Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-07-20
THE RoWEN CASE.

for Interfering with Officers Mayo
= TO Investigate Charges Against OF
ficers OF Unnecessary Cruelty Mex
Monday Morning.
A large crowd of witnesses and specta
4 tors gathered in the Police Court room
this morning to hear the case of Engi
). neer Thomas Rowen, who was charges
= with interfering with officers while il
the discharge Of their duty on the old fail
grounds Saturday night, July IL, and in
} cidentally the circumstances in connection
with the assault alleged to have beer
committed upon the defendant by Off.
GERS Allen, Smith, Roberts and LyIes.
Mr.. John NJ. johnson represented Mr..
R0wen.
Officer Allen was the first witness for
the prosecution, and his statement was
in substance as that published in the
Gazette week ago. He said there was
murmuring on the part of some youths
who had purchased tickets for circus
performance on the old fair grounds.
Some of the holders of the tickets had
been refused admission until they paid
ten cents additional, and the officer ex-
amined into the matter and ascertained
that all boys under nine years of age
could enter on the ten cent tickets,
while those over that age were
charged twenty cents. Witness stated
that he was accosted by the prisoner and
reprimanded, the defendant accusing
him of attempting to decide the case and
terming him specimen bum police
man. Later Mr.. Rowen returned and
looking at the officer told him he would
endeavor to have him (Allen) elected
Mayor. The officer then caught him by
the sleeve, and attempted to put him
under arrest, but Mr.. Rowen resisted
and seized his stick, the officer retain
ing only the string. Officer Smith rush
ed to his rescue and was knocked down
by Mr.. Rowen. Officer Roberts ran up
when the prisoner fought the trio, dur
ing which he was dubbed and put under
arrest. The remainder of his evidence
referred to attention given Mr.. Rowen
later, the washing of his wounds, con-
Quoting him to the station house, &c.
Dr. T. NJ. Jones, who rendered sur
gical aid, testified to Mr.. Rowen's
condition. He had one serious cut on
the right side of the forehead, four or
FIVE other wounds on different parts of
his head, the evidence of a severe blow
on the nose and an injured arm. He
was perfectly sober when the doctor saw
him and was weak from the loss of blood
Officer Smith followed. His evidence
corroborated in the main that of the
preceding witness, save that he alleged
that Mr.. Rowen observed that if the
circusman had given fifteen or twenty
tickets to the policemen there would
have been to interference on their part
Mr.. Roberts, testimony varied but
little from that of the preceding wit
nesses.
Officer Lyles took the stand and said
that previous to the encounter Mr..
Rowen had remarked to him in another
part of the fair grounds that Officers
Allen, Smith and Roberts were three
nice representatives of the Alexandria
police force. Later when the conflict
was in progress between Rowen and the
hree officers he Nyles) approached
when Mr.. Rowen drew back and said !
here's another" Mr.. Lyles positively {
lenied having struck Mr.. Rowen.
Mr.. Richard Kuhn testified concern t
ng the incident in regard to the tickets 4
which led up to the assault and arrest 9
lie said, among other things, that ex !
Policeman WilkersOn rushed in during /
he encounter and said 'For Gods sake {
lont hit him any more" Mr.. Wilker-
on and Mr.. William Mankin had hold 7
If Mr.. Rowen at the time. Witness a
aid all the policemen struck Mr.. a
aowen, including Mr. Lyles. Mr..
ROwen was on his knees at one time I
when the officers were beating him. c
Several witnesses followed who told Y
What they heard Mr.. Rowen say in re- !,
ard to the policemen when he was in 0
Ir. James Kelley's saloon several min a
ties before his arrest From their evil :,
ence it would seem that Mr. Rowen o
iter the first colloquy with Officer Allen e
rent to the saloon and while there made Q
ncomplimentary remarks about Officers r
Illen, Smith and Roberts. Returning n
alter to the fair ground Mr.. Rowen told t
ir. Allen he should be elected Mayor !,
Ihich remark precipitated the difficulty, "
Carley Jet told what portion of the
rouble he witnessed. Among other
hings he said he heard Mr.. Rowen say il
was a shame for four men to beat one /
nan. He was willing to go with one. b
French Cleveland said he saw three Il
Ulcers beating Mr.. Rowen. Officer 8
.yles had his stick raised. He did not
ee him strike Mr.. Rowen, however a
'hree of the officers, he averred, were d
triking the prisoner from behind. Il
Mr.. Rowen subsequently took the n
tand. He described the incidents in
with the sale of the tickets,
aging small boys were buying ten cent
ickets and turning them over to larger 1
,oys and when the latter attempted to L
Ass into the show on them they were il
efused admission. He acknowledged h
cling Mr.. Allen he had no right to Fl
ecide the issue which has been raised.
f anything was wrong he should arrest n
arties against whom charges we're urged I
nd let the Mayor try the case. Mr..
BOWEN said he subsequently went to
Zelly's saloon, drank glass of beer 4,
nd having purchased ticket started " y
nth an acquaintance toward the en- =
rance to the circus. In passing in hesaw :
,ficer Allen and turning to him said, "
We'll elect you Mayor next time. j" "
1r. Allen called him an ugly name and :