The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1905-08-26
SEVERAL PERSONS TESTIFY
AGAINST HIM AS TO HIS
OFFICIALS CONDUCT ON
VARIOUS OCCASIONS
CHAINS TWISTED ON jNE
FELLOWS WRISTS UNTIL
THEY ARE BLACK AND
BLUE AND BLEEDING.
Bentley Was Not Disorderly Say
Eyewitness and No Occasion
For Arrest Policeman Offers No
Evidence Except His Own.


An investigation of charges pre-
ferred against Police Officer w E.
Fox by S. r. Bentley, accusing him
of conduct unbeeoming an officer,
such as brutality toward persons un-
der arrest ana so on, was held Fri
day night by the committee appoint
ed for the purpose. All the meme
bers OF the committee, namely,
Councilmen NJ. J. McAndrew, l. NJ.
Kelley, Ellsworth Cork, James ~.
Hess and John B. Smith. we're pres
emit, with Mr.. Kelley chairman and
Mr.. Hess secretary.
Clarence B. Sperry was Mr.. Bent
ley's lawyer and L. G. Grille appear
ed for Mr.. Fox. Mr.. Grille objected
strenuously to the procedure, claim
ing that the council itself and not a
committee was the only proper trial
tribunal. The committee oyerruled
his objection and the trial proceeded.
but Mr.. Grille and his client with
drew from the room. Fox was
brought back at the command of the
committee and remained throughout
the hearing.
Mr.. Bentley was the first witness.
He described the manner of his ar
rest by Fox on August Is, when
Bentley commented on the inhu-
name treatment given a prisoner by
Fox, and denied that he dared the
policeman to arrest him. The re-
mark he made was out of sympathy
for the prisoner and not to abuse the
officer, or to interfere. with him. Ele
further stated that the prisoners
wrists were discolored, swollen and
bleeding from the twisters on them.
Fred Cole testified that he was p
feet and 6 inches from Fox, when he
arrested Bentley. but did not hear
any thing said. In an instant Fox
grabbed Bentley. He did not notice
the prisoners arms. but heard him
CRYING to be relieved of the torture
of the twisters. the prisoner had a
terrible look of pain on his face and
begged the officer not to mistreat
him.
Dorsey Potter corroborated Bent
ley and Cole as to the fellows arms,
and said he tried to get Fox to let
Bentley go, and then Fox threaten
cd to Arrest him, if he interfered The
prisoner was not resisting Fox, but
the latter kept continually twisting
the chains on the fellows wrists.
J. S. Clark stated that last Eas-
ter Fox used bad language in the
r NJ, C1orl, bn0n11Sn she
told him there was no objection to
children playing in front Of their
door.
r. C. Potter heard the mans pite-
Gus pleas for mercy and saw FoN
continuing to twist the chains
j. Fl. Camp heard the fellows
pleas and saw that his arms We're
black and blue, but Fox would not
release or slacken the chains.
j. w. Williams was called but re-
sponded not.
An affidavit was read from Miss
Lou Jeffries who saw Bentley ar
rested. The prisoner Fox had was
in great pain. Bentley was order
" and made no demonstration
against the officer. The fellows
cries were loud and pitiful. She
stated that Fox grabbed Bentley,
w. A. Wilkinson saw Fox on one
occasion in the middle of the Glen
Elk bridge with a prisoner, with the
chains on and one arm drawn back
so far that the fellow had to walk
on his toes. He continued that way
until they passed around the Clancy
corner from sight. He regarded
the treatment inhuman.
Camden Sommers saw many cases
of brutality on the part of police Of
ficers and Fox in particular. lie
saw one man with his face all bloody
and his waist clotted. Because the
prisoner told Fox he would not have
struck him in the mouth, il he had
not had him under arrest, Fox strnck
him another blow which felled him
to the pavement. Sommers also re-
lated other incidence of cruelty on
the part of Fox, which had come un-
der his observation.
Fox denied on the witness stane
some of the statements made BY
spnmers, and in the case, where tn
Z = ~ =. L.