Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-01
SEVERE REPR|MANO
FOR PARK POLICEMAN
Case Against Two High School
Boys and Girl Is Dismissed
in Juvenile Court.

A severe reprimand for Park Policeman
Thomas c. McHugh was the only salts
faction he gained for arresting Shepherd
Rohrer and Russell Moore, two Western
High School boys. who were accused by
the Waterman of disorderly conduct in
Montrose Park. The Joys were brought
before Judge Latimer in the Juvenile
Court yesterday afternoon.
According to the testimony Of the officer
the two boys and an older girl compan-
ion were playing in the park and he con-
sidered them guilty of disorderly con-
duct. He took the boys, one by each
arm and led them to the nearest patrol
box, a square away. and sent them to
the seventh precinct station house. Later
he came to the Juvenile Court and pro-
cured a warrant for the arrest of the
girl.
The policeman declared the boys were
acting improperly, and stoutly maintained
that 1t was contrary to the fourth Sec
ton of the park regulations for big boys
and girls to "Skylark' in the park.
Sharply Questioned by Judge.
did you take these boys by the arms
and lead them to Inc patrol box?' Judge
Latimer asked.
Yes, sir: it was my duty McHugh
said
And you sent them to tho station
house in the patrol wagon?"
Yes. sir. 1t was my duty"
Don't you think you could have taken
the boys names and told them to ap
pear here in court without the humilia-
ton of making them ride through the
streets in a patrol wagon?" the judge
asked.
mo, sir / had no course to follow but
Il Il
You don't think you are permitted to
use any discretion"
Absolutely none. If I did they would
have me up on Charges
The boys told another story entirely.
They said they were playing on the grass,
perhaps little too roughly. with the
girl. McHugh approached them and
said, Don't youse know l could arrest
you for that?" according to both boys.
Moore said. Don't you know you
'youse,' according to his own story.
Then, the boys said, McHugh lost his
temper and took them to the patrol box.
The girl ran home, the boys said, and
rant for her because she beat him
home
Former Judge Appears as Attorney.
William II. De Lacy. formerly judge of
the Juvenile Court appeared in the court
in the case yesterday. This is the first
time Judge De Lacy has ever appeared
in the court as an attorney. Judge De
Lacy came to court to look out for the
interests of the girl, and the charge
against her was abandoned when ii was
proven that she was more than seven
teen years old, the age limit of the chill
dren'S court.
After hearing the witnesses in the
case Judge Iatimer administered
singing rebuke to McHugh. and said:
1T is apparent to me that these chill
dren We're enjoying themselves in per-
fectly harmless way. and 1t Is great
pity that these boys were Inundated by
being made to ride in a patrol wagon
and being locked up in a cell until their
parents furnished collateral to get them
out and take them home.
THE police are making a great mis-
take if they think it is necessary to
treat children who violate some minor
regulation as if they were criminals of
the deepest dye. Another thing l want
understood is that no policeman or
Waterman should go about arresting
children because he loses his temper.
The charges are dismissed"