The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-11-25
Discharged Prisoner Claims
He Is Victim of
Third Degsee' .
AIMS AT OFFICERS
IN 4TH PRECINCT
Charges Bluecoats Tried
to F orceHim to Con
fess Larceny.

That the police OF Washington. de-
spite the assertions OF Major Sylvester.
DO make use Of Third Degree" meth
Ods 10 force confessions from suS7ecte5
prisoners vas the statement made this
morning by Edward Richards. Of 1918
Union street southwest
According 20 his statement thera are
means IN vogue in at least one poIics
station Of this eity-that o. the F-our-r
precinct-that remind one forcibIy Of the
Spanish inquisiuon. and he claims that
the police wiz stop at nothing to make
a suspected man confess the crime of
which he is accused.
NO man can possibly know the To-
lures which are iuuIcteE al these STA
tons, said Richards Jhis morning. "1n-
I'll he has been confined there for .
time. and feels the pose OF the polfca
when they want 20 discover some1h5-
and mean TO force the prisoner 20 con
fess."
Tells His Story
According 10 his story Richards was
arrested on the afternoon OF November
% charged with stealing q lot OF rope
and iron from the wharf at which the
Ozark was tied This property belonged
10 the Government and the police found
FSicharsis taking away a number OF
lengths OF rope from the wharf Rich
arcs admitted taking the rope, but said
tha1c he hshed Il out Of the river and
mad laid II on the wharf 70 dry
was taken at once TO the hqrbor-
masters O1Hce, sad RfcrarTs and
taey questioned ne there told rbe--
-Ae ttlI1-Llat had gotten the rora
SIt 80 q tle !lEer and had not stolen il,
OUT LIe| cldTlr believe ne. and took
ne % 70 st2tl0u-hoUse No
y len 4 got there demanded 10 sec
- - pSOpie' Tor 4 wanted them 10 get q
laWler Tor ne But the. captain sT rbe
statloIl-house told me couIdn-f go sr-5-
one Tor some time I asked him ~
Tot ana ne answered with an oarb rhs-
J. "OltQ see them when he gor re7I- -a-F
Lhd- had no charge scsIrS- me- - 49,
e-4-'-s C5eIe IeLore- couldn't see auvone 1r
All Cntlt the charge WAS made
Cothes Taken Away.
Ihen they took me into a cell and
locked the door. first taxing avsv NJ
necktie, collar, and beIt-for o1a 81
the policemen said he'd see tha+
wouldn't Try any monkey business a17
XIII myself I dIdn't have arv- f7., -
doing that but they took my tbin.s
away Just the same.
Then laid down on my bed. and
uled 70 50 70 sleep. About hair Dasf
y Jhlnk Il was I heard a kew In H.
uuOI ana three men rushed in II -
Nsrk and could see their faces BE
f.s9 ~" -Sr t.ley were policemen by the
one OF them Said TO me-
Ao1 hnoES-FEelI where you got that
S1lL- Aou got i CG the wharf -
", didnz' I said. 7 got Il out
OF the river 80
Then the first man said Won lie,
ana cursed me and two OF them took
third took his thumb and f+sr f5r,r-s-
ana poked IN emintC nay ewes urrlT
I cried out with the pain. Thee yo-7
can see the marks that they left even
Flesh Is Cut.
Then they tried again 20 get me 10
tell them that got the stun or trs
wharf, but I wouldn't and then they
left me, with my eyes all sv-oHen. and
cut where their finger nails had zone
into my flesh They hurt 50 that
couldn't set a bit of sleep all that nieht-
7 haye witnesses TO prove thar nv
eyes We're all hurt and cut. for nv cirl
care to see me the UeNt DAY and I
can set her 20 prove uhat I say about
ny eyes / don want 10 get her into
TINS II 1 can help IT, but / know thar
shell prove what 1 saw.
That was about ali they did TO me
down there The next morning = no
ilceIaan came IN and wanted 20 know
II i wanted 10 confess TO taking that
stun said that I Didn't. and uas
taken 70 Police Court where. on re
sdyice 9f my lawyer, 7 waived exam
lnauon and was committed IN default
OF q $50 bond. managed TO get a
bondsmau last night and they Led me
cut of the 1aII.-'
George Mcdonald, attorney for Rich
ards, VIXEN asked about the affair this
declined TO discuss it.
Other Cases Mentioned.
7 would prefer not to be quoted on
this particular case said AIr- McDon-
aid, 'Ior OF course I don't know any
thing personally Of the matter, onIy
what my client has told me Bur VIII
say this that a verv large perceutace
OF my clients has told NE that the
police have used force on them in ~
effort 20 make them confess. Whether
there IS aoy truth IN what thEv saw o-
not. cant tell but il seems To ne
that there Is smoke enough To Justify
AZ least the presumption that there is
& fire somewhere
Inquiry at Police Headquarters CON
ceTning the charges made By Edwards
brought out the fact that Major SvI-
vester KNOWS nothing whatever o. +ne
charges, and that there is apparently
no record OF any such complaint against
the officers Of the Fourth precinct