New-York tribune., 1902-08-05
PIOTS UNDER THE PROBE
,,ANY THINK GRAND JURY WILL. ACT ON
THE DISTURBANCES
,,-ePErrOR BROOKS HEARS TESTIMONY
FROM EAST SIDE LEAGUE WITNESSES
AGAINST THE POLICE.


FROM EAST SIDE LEAGUE WITNESSES
AGAINST THE POLICE.
The alleged police brutality in the riots at
tending the funeral OF Rabbi Joseph were yester-
5av the subject Of several different lines of
ron. AT Police Headquarters Inspector Brooks
listened TO testimony from witnesses summoned
bv the East Side Vigilance League. Mayor
Lows secretary, James B. Reynolds, and Dis
+rict Attorney Jerome both received delegations
representing the East Side Hebrews. Both Mr..
pevDolds and District Attorney Jerome assured
the indignant Hebrews that the matter would
he fully investigated. Those who heard Judge
Fosters charge OF the new grand jury thought
that he referred 70 the possibility of the grand
Jury hearing riot cases
Inspector Brooks and Judge Jerome held
consultation yesterday. and it is generally be-
ueye6 that they discussed the subject of the
-jots SriI another echo Of the disturbance was
The serving of q summons and complaint on r.
poa & Co. by Daniel ". Blumenthal, of No. 30
Ngssau-s<. for his client. Rudolph Gartenburgh,
of No. go First-ave., who is suing for $4,000
for injuries received from q missile thrown from
the window Of the factory. Blumenthal declares
that this is only the first of five similar suits he
intends to bring for injuries sustained.
Before Inspector Brooks yesterday a number
of Hebrews testified to police brutality. This
testimony was, on the whole, valuabl but
witness. Isaac Schaeffer. of No. 42 Gouverneur-
ST who was brought into court as invalid
was. pronounced by DR.. Joseph Lecomte, of St
vjncents Hospital to be "fakir." The op-
portunity for turning to political advantage the
investigation instituted by the Police Commits
sioner has been appreciated by Tammany poll
ticians. and "Florrie' Sullivan the new leader In
De Ate' Assembly District, was among those
present al the hearing.
The East Side Vigilance League. which is
forcing the investigation, was represented at the
hearing by Abraham Sarasohn, Benjamin F.
spellman and Moses s. Levussove who were ac-
corpanied by about one hundred East Siders-
The District Attorneys Office was represented by
Deputy Assistant Iselin and R. Hoe & Co were
represented by John E. Lindsay
The first witness called was Joseph Weber. Of
No. 164 Delancey-st- He testified he had seen
two buckets of grease thrown from the factory
windows. This was followed by a shower Of
missiles he said. AS he tried TO get out of the
way he was knocked down by policeman and
became insensible. Later he picked up by
two men. who declared that the number of the
policeman who struck him was 4,404. Jacob
Rubel Of No. 20 Ridge-st-. and Mrs. Becky
AeIker, Of No. - Clinton-st.. testified that they
had seen policeman No. 4,404 strike Weber.
Policeman No. 4.404 IS named McGan, and is at
tached to the Eldridge-st station.
RubeI further testified that after the police
man had struck Weber he held him by the neck,
and used his club over weber's head. As Weber
fell Rubel told the policeman he had better call
an ambulance. The policeman turned a little
pale and walked away
Samuel Shrednesky, of No. 500 Sixth-aVe-:
Mrs. Annie Henigman, Of No II EsseX-st., and
Moses Cohen. of No. 1I5 Ciinton-st-, testified
70 the clubbing, and with several other wit
nesses identified PaIrolmen Jackson and Merrill
as taking part in il. David DoTman. OF No. -
Broome-st accused PatrOlnlan Merrill, whom he
identified, of having struck several women with
taced to the Eliza station, said after the
morning session that the testimony against him
zvss false as he had been driving the patrol
wagon at the time, and had no club The hear
ing was adjourned.
Mr. Hoe said yesterday afternoon that the
firm OF which he is a member knew nothing Of
the ALLEGED assault on Gartenburgh. and never
heard Of the man until he filed his suit for
damages. The answer to the summons and COM
plaint Mr. Hoe further said, would be a general
denial Of the aIlegations contained in the papers.
When the investigation before Inspector
Brooks was resumed in the afternoon District
Attorney jerome was present Dr. Max LoeWin-
than testified that Schaeffer, the man who had
suffering from shock and nervous affection Of
the heart, and could not live. About dozen
witnesses testified to police brutality. in some
cases identifying the offender. Roundsman
Jackson and Patr0ln1en Merrill and McCIan were
frequently assailed. At the close Of the hear
ing which was adjourned until Friday morn
irg Inspector Brooks declined TO hold the men
accused until they had e chance TO state their
side Of the case District Attorney jerome said
after the hearing that he was convinced that
there had been clubbing, but he was not yet
sure whether II had been justified or not