The Washington times., 1910-12-13

Under sharp and severe crOss-eZarn-
nation by members Of the Senate
Third Degree Committee today Police
man e r Arm -trong, OF Jhe Metro
p6iItan Police was forced 10 admit that
he had subjected t. .IIfam W Weaver 70
dsticUns. kicks, and blows while Weav-
er was standing in the open street at
2 o'clock in the morning with Nc cloth
ing on but a nightsnirI and UnsrEed
with any sort OF q weapon
Armstrong; wife added 20 the police
mans troubles today by having her
husband arrested on q warrant that
charged him with assault and battery.
she accuses Armstrong Of striking her
IN the fact last Saturday
Armstrong took the stand at his Own
request. having been told by Charm ~
Brandegee. OF the committee, that stnSs
his case was Peuding In Police COu--.
lie need not testify unless he wished
After ARMSTRONG had finished his
statement he was pat under & relent-
less cross IRE OF questions. during
which he frequently contradicted him
self and conJradieted the testimony
given previously In the Police court. &C
cOrding 10 the chairman OF tie com
mittee-
Superior Officers Called
After the committee had finished with
Armstrong, Inspector Harry L Guess
ford and Captain Williams, OF the
Fourth precinct. were cross-Questioned
in an effort to find out the depart
ment's methods Of sitting charges OF
brutality, such as those brought GgaIns-
Armstrong
Inspector Guessford said that beyond
suspending Armstrong, the Police De
partment had taken no action in the
case pending MS trial before Police
10 you think that Armstrong was
guilty Of ASSAULT was the question
fred point blank at the inspector after
a long CoEoQuy with Senator BOrah-
Yes, was the inspectrr's answer.
Then. don't You -h-rk i would be
more conducive to the good Of the pO-
lice force II this mar was discharged
from the department without waitln-
ase before a criminal court? D6 ~
always await the acton OF private cit
Zens. when your men are charged with
brutality
Used Club Too Freely.
Armstrong 3 year and a half career IN
the police department was gone over
thoroughly and Inspector Guessford tes-
tiled, IL contradiction to the statement
made by Armstrong when he was on
the stand. that the policeman had at
least three times before been charged
with using his club too freely.
Captain Williams told the committee
that Armstrong ives easily aroused and
had bad temper.
''NFas Il ever necessary for you 20 rep
rimand him. Captain Williams was
asked
yes. I have had TO tel him he was
little tco severe at times Captain VIII
iIaTns replied. but that was when he
had hard beat He told me he did not
have a great deal Of patience with col
oTed persons, SC ] took him of that
beat and put rim or another 1 must
admit that Armstrong Is easily aroused"
PTOvOcations do not seem 60 have a
very salutary effect upon Armstrong
injected Senator BOrah-
Another point over which the com
mittee showed great deal Of interest
today was the alleged practice OF Wash
tngtOn police IN entering houses without
Armstrong told the committee that il
was his practice to co This when there
was n suspicion that a felony had been
committed, and Inspector GuessfOrd
confirmed Armstrong; statement that
the department cOndOnCd this practice
and gave IS his opinion that IL was
jUstihable in the Weaver case
This resulted in q sharp debate be-
tween Senator BOrah and the Inspector
do you mean to say YOU would en-
ter nv house. after I had told YOU that
I would see whether the man YOU
wanted was IN and 7 had felt the front
door open 10 prove that I was not try
ing TO hide him2' asked Senator
Brsndegee.
ct might not In your house, but I
think il was justified IN the Weaver
case
why would YOU make a Difference
between him and y Haven't We both
equal rights as citizens2
Il guess I would have done the same
thing III Tour house II { thought you
Were harhoTing a criminal
Policeman ". 3 Wallich, who accom-
panied Armstrong On the night OF the
incident at the Weaver house, was the
first nan 10 testify
WslIieh testified that Weaver did
not strike Armstrong He reci1ed the
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