New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-22
BOYS TALE OF POLICE
BEATING ST|RS MAYOR
Strict Investigation Ordered of
Story Told by Eight
Year-0Id Child.
HIT WITH STRAP, HE SAYS
Three Other Little Ones Also
Locked Up at Station House,
He Asserts - Night
Without Food.


Gaynor ordered yesterday afternoon into
was arrested on July 10, locked up in the
West 18th street police station, beaten
with a strap and held a prisoner all night
without any food, gave up little last night
by way of information. The most rigorous
examination of officers and records failed
70 establish the truth OF the childs story.
Tho police professed to regard the boys
affidavit as the production OF youthful
imagination.
Other persons, however. are by no
means so willing to drop the Incident
which, IL true, they assert is one OK the
most amazing examples OF brutality and
police irregularity in the history of the
department.
They are also OF the belief that the
unearthing Of three other children whom
the boy mentioned last night as having
been arrested and locked up with him
will 90 far toward establishing or dis
counting the defence which the ponce
offer.
Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur Harrington, or NO
10 West 18th street. appeared at Mayor
Gaynor's office yesterday, bringing with
them their nephew, Augustus Wilkerson.
the victim OF the alleged assault Inc
child told his story IN such a sraighttor-
ward manner that the Mayor called IN
]. G. ConIon, commissioner OF deeds, ana
had him record the story In the form Oh
an affidavit 1t is as follows:
/, Augustus Wilkerson, being duiy
oil
the 18th day OF last July. A policeman
arrested me q little after o'clock IN
the afternoon on November H. was
going with a message from my aunt "a
No. 23S West bath street. some poys ,5 naS
n small fire on the street. 1t was l$otn
street, near Seventh avenue. L looked
al the fire as I went by. poncema.
grabbed me and took me on TO the sta-
ton house at 18th street, near Elshtn
avenue. / was locked up and Kept al
night until o'clock the next morning.
When I was brought in the officer az the
desk asked me my name and my ADDRESS
where | lived. / gave him my name ana
told him | lived at Nos. 10 and IL west
18th street.
kept there until the next morning az
o'clock. Then they took me out or the
room and put me out and told me 70 go
home. / went home. got there after
o'clock. I walked nome. NOBODY went
From the time I was brought 10 the
station house until 1 got home the neHI
morrr..g / was given nothing to eat
was not taken TO any court or judge
vas kent I'm the station house all the
while. They turned me out OF the station
house In the morning. Before ! went 10
bed during the night an oflcer licked me
with a strap. and said II | ever MADE
fire again he would send me 10 the
Island. | cried land he made me go 10
bed. ,,,-
Following the taking OF the child's
AFFIDAVIT Mr.. and Mrs. Harrington were
sworn, and gave their version OF their
all night search for their nephew. They
said that when the boy left home In the
morning TO attend the school of the Sis
ters OF the Blessed Sacrament In West
18th street, he had been directed TO take
n message to Mrs. George Yergensen. OF
No. 23s West lS4th street. When 8 o'clock
came Augustus had not returned. Mr..
Harrington went to Mrs. Yergensens
house and found tho boy had not been
there.
The uncle, now alarmed, began a
search. Several neighbors assisted him.
the Children's Society on the telephone
and had II send out general alarm. The
next morning the little boy, dirty and
hungry, walked into the house.
IF the story of this boy and his aunt"
said Mayor Gaynor, is true the case Is
very outrageous one, and the members OF
the force who are responsible for II must
be put on trial All policemen who do not
yet know that such treatment of boys Is
not permitted in this city had better get
off the force or be put OFF. and the sooner
the better.
THE reason why this boy was arrested
seems 70 have been that some small boys
made fire In the street. Even though
this boy were one OF them, he neverthe-
less could not be treated In an illegal
manner. But II is very doubtful that he
had anything to do at all with the max
ing Of the fire. II he did, why was he not
taken before a magistrate? The failure
TO take him before q magistrate alone Is q
grave offence against the law This be-
ing a matter concerning which we are try
ing to educate the whole force, It had bet
ter be made public. To treat boys this
way is to make criminals OF them"
Commissioner Waldo called for the po-
lice records and ordered Captain Thomp-
son. Lieutenant McDermott and Door
man Nash, who were in the station
Mouse at the time Of the alleged outrage,
to appear at Headquarters. Later In
spector Sweeney had Lieutenant Cullom
go through the precinct records for the
last six months. He reported no arrest
such as that described by tho affidavits.
The little boys reputation at the pa
rochlal school is excellent and the re-
liability Of the uncle and aunt has never
been questioned. The police point to the
fact that II the child were arrested
where he says he was he would not have
been taken to the 125th street station. but
to that on Lenox avenue. The child was
taken to the latter station last night and
denied that 1t was the one In which he
was confined.
The law in regard to courts of inferior
Jurisdiction provides that any child under
sixteen cannot be locked up in a police
station, but that he must be sent to the
Children's Society. The penalty for a vio-
lation Is a fine Of not more than $500 or