The daily sentinel., 1908-04-08
AN OFFICER
IS ASSAILED

AAAAS AhhOAbfht> the ICiiOW I1ltue II
vicious attack on Night Officer Rob-
ert j. Patterson, charging that the
officer brutally and unnecessarily as
saulted "a well known local man.
who was found drunk in a gutter,
beating the man over the head with
n billy. The Yellow declares that
witnesses allegc that Patterson struck
the man while the latter was down
and in n helpless condition, and that
there was no Justification for the
officers attack.
The Sentinel has taken the trou-
BILE to ascertain the true facts in the
case. The Sentinel has not hesitated
in the past to criticise the police Of
ficers when it was deserved; but it
believes at all times in giving the
officers square deal.
Monday night, about am, while
in the lobby of the Western hotel,
Officer Patterson received tele-
phone message to the effect that a
man was laying in the gutter in
front of the Flucken carriage house
on Colorado avenue, apparently dead
drunk. Officer Patterson at once
went 10 investigate. He found man
down in the street with his head and
shoulders propped against the trunk
of tree. AS soon as the officer
Cdlut up, int ludu DeSdu
to curse and abuse him.
Officer Patterson recognized the
man. told him that he ought not to
be there and that If he would get
up Patterson would take him to his
room If he would tell him where to
find his room. In answer to this
kindly offer on the part of the Off
Ger the drunken man poured out ad-
ditional abuse.
The officer walked away and left
the man, going over to Barton & Ter
rell's barn. Presently the drunken
man, still cursing and charging, got
up and wobbled down the street to-
ward Fifth street. Officer Patterson,
and two or three other men were
standing in front of the barn on the
other side of the street. talking.
officer Patterson called over to the
drunken man, saying Come over
here to the barn. You can make a
bed on some blankets and stay till
morning" This suggestion simply
brought forth more curses from the
drunken man. However, he turned
at the crossing and walked over to-
ward the barn. Officer Patterson
walked out to meet him.
The man was calling the officer
vile names and denouncing him con-
stantly. The officer walked up to
the man and told him to cut out such
language and behave himself or he
would have to take him to jail. In
answer the offender squared himself
and before the officer could prevent,
struck the officer a terrific blow on
the side of the neck with his fist.
He seemed about to repeat his at
tack when the officer quickly drew
his billy, and, perfectly justified, met
the mans blows with a lick across
the mans forehead.
The blow of the billy was not suf
ficient to knock the man down or to
badly injure him, but it brought him
to realization of the fact that he
had no business assaulting the Off
Ger. The man was then taken to
Jail Officer Patterson struck him
only the one time, and then not until
he had been dealt terrific blow by
lie man.
About two hours later two friends
of the drunken man prevailed upon
Officer Patterson to release the man
from Jail and on promise that they
would take him home the officer did
so.
The officers course throughout, ac-
cording to the report of reliable eye
witnesses, was justified and was not
brutal The man was not struck at
any time while down.
Officer Patterson declares that any
man who reported that he had bru-
tally and unnecessarily struck the
drunken man or assailed him while
down, deliberately lies. More than
likely the whole story was Matched
in the Yellow's office.