Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-01-15
POLICE OUTRAGE
Man Locked Up All Night After Making a Complaint of
 Assault.

a waiter at the Heublein hotel has
 good reason to doubt whether he is
 living in free America or ill some des-
 potic land. AS raw deal as is often
 perpetrated upon law abiding citi-
 zen of Hartford was given to him
 shortly after F o'clock yesterday y
 morning. Judge Walter H. Clark in
 the police court yesterday morning
 expressed sympathy with him for
 the way he had been used, but that
 wasn't much satisfaction for Rigby,
 after he had been thrown into q cell
 and held all night because he had tried
 to do his duty in the interest of the
 public and been charged $1 for being
 arrested.
 Rigby, who is about 25 years, is of slight build and has the appearance
 of being honest. To see him is to
 realize that he is no fighter. Here is
 the story that was disclosed in the police court yesterday morning and it stands without contradiction in the court. Rigby quit his employment in
 the Heublein at 12:15 yesterday morn
 ing, started from the Heublein across
 the bridge that leads to Bushnell
 park, and then took the walk in the park that leads to Elm street to go
 to his home at No 8 Capitol ave- nue, where he lives with is wife and
 baby. In one of the dark corners on the walk a man appeared in front of him, called him a bad name and said: You are the fellow who took woman away from me tonight" The man struck Rigby and Rigby, ac- cording to his statement to Judge Clark. struck back. There had been a few blows struck when another man appeared and began to hit Rigby too.
 TWO men were too many for him and he ran back over the bridge and into Mulberry street. There he met Policeman George c. Sterzing and told Policeman Sterzing that two men in the park had assaulted him. With Sterzing he went to the park, the men were arrested and the patrol wagon was called SterZing asked Rigby to accompany him to the police station to lay his formal complaint against the men and said that at the station he would subpoena Rigby to appear as witness in court in the morning.
 Rigby says that it was about 12:3O when the party reached the police station. The blotter in the police sta tion shows that it was 1925. When the party got there the two men who had been charged by Rigby gave the names of John Hendrfcksen and John McGlynn. Hendricksen in the police court yesterday morning confessed that he was drunk, but, on being brought before the sergeant at the time of his arrest, he said that Rigby had taken woman away from him in the park an hour or two before the arrest. On the statement of confess ed drunken man Sergeant Creedon or dered that Rigby be locked up and he was thrown into a cell on charge of breach of the peace. Rigby was searched. He had $523 and the mon- ey was taken from him. McGlynn on the witness stand in court said that he, too, had been with a woman in the park. Rigby said that he had seen no woman in the park and that but just minute or so before Hen- dricksen had assaulted him he lett his employment in the Heublein.
 Rigby impressed Judge Clark with the truth of his statement. He said that when the sergeant decided to- lock him up he asked that word be sent to his wife. He asked thaC a messenger boy be sent for or that the Heublein hotel be telephoned to. times during the night in the hope that some policeman would come to his cell. as he wanted to send word to his wife and baby. but no policeman came near the cell all night. His wife did not know where he was until he had her notified shortly before 9I o'clock yesterday morning.
 Edwin C. Dickinson, the special attorney of the court, in- vestigated the case yesterday morn ing. He did not make out a complaiE; against Rigby. but used him as wit ness against the two men. Rigby told Judge Clark how he had been how he was brought to the police station, and how he was de- tained with the men who had assault ed him.
 Were you locked upp all night?" asked Judge Clark.
 Yes, sir"
 Did you protest against being de- tained here?" asked the judge.
 'I did, strongly" said Rigby. "I tried to get the attention of some officer to notify my vife. bus could not. wanted a messenger or to have some one telephone the Heu- blein hotel. but no officer came near the cell, although l called for an officer several times during the night"
 Judge Clark fined the two men s2O and costs each and he told Rig by that he regretted very much that he had been detained all night.
 Tt was apparently a mistake" he judge said. but he did no. know hat Rigby had any redress.
 Rigby's wife. young woman. was in court After court was over he eft the court room with Ter and went into the police station through he Temple street door. He told Desk Sergeant Umberfield that there vas some of his mercy there. S md some cents Mr UEiherfield ooked in the drawer and then said o Rigby. You had s5.23. but ve .harge you sI for bringing you in, md here is S423-, 1,
 Rigby turned to ccuran. report IT and said.
 That is the worst deal I ever leard of