Ss SS S'"f PePsons qs sfSe ooaS1s y
49, ese9 tor nc purpose OF inviting
Your committee did feel justiaed in permitting
oses nor did believe that the eIfTeascPs SSSs PSr
Selored people ef the city would permit themseives
- ne public peace u may ee that some Innocent
she Progrsss OF ihe trouble but IL should BE- borRs
n nine that P9rtiSn q the district IN which the
class thar y calls a, an taes extra vieilanee
taken by your oommittse ana eonsidersne e,Seeee ,
uol of the courts in cases before them vour com
Officer VI 0"@'ses against any
Accompanying the report are copies OF all the
cprresrondence that grew OF the csse sneluo
ing number OF letters from Frank Moss Iynsloxr
and Moss demanded that Chief De4ery Art,,~
captain cooney and Inspector Thompson be placed