New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-23
Wi|kerson Child, However, Re-
flutes Alleged Admissions
After Hearing What
Was Given Out.
WALDO STARTS INQUIRY
Many of His Men Deny Boy Was
Even at Station, Much Less
Beaten-Ran Away and
Falsified to Escape
Whipping, They Say.

The elaborate investigation which
Commissioner Waldo began yesterday
of the charges contained in affldavits
forwarded him by Mayor Gaynor, that
eight year old Augustus Wilkerson, of
No. 10 West 137th street, had been ar
rested, kept all night in the West 125th
street police station, beaten with
strap, and turned into the street early
the next morning, apparently became
complete last night with the appear
ance of a Statement purporting to come
from Police Headquarters.
This statement consisted OF a detailed
confession, said 10 have been made by
The little boy at police headquarters
yesterday 1t was asserted that the
child broke down under examination
and admitted that he had concocted his
story of arrest, starvation and police
brutality for the sole purpose OF es-
Gaping punishment at home.
In direct contradiction TO the story
said to have percolated through closely
guarded doors of Commissioner Waldo's
office the boy denied at his home last
night that he had made any confession
| OF any sort.
Commissioner Waldo began the days
work yesterday apparently determined
to clean up the latest police scandal In
the shortest time possible. Hardly had
he reached his office yesterday fore
noon before he had issued orders for
the appearance at Headquarters OF the
score OF police officials who could in
any way have been connected with the
arrest and abuse OF young Wilkerson.
MANY Police Witnesses.
Among those who presented them
selves at the Commissioner once
were Inspector Sweeney. OF the 9Th In
spection District. Captain James H.
| Thompson. Of the West l25th street
station; two police matFons: Lieuten-
ant John McDermott, Lieutenant Henry
Boerner and two patrolmen who acted
as ioormen at the station house during
! the night and early morning OF the al
| legged arrest
In addition to the men from the West
| 12btb street station the Commissioner
! also had before him Captain Bernard
Kellcher. Lieutenant William Mccoy
Lieutenant william Wettlaufer, three
sergeants, two doormen. two police
matrons and fve patrolmen, all from
the Lenox avenue station.
The story Of each person was taken
down by Frank Donohue, the oihclal
police stenographer, and put in af1daVit
form. after which the men were asked
To sign and swear 10 the affidavits.
Each affidavit was an unqualified de-
J nial of knowledge Of the alleged arrest
Early Yesterday afternoon, following
the session I'm Commissioners Waldo's
office Inspector Sweeney and Captain
Kelleher went to st. Marks school,
where young Wilkerson is pupil. and
got the permission OF the Sisters to
take the child over the route he says
he followed on the day Of his arrest.
They told the child to take them first
10 the scene of the bonfire for stopping
TO look at which he said he was ar
rested. Young Wilkerson led them 10
west 135th street and Seventh avenue.
he was next instructed to take the OF
fcers over the Same route he took on
the Uay to the 125th street police sta
ton.
The boy started off through l3oth
street to st. Nicholas avenue. south In
tho avenue to 125th street and thence
west to Manhattan street. Instead or
lcontinuing through 125th street to the
lstat,on house, the officers said, the child
turned south In Manhattan street and
wolked to Claremont avenue. He Kept
on TO Riverside Drive and south on that
thoroughfare to 10th street. where he
halted.
Nv this time the child was tired, and
frankly admitted, the officers said that
he did not know where he was. In
spector Sweeney and Captain Kelleher
then took him TO the West 10th street
station.
| Once inside the station house, the
little boy walked about, inspected the
captains room and the guard room'
and finally announced, the officers as
sert. that II was not the station In
which he had been confined. The child
was then taken to Police Headquarters
and was kept I'm the Commissioner
office for a little over half an hour.
inspector Sweeney then took him home.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur harrington, the
uncle and aunt Of the child. were
amazed last night when they heard
the story of the alleged confession.
..He has not made any confession
declared Mr.. Harrington. He tells the
same story to everybody. Wait min
ute. I'll call him and you may ask him
yourself"
The little boy, who was getting ready
for bed, stumbled out, rubbing the sleep
from his eyes.
"Did you say down at Police Head
ouarters that the story you told wasn't
true?" asked harrington.
.T did not!" snapped the youngster.
The boys uncle said last night that
after hearing Mrs. Farrington's story
of the arrest on the night Of November
Ina he examined the lads back and
found several wide welts such as might
lbave been made with heavy strap.