Evening journal., 1902-04-09
POLICE BOARD
CENSURES No ONE
Blame Not Fixed for Treat.
meht Of WindIO
OFFICERS MUST DE CAREFUL
Attention Should be Given Prisoners 10
Render Impossible a Repetition.
Commission Condemned

The Police Commission completed
It's investigation of the circumstances
of the death Of Howard Windle. which
occurred in tho police station on
March %. Although nobody was CEN
sured. it was declared that much more
careful attention ehouId be given TO
prisoners 10 render impossible a repe-
tition OF such an occurrence.
After the meeting last evening the
board gave out this statement:
I'm the matter OF the death of How
ard Windle. which occurred at the sta
ton house on March %. and which was
brought more particularly TO the at
tentiOn of the board NJ its last regular
meeting, on April /, by an examination
of all the officers connected with the
arrest and Incarceration Of Mr.. Wlndle.
il appears to the board after taking
into consideration the facts presented.
viz:
That there were no outward marks
OF serious injury and that IN appear
ance the case was like very many
others that frequently occupy the at
tenti0n of tho force. and which, with
some treatment are. after some hours
convalescent: that the very frequency
OF apparently similar cases produced
a carelessness and laxity Of attention
that does not speak well for the hui
manity of the officers concerned. and
is disoreditable to them.
The conflicting character of the tes-
umony given renders Il difficult TO
properly locate the responsibility. but
the board is of the opinion that better
and moro careful methods should bel
observed and that such cases should
receive much moro careful attention.
and measures adopted to render Inn
possible repetition of such an occur
renee
THE board thinks that whenever
any person is unconscious when
brought in. the officer making the ar
rest should state the facts plainly 90 |
the officer in charge. who should at !
once inquire whether the prisoner had |
received any injury from a blow, fall. !
or otherwise. and enter such informa- /
tion on the docket and then make. or
have made. thorough examination OF |
the prisoners. and have all tho neces- |
sary attention given them at once. and /
that a rule bo formulated 10 cover
these points. The board also thinks Il |
would bo well TO request the police sur
geon, in a concise way. to instruct the
officers as to the best emergency
methods TO be employed I'm cases Of in
Jury or acute alcoholism"
Police Commission Condemned
On every side this morning was
heard adverse comment ON the finding
of the commission. The opinion seem
ed to be That the blame should have
been fixed II the Police Commission
found that the fault was in the system.
II was the general opinion that such
fact should have been stated
III there is not a proper place
where unconscious prisoners may be
treated, or their condition looked
into" said one man, "why did not the
commission say so? The commission
did not make any recommendation to-
the officers as TO what to do in the fu-
ture. They simply said that more care
should be used. .. If amy OF the officers
werr asked about the Windle case they
would undoubtedly say they thought
they We're doing right when they
placed Windle on the floor Of the cell.
No one believes for an instant that
any of the policemen concerned in the
case believed Windle was wounded or
going to die. They simply took it for
granted that he was drunk. and did
not think anything more about the
case until they found the man to be
dying"
Another man in speaking about thel
case said; Il think the finding OF the
Police Commission is very unsatisfac-
tory. They had it I'm their power tO
make a full investigation. From what
can gather from the newspaper re-
ports Of the investigation conducted
on Tuesday night last, the commits
sioners know more about the matter
than anyone else. Every officer who
had anything to do with Windle was
called before the board. 10 was testi-
fed that there was blood on the man.
The excuse was given that prisoners
often have blood on them. The main
point is that several Of the policemen
knew that Windle was assaulted. Be
ing in possession Of these facts. why
did not the police try TO learn whether
Windle was unconscious from the ef-
fects of liquor or the blow the officers
knew he received?
Policeman Wintrup who made the
arrest. was told by Peter Stuart that
Alfred Wright assaulted Windle. and
that the colored man should be ar
rested instead Of Windle This was
reported to Patrol Sergeant Rice.
These facts are admitted The evil
lence is conflicting in regard as tol
whether anyone higher in authority :
knew of the circumstances regarding
the arrest Rice at the hearing said
he reported the matter TO Captain
Kane. The captain said Rice was mis-
taken or that he (Kane) did not un-
lerstand il That way.
Several Of the officers testified to