Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-03
NEGRO PRISONER
AT CITY JAIL IS
CRUELTY BEATEN
DETECTIVESALLEGED TO HAVE
MISTREATED MAN
CHIEF DISHMAN WILL INVESTI-
GATE BEFORE ACTING
Head of Police Force Declares No
Third Degree or ManhandIing of
Those Incarcerated Will Be
Tolerated

kTAT ANHANDLING OF prisoners,
N putting them through the So
~ called third degree by the use
of force, abusing them or the use OF
brutal methods in handling prisoners
will not be tolerated." said Chief of Po-
lice Dishman yesterday when asked
concerning the report that number OF
detectives had beaten a prisoner in the
city Jail at the morning show up
yesterday.
"The case has not been called to my
attention, but l will investigate 1t
thoroughly and take such action as Is
just" he concluded.
The beating of this prisoner is said
tc have occurred In the corridor of the
city Jail yesterday morning, and so
brutal was the alleged treatment ac-
corded that Jailer John w. McCauley
interfered in behalf of the man and in
formed the detectives engaged i'll the
attack on the prisoner that as long as
he was jailer they could use no such
methods on a prisoner in his charge.
The prisoner, negro, said to be
mean of disposition, surly and impu-
dent In his manner, had been arrested
the night before, and as usual was
brought from the tanks at o'clock to
be shown all the officers on the force.
This is known in police parlance as the
SHOW up" Note of a prisoners phys
ical makeup, his appearance and de-
scription are mentally taken by each
officer as he passes along before them.
This is for future reference in case he
comes under their observation again.
Officers in line at the show up are not
supposed to talk to the prisoners to
make any comment on them, but mere
ly to observe as their names are called
and the time, place and occasion of
their arrest are called out.
Detective Seizes Prisoner
AS the negro was about to step
through the gate leading back to the
tank where he had been confined one
of the detectives remarked, what did
you do with your gum"
The negro made an insulting reply
end passed on, when he was seized by
another detective and whirled around
and showed back into the corridor with
the remark, Say it to his face
1t is said he was then viciously at
tackled by four detectives, one of whom,
James Hosick, is alleged to have struck
him severely and repeatedly while otn-
ers were holding him.
Capt. Paul e. Flammer, head of the
detective force, jumped and seized the
negro, calling to Hosick and the others
to hold him but not to strike or hurt
him. Hosick is said to have disregard |
ed the captains order, and continued to
punch the helpless negro, VINO was
to get loose from his cap
tors.
At this juncture Jailer McCauley ran
to the group of struggling men. and
tossing Captain Flammer and Detect |
i've Hosick to one side and loosening
the hold of the others on him. showed
the negro into the tank, and then, turn
ing to the detectives. informed them
that rough house tactics and brutality
toward prisoners would not be tolerat-
ed by him as long as he is jailer. The
of McCauley probably
saved the negro from more brutal treat
ment
Chief of Police Dishman said he en-
tirely approved of the action of Jailer
when Informed of 1t, but he
made no further statement as to what
action he would take until he had made
a thorough investigation.
One of Chief Dishman's first acts in
taking charge of the police department
was to order the abolition of the third
degree and the brutal handling of pris-
oners.
One of the officers who slapped a
drunken man while searching him at
the desk, before placing him in Jail,
was dropped from the force for his
action, and some similar action may
be taken in this case II the statements
made are borne out by the facts.