Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-09-25

Detective Hyde Speese was given
a hearing in police court yesterday
iafternoon on the charge of assault
ing Harry Block. of SIG Dauphin
street, last Wednesday.
| The alleged assault occurred near
Alderman DeShong's drug store. just
around the corner from Detective
| Speese's home.
AS a means of Showing up" the
methods of the Harrisburg police de-
partment and as a horrible example
of bloody Fifth" tactics. the trial
yesterday was about as successful as
is the plan to curb burlesque exhi-
bitions by giving these naughty shows
an unprecedented amount of free
reading notices, but the hearing was
very funny and furnished plenty of
amusement for more thar hundred
spectators.
Detective Speese had a number of
witnesses present. but did not call
anyone to the stand. Blocks wit
nesses were permitted to tell what
! happened on the afternoon of pri-
mary election day in their own way.
After hearing three witnesses Alder
man Lands dismissed Speese.
| In cross-eXamination Block ad-
mitted that he had been in trouble
with the police many times and had
appeared before many of the alder
| men of the city for hearings. He
admitted having taken "one bottle
of beer" before entering the Twelfth
ward, admitting that he did not be-
! long there, being voter in the Elev-
enth ward.
''Ought to BE Hung
Warren Able was Blocks first wit
ness. Mr.. Able told how Block, who
had been drinking heavily, accosted
men who admitted their friendship
for DeShong. According to the wit
ness, Block profanely insisted that
Alderman DeShong ought to be
| hung on a string" and applied a
profane definition to everyone who
voted for the alderman.
1t was then that Speese appeared
and told Block to get out of that
section and to stop making trouble.
Block, continuing his profane re-
marks, thumped Speese on the breast.
Instead of arresting Block, Speese
pushed him away. Later, believing
that political capital might be made
| of the event. Block went to Chief
Wetzers home and asked that Speese
be arrested. Alderman Hilton was
also asked to take information
against the detective, but knowing
something of the fact, refused. When
Block insisted upon bringing the
matter before the police court Alder
man Lands prepared the papers.
No Evidence
Andrew j. Redmond. owner of
garage near the scene of the trouble,
| testified that he had heard Speese
order Block away and had seen him
push Block along the street.
John Fitzgerald, who also lives
near by, told how Speese had or
dered Block away and said that
| Block was considerably under the in
| fluence of liquor at the time. He
saw Speese push Block, but thought
the detective was doing no more than
his duty. Block was drunk and was
down there hunting this trouble"
concluded Mr.. Fitzgerald.
There certainly is no evidence of
an assault" said Alderman Landis,
and dismissed Speese without calling
more witnesse.
Business at police court yesterday
was the heaviest in months. The
| hearings started at 1.30 and continued
until almost 3 o'clock. Mayor J. Will
! liam Bowman was present at the
! hearings and occupied a chair near
Alderman Lands.
The first arrests made in Riverside
since that attractive suburb came into
| the City of Harrisburg were made
when Officers Magnelli and Lowery
arrested the members of an automo-
bile party from Steelton Three women
and their male companions were err
| rested upon a disorderly practice
charge. The party included Nellie
Crist, Rachael Hellman, Alberta Saun-
ders Mike Slalon, Andrew Fellan and
! W. Sixfurtb. When brought to the
police court they placed forfeits of
$40 each and did not appear for the
hearing yesterday.