The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1917-08-31
Policeman Freeman Freed
After Long Trial
Yesterday.
JURY DELIBERATED
ONLY FEW MINUTES
Trial Consumed Entire Afternoon
Eighteen Witnesses are
Examined.


charge of assaulting a citizen by
jury in Justice of the Peace Willer's
Court. The officer was accused of
having assaulted Wilson Taylor sew
eral days ago. The jurors were out
only long enough to. have the foreman
sign the verdict Judge Willer had
hardly given the case to the jury, when
the foreman announced that verdict
had been reached.
The trial was called at l o'clock.
Eighteen witnesses were examined for
the prosecution and the defendant. The
testimony of the witnesses was so
conflicting that the real facts of the
arrest could not be determined. The
office of Judge Willer was filled to its
capacity, and even the porch was
crowded by spectators. The verdict
was returned about $50 o'clock.
Most of the witnesses summoned in
behalf of the defendant were character
witnesses, who testified as to his repu-
tation. All agreed that he had made
splendid record during the time he
has been a member of the police force.
The testimony also brought out the
reputation the prosecuting witnesses
bears in this city, and it was shown
he had served numerous times in the
City Jail and had been in Police Court
SO often that his father admitted he
could not keep count.
Peter Deimund, a member of the
fire department, who appeared as wit
ness for Taylor, was put through a
rigid cross-examination by A. NJ.
Spreading, who defended the police
officer. Deimund admitted that Taylor
actually resisted the policeman after
he had been taken from the automo-
bile in which the officer had conveyed
him to the police station. He also tes-
titled that he and George French, as
sistant fire chief, assisted in holding
the prisoner after he had been taken
from the automobile, and that Police
man Freeman ordered the prisoner
turned loose, when he suddenly struck
the prisoner and threw him to the
ground. Deimund said the prisoner
was thrown to the sidewalk, while
Assistant Chief French testified he
was thrown on the lawn in front of
the police station. French also bore
out the statement of Deimund regard
ing the beating the prisoner received
from tho policeman.
Other witnesses who testified in be-
half Of the prosecution were Mrs.
George French, wife of the assistant
fire chief, and her niece, Mrs. George
Quinn. They said they passed the St.
Charles Hotel on the evening Wilson
Taylor was arrested and saw him ~
ing in the rear of an automobile. He
appeared so dark they thought he was
q colored man and paid no attention
to him.
Frank Medley, service car driver,
:old of the struggle between the pris-
oner and the policeman on the way
from the st. Charles Hotel to the po-
lice station. He said he turned around
several times, but could not say
whether the policeman was the ag-
gressor or whether the prisoner was
resisting.
The torn coat of the policeman was
introduced as evidence of the alleged
resistance of the prisoner. The coat
had been badly torn during the strug-
gle. This was used as the foundation
OF Attorney Spradling's arguments in
order to convince the jury that the
policeman had a right to beat the
prisoner after he had made an effort
to resist.
Every officer on the police force, in
Guiding Chief Whitener, were heard as
character witnesses in behalf of the
defendant They said Freeman haG
a good record and was regarded as an
officer who tried to do his duty.
In making his address to the jury,
Attorney Spradling severely attacked
the reputation of Wilson Taylor rs
told by some of the witnesses. He al
SO warned the jury not to protect the
"toughs" of the city by returning 4
verdict against a police officer because
he had done what he believed was his
duty.
Prosecuting Attorney Caruthe-s,
who represented the case for the State,
attempted to show that the jolice Off
Ger had used unnecessary force in SUBJ
DUNG his prisoner, and that such un-
necessary violence was forbidden by
the statutes and punishable by fine
and Jail sentence. He attempted to