The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-27
Knocked Down and Injured by
Officer England's Club.
HE TELLS HIS STORY.
Was in Police Station When AS.
sault Occurred.
Asserts That He Was Not Even
Drunk.

ed with drunkenness and disorderly
conduct is called in police court to-
morrow afternoon. some startling dis
closures are promised which may in
criminate Officer England as having
been guilty of unnecessary brutality,
and according to the statement of Wenk
today, an appeal will be made to Coun-
ty Attorney John J. Schenck for war
rant for EnSland's arrest on charge
of assault with intent to kill.
Wenk is today unable to be at his
duties as baker at the French bakery.
1923 Kansas avenue. following the at
tack made upon him by the officer
Sunday afternoon in the police station,
after the man had been turned over to
the jailer, booked. and ready to be ta-
Ken into confinement. AS a result Wenk
has two gashes out on the top of his
head, one over the left eye which re-
qured four stitches, and which is one
half inch deep. He was also kicked
on the back of the head after he had
fallen to the floor following the blow
over the head. according to his own
statement also that of bystander,
who was present and was witness to
the affair.
1t is said that the affair is but a
repetition of what has long been a
practice in Topeka police circles-the
practice of brutality when it is obvl-
ously unnecessary. Wenk denies that
| he was either drunk or diSorderly, but
says that even were this true, he was
accorded treatment, which even then
would have been unwarranted.
Wenk was arrested at the Rock Is
land depot Sunday afternoon about 1:3o
O'Clock afler he had aHghted from ROCK
Island train No. 81. His story of the
affair is best told in his own words:
when 1 got off the train after re-
turning from Kansas City, spoke 10
the officer 1 had not been bother1ng
anybody, and was not drunk. He said
that 1 swore before number OF Ia
dies present, and took me into the ex-
press room where he left me, but to
my knowledge did not arrest me. He
said nothing which would give me TO
understand that I was under arrest
Presently I started up the strAef
toward the business section OF town.
He followed, and c1utched the pocket
ing to me until I reached the place
where I stay. There ] said that be-
lieved I would go and get dinner, as
I had not yet eaten, but he said, 1
guess not, you'll go with me. he
then started with me to the police
; station and it was then for the first
time that I knew that he considered
me under arrest.
"After we had arrived at the sta
ton, I was booked as drunk and dis
:
NIT that I cursed the officer, but Of
fered no resistance, and did not show
fight or strike him. He turned me
, over to the jailer- I cursed him again,
and he struck me over the head with
his billy That sent me sinking to the
floor, the blood running from the
wounds on my head, and spelling the
gray suit that I wore. 1 was weak
from the blow, and unable to stand.
and as I fell he kicked me on the
back of the head. Then was dragged
over the floor like hog that had been
butchered.
When suggested with what little
| effort I could muster to talk, that a
doctor be brought to look after my
wounds, England said to Sergeant
Ross that it would be better to get a
doctor for himself as he was injured
, from blows and kicks that had given
him, but I never at any time kicked
or struck him, and there was no occa-
sion for these words.
England told the man in charge at
the police station that I had been ar
rested because the conductor of the
train had asked to have this done.
saying that 1 had raised a disturb
ance. That is not true. ] was neither
drunk or disorderly, and while I will
glasses of beer while in Kansas City.
I was not intoxicated and had not
taken enough to be affected by it
Wenk said that he had been work.
ing here eight months and had al
ways been conscientious in his work
had not been guilty of carousals, and
had always attended strictly to busi-
ness during that time. This statement
was substantiated by Mr.. Martin, pro-
prietor of the French bakery, where
he is employed, and the latter said
that when he employed the man it
was with the best of references, and
that he himself had solicited the en-
ployment in Topeka, Wenk having
been recommended to him as a strict
ly first class man. This, he says, he
has always found to be true.
bystander who was present when
the affair in the police station hap
pened, corroborated the statement Of
Wenk, and says also that the latter
was not either drunk or disorderly
there, also that there was no provo
| cation for the assault, and that it was
wholly unwarranted.
Officer England's Explanation.
Officer England this afternoon when
informed of the charges made against
him by Wenk defended himself with
the statement that all he had done
had been in self defense. also that the
man was as a drunken maniac when
he alighted from the train, also was
: in the same condition at the police
station. England says that he was
: struck in the pit of the stomach when
the affair at the police station hap
: pened and that it was necessary for
him to do what he did do in order to
: keep from being killed at the hands
of Wenk.
Il can prove he said. that I was
| struck by the man, first at the Rock
| Island depot when the man aHghted
| from the train. He nearly knocked me
down when I arrested him, and he at
; tempted to get away from me- 1 can
| prove this, also that he was drunk to
the extent Of befug q maniac bv the