Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-11-13
Mr.. Collier
M=fredfed.
Outrageous Police Assault on
Business Man.

One of the most atrOcious police
outrages ever perpetrated in the his
tory of Philadelphia was committed
on last Saturday night. October 80.
at 1923 South street. At that mum
Der MIR. BOykin G. Collier. one Of
our most prominent and highly re-
spected citizens is proprietor of a /
fine barber shop. Mr.. Collier is also
Grand Chancellor OF the Knights
OF Pythias OF the State of Pennsyl- !
vania and has his Office ia the sec
Ond story OF the same building
Saturday night Mr. Collier had been
engaged with some gentlemen and |
about midnight he came down the |
side stairway 60 close his shop and |
pay his men OF The moving pic |
ture show next door was just letting
out and the Halloween crowds |
thronged the streets pavement. Mr. !
Collier stopped a moment 20 bid the
gentlemen goodnight. when a
drunken white policeman named |
Stevenson, came along and roughly |
ordered Collier away, who replied |
that ne was on his own premises
and was in business there The pO-
liCeman roughly said. We'll. II you |
belong here get these people away. -
Mr.. Collier replied. you are an Of |
ficer, and that is your duty" There
upon the officer suddenly seized Col |
lier and pushing him some twelve |
feet along the sidewalk violently |
threw him into his shop. he stagger-
ed to the middle of the room before !
he could recover himself. and said
TO the officer, who seemed about TO |
enter the shop, Don't come in here.
This Is my place" The officer rush
ed in and struck Collier on the head
with his stick. Mr.. Collier was fall
ing TO the floor when Omcers Shee-
hand aud McCloskey rushed in and
began beating Collier. who was soon
unconscious and bleeding like a hog
and helpless. They. the officers.
dragged Collier out Of his shop and
TO the Polytechnic Hospital. thence TO
the 18th Police District. Officer
Stevenson remained behind and
locked all the doors of the shop.
drew his gun and said that no one.
either customer or employee. should
leave the shop. and this despite the
fact that not a man in the place
had done a thing. The officer said
he would kin any man attempting
TO leave the place; but nevertheless
both customers and BARRIERS made
$50 N-tNAN ~ N-NeAkNs " aAtm OAAANtA
Stevenson began 20 shoot. which
terrorized the men more than ever
He shot at Kemper Adams and his
younger brother, missing both. but
the bullet grazed the cheek OF Rich
ard Dow, one OF the BARRIERS. cutting
him just below the eve. He shot
twice also at John Phillips. a man
In the shop at the time and narrow
~ escaped killing him. The police |
man wrecked the shop. The man. |
John Phillips and the barber, Rich |
ard Dow, were beaten half 90 death
when dozen policemen swarmed
into the place. Finally Mr.. Collier
and six other men. including those
already named with Albert l..
Branch. Robert Chinn. Robert Craw-
Icy and John J.. Edwards were an
taken 20 the 18th Police District
Station and locked I'm cells.
About half past u O'Clock sun
day morning. Lawyer Warning was
aroused out Of his bed by a mes
senger and informed Of the outrage /
that had been committed upon these
innocent and unoflending gentle 1
men and citizens. and hastily put
ting on his clothes LAWYER Warine |
went 20 work on the case. and i'm
the terrible outrage had reached the |
most powerful influences in the city
and all of the men were ordered re- i
leased and parolled IN the custody
or Lawyer Waring until the hearing
IN the morning. before Magistrate
Mackin. BY this time. the news OF /
the terrible outrage had reached the
ears OF the highest Republican lead
| ers' and Police authorities. and all
were amazed as the details came
out. The wreckless and criminal
conduct was denounced on every
hand' and solemn promises have
Deeh gwen Lawyer Warning and Mr..
/ Collier that the policemen concerned
IN TINS unrighteous AFFAIR shall be
| severely punished
Mr. Waring is hard at work pre-
! pairing 10 institute a most vigorous
prosecution and ia is freely nre4
dlcted that at least two of the dozen
, or more policemen involved in the
case may yet serve terms for agra
waited assault and battery with in
tent TO kill, which all well thinking
I people believe would be no more
uhan right. To say that the Knights
OF Pythias are deeply aroused over
this great wrong TO their beloved
/ Grand Chancellor. is TO use a mild
word The order is mad and in
dignant throughout and the six hun
/ dred Pythians in the city are de-
| manding in no uncertain tones that
0nls crime he punished PROMPTLY
( ana severely. A mass meeting of
all the Pythians in the city was
held last night (Friday nighD to
TAKE action in the premises. LAWYER
Waring was present to explain the
details OF the case. We viii give
an account Of the meeting next
week
Not only are the Pythians deem
ly aroused, but ali classes of ciu-
zens, in view Of the fact that police
outrages in this part OF the city
nave become a crying shame so far
as relates to colored people. The
sentiment is widespread among our
people that this case must be push
ed 10 the uttermost limit, in order
mat the law-abiding colored cjti-
~