Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-05-12
POLICE BOARD TO
PROBE FURTHER
INTO CLARK CASE
Conflicting Stories Told in
Hearing of Alleged Brutality
of Policeman.

nesses testify to the alleged brutality
= of Patrolman William Clark in ar
resting Walter Wagner, twenty three
years old. of 13 Holland street, on
March II last, in an executive con-
ference, which lasted for two hours,
the Board of Police Commissioners
decided to lay the matter over for
further investigation
The West Side Improvement Asso-
citation, Of which John B. Brasser is
the president, brought the matter to
the boards attention and that organ
ization was represented by Samuel
Press. while the police affairs were
looked after by Charles M. Meyers,
assistant city counsel
Wagner was the first witness
called. He told of going into the
confectionery store of Max Seidl, at
442 Springfield avenue, to purchase
cigarettes, and that when he came
TO the sidewalk he was ordered to
move on" by Clark. He said that
while he was moving on Clark
grabbed him by the collar and
started TO shove him. and that his
hat fell off. He asked the officer to
let him get his hat and was then
struck ON the head with billy"
He was then taken to the station
house, where he was released on $40
deposit to appear in the Fourth Pre-
cinct Court the next morning, when
he was fined S. by Acting Judge
Yuill as a disorderly person.
Mrs. Rose Raider, of 442 South
Seventh street, was next called. She
said she saw a number of men stand
ing near Springfield avenue and
Jacob street, and also saw the police
man shove Wagner, who was light
Ing a cigarette. She added that
Clark seized Wagner by the throat
and then drew his billy" from his
head, knocking him to the sidewalk,
where he lay unconscious for five
minutes.
Max Seidl was called, but he stated
that he did not reach the sidewalk
In time to see the trouble.
William Backfish, of 446 Fifteenth
avenue, testified that he saw the en-
tire affair and that in his opinion
Patrolman Clark acted in q most
. brutal manner, unnecessarily striking
Wagner. He did not corroborate the
testimony of Mrs. Raider as to Wag-
ner falling limp to the sidewalk. He
said that Wagner appeared dazed
from the blow on his head, but walk
ed with the officer across the side
@galk and leaned against a building.
x He admitted that he told the officer
that he exceeded his authority in
striking Wagner, but denied that he
.sised profane language to Clark, on
which charge he was arraigned the
following morning in the Fourth Pre-
cinct Court and fined So by Acting
Judge Yuill.
Otto Hoffner, of ass Springfield ave-
nue.. testified that he saw Wagner
bleeding profusely from a wound in
his head and that when he offered
him a handkerchief he was arrested
and also fined SIS by Acting Judge
Yuil the following morning. This
sta tement was contradicted by
Patrolman Clark. He testified that
Hoffner followed him while he was
taking Wagner to police call box
and that after he applied a vile name
10 him and declared that 1--WE will
fix you,' he was arrested.
William Young, of 80 Halsey street,
testified that he was standing at
Springfield avenue and Jacob street
waiting for a car when the difficulty
arose and that in his opinion the off,
Ger used unnecessary force in arrest
ing Wagner. He said that the assault
ON Wagner was most brutal The
following day, he added he wrote to
Chief of Police Long giving his views
of the affair and offering to appear
before the commissioners to testify
against Clark should charges be
brought against him.
Otto Dassing. who resides with
Backfish at 446 Fifteenth avenue, cor
roborated the testimony of his room
mate, but added that when the police
man had Wagner on the ground and
before he struck him, he held him
down by placing his knee in the
youths abdomen. He was cross
examined by Mr.. Meyers as he was
the only one of the witnesses to have
seen the officer hold Wagner down in
such a manner.
Clark accepted the privilege of
making a statement and told of the
affair. He said that he had been de-
tailed to the Springfield avenue post
to clear the corner of loafers. On the
night of March II, he said that he
saw several young men standing in
front of Seidls store. He approached
them and ordered them to move on,
which order was complied with by all
but Wagner He showed him and
Wagner returned the shove.
When Wagner refused to move the
officer stated that he seized him by
the collar and the two struggled for
some time. Finally, both fell to the
aiueWdih anu IDSn ne DulleQ MS
billy" with the intention of striking
y Wagner on the hand to make him re-
ltase his hold. At that time he said
ne was being kicked from all sides
and that he struck Wagner on the
head. He then got the man to his
feet and led him across the sidewalk
to await the arrival of the patrol
wagon. He declared that he had not
struck an unnecessarily hard blow.
Edward GiIUarT1raT1 of fotr
mount avenue, a conductor for the
Public Service railway, testified in
behalf of Clark and declared that in
his opinion the officer acted within his
rights.
Patrolman George Kromelbein, OF
the Seventh precinct, testified that
several years ago, when in the Fourth
a precinct, he had summoned Wagner
and several other boys to court for
corner-loafing and insulting women,
and that they We're all fined. Mr..
Press asked the patrolman If he had
discussed the Wagner affair with Mr..
Brssser, and he replied that he had
and had told Mr.. Brasser If he had
been In Clark's place he would have
sent Wagner to the hospital.
Captain Oscar Vogel said that, ow-
ing to the complaints from merchants
against corner loafers" and from
women who claimed that they We're
insulted, he had detailed Clark to
clear the corners. He said that the
officer had done very good work and
that in his opinion he was perfectly
justified in striking Wagner.