The evening world., 1909-02-10
No Witnesses to Back Charge
of Theft Against Good
Samaritan"
HIT BY A POLICEMAN.
Magistrate DenounceS Actions
of Officers, Then Paroles
the Prisoner.

when James A. Stewart, the well.
dressed, fne-lookng young man who
was arrested yesterday evening in tho
lobby OF the German Theatre charged
with the theft OF purse containing 50 81
from Mrs. Ella Thornton, who lives at
the Farm Colony, a pauper home, In
Staten Island, was arraigned IN the
forkville Court to-day on suspicion OF
ROBBERY. Adams, the policeman who ar
rested him, had none of the witnesses on
hand to testify
Magistrate Herman scored the police
man In no tender terms when he heard
Stewards story of the arrest and the
lame explanation OF the policeman The
woman who was alleged to have been
robbed is in Bellevue, where she was
taken after she proved herself incapable
of cohcrency.
Adams didn't know whether the
woman wa intoxicated or not. He
admitted III. he had arrested young
Stewart without waiting to hear his
explanation of how he had gone to the
assistance Of the woman when his
wife called his attention to her con-
dit!on.
Struck by Policeman.
she was leaning against a rail out
side the German Theatre, apparently
in a state of collapse, when Stewart
and his pretty young wife went by.
stewart was medical student at the
Rush Medical College for three years
and thought he could be Of assistance
10 the woman II she were III. lie helped
her into the lobby OF the theatre, and
the first thing he knew he was accused
Of robbery and smashed in the face
with a policeinan's billy
"A crowd pressed around me MS I
helped the woman into the theatre
iobDy' SAID the prisoner. Il didn't
know then whether she was III or in
toxicated. a man who said he was
Elmer >. Teats and showed a s. +. C. G.
shield, rushed up to me and said Get
to hell out OF here! III attend to this
woman
Then no took her bag and looked in
II TO get her addres. Not finding ii, he
laiu u On thc IeuSe OF the ticket sellers
window. 1t fell of to the floor.
picked Il up and the first thing | knew
this policeman stepped up and struck
me across the face with his club Then
that man Teats and another man
charged me with trying to steal tile
woman's purse"
Witnesses Missing.
Where is that man Teats and those
other witnesses YOU name In your COM
pla!nt?' Magistrate Herman asked Pa
trolman Adams.
They couldn't come here to-day"
replied tie policeman.
Did YOU hear the woman who owned
the purse charge this man with attempts
ing to steal it,"
No, she couldn't tell anything. She
didn't know what had happened. She
was taken to Bellevue and is now in
the medical ward. She lives in Cottage
Il of the Farm Colony. down on Staten
Island, and recently spent four months
in the city Hospital suffering from
rheumatism. That's all | know about
her"
And on this sort OF evidence" said
the Court. you yank n man to iall.
lock him up in a cell over night and
then take him down to Police Head
quarters in the morning to have him
'mugged, as YOU call it.,
Had Right to a Hearing.
What right had you to take him to
Police Headquarters before bringing him
TO this court? Don't you know that Che
law holds that u prisoner has the ribht
TO an immediate hearing. You should