The Washington times., 1909-12-18
Two Officers Must Explain
Actions at Football
Game.
CHARGES FOLLOW
CHRISTIAN DEATH
Major Sylvester Directs Acting
Sergeant McQuade and Private
Lear to Be Called.

As the result of an investigation by
Major Sylvester Of the occurrences fol-
lowing the mortal injury to Archie
Christian on the occasion Of the George
town-virginia football game last month.
Acting Sergeant J. ,. McQuade and
! Private Frank Lear viii be called be
fore the police trial board to explain
their conduct in connection with the
affair.
In report submitted to Commissioner
West today the following statement Is
made by Major Sylvester:
aside from Acting Sergeant Nc
Quade's lack Of acquaintance with the
full demands Of his position on that &C
casiOn. and the questionable excess of
force On the part of Private Lear and
the apparent want Of unison of all fac
tors TO the unfortunate affair. the -
formation is favorable to as to the at
tentiOn and services of the police"
The acting sergeants evident want Of
familiarity with the rules of the depart
ment on this occasion and the question
of whether the private in charge of the
wagon maltreated the brother of the in
jured player. are questions for the con-
In regard to the manner in which
young Christian was placed in the am
bulance and conveyed to the hospital.
and the treatment accorded his brother
who attempted to accompany him Major
Sylvester says:
There is no supported criticism Of
the manner of placing the young man
! on the stretcher or in the wagon. the
{ best known phsyician present and other
commenting the care that was taken.
o. And again. am informed by one repu-
table physician that he could not sup
4 port a complaint to the contrary. though
= he was solicited to do so.
S That the brother Of the unfortunate
man lab0red under lamentable distress
, Immediately following the accident IS
clearly shown, and in the crowd about
the wagon were those who endeavored
| TO prevent by physical force his going
j. with the vehicle. From them IL appears
@ he broke away and made active effort
a to get on or within the vehicle as il de-
parted for the hospital under the urg-
= ings Of the physicians that the case was
serious and that at first the young man
= was showed pushed, or struck from the
a rear step OF the wagon.
e Allowed on Wagon.
j. ''Fo this several give testimony that
y he was struck. several more that he
u was showed, and tcur that he was
g pushed. Others did not see Il or could
y not state. There followed excitement
and calls from the crowd that he was
n a brother as the wagon moved off and
o the captain called TO allow him to 90
= and finally he was permitted to DO so.
THE acting sergeant states that he
, did not know persons who were at
i tempting TO get into the wagon, but
he heard some one call as to the
n brother and he Jumped on and direct
, ed Private Lear to allow him to re-
= main.
: "A difference is shown In the testl-
5 mony as TO which hospital the rur
. should be made. Had the directing OF
known surgeon called to the acting ser.
geant or superior officer 10 go TO any
one hospital, he should havs hsG ~
:. wagon man comply with the request
Z. Emergencies arise in all walks oi
y life, and when least expected, and NJ
d specific rules can be made 10 meet them
2 ! all The laws and regulations call fol
discretion and judgment, and the eXer-
else Of best abilities to meet them
|. Difficult Position.
10 mo provision for relief had been mad,
70 for this occasion in the way OF ambu
l. IIancoe or stretchers and the police pres
T. ent on private premises. distant from
: telephones, which, when found, were OBJ
e structed In one way or another as L
|. use, had to do the best they could tc
L meet the coll for wagon or ambulance
e This It is shown they did No inten
= tional inattention is established By
whether the commanding officer Of THU
n district instructs his men as fully anC
n explicitly as IS required by the reglIla
r tons and contingencies. is a matter I,
3 be determined by the department.
s. Accompanying Major SyIvester's re
e port are letters from r. w. Caring
n ton, manager of the University OF Wiz
IT ginia football team: A w. Lambeth
n superintendent of buildings and ground
is Of the University Of Virginia; Edwa r,
Hammond Johnson. assistant coach o
the Virginia team, and Deputy Corone
l. ". GlazebrOOk, in which the OudniOr
is expressed that action of the pOIic,
was due 70 the excitement of the occa
sion.
Mr.. Darlington states that he ba.
heard no adverse criticism Of the no
n lice from amy Of the Virginia student !
II while Deputy Coroner GlazebrooI state
that he made no formal or inforua
y charges In connection with the case an,
that there has never been an occasion
IN which the npfIifG