New-York tribune., 1919-11-20
Citizens Union
Assails Police
Third Degree
Detectives Rowan and Ken
my Charged With Beating
Up Truck Driver Whom
They Accused of Theft
No Evidence of Guilt
Mayor Is Asked to Suspend
Policemen and Swami to
Take Criminal Action


Mayor Hylan was asked by the Citi-
zens Union yesterday to order imme-' I
diate suspension Of two detectives
charged with having hogged a man
against whom they had no evidence
and who subsequently was released
The request was made by Leonard
Wallstein. counsel for the City Gov
ernment Committee of the Citizens
Union, who also sent letter to Dis
trict Attorney Swami asking criminal
action against the accused men, De-
tectives James Kenny and Thomas
Rowan, Of the Oak Street police sta
ton.
Both men are alleged to have applied
the third degree" in barbarous fash
ion to Solomon Blumberg, a truck
driver, of 81 East 11sth Street, in a
vain effort to make him confess to the
theft of case of tobacco. They beat
him. he swears, with fists and rope
ends for half an hour, and when that
failed to elicit an discriminating state
ment he was thrust into cell at
Police Headquarters, where he was
kept all night, he charges, in the COM
pany of n man who mixed powders in
spoon and took hypodermic iniec-
tions.
Case Coliapses in Court
This was another phase of the third
degree" the theory being that if he
were a drug addict he would exchange
confession for "shot' for himself.
But this failed also, and when Blum
berg was given a hearing in the Tombs
court Tuesday before Magistrate Man
cuso, Detective Rowan is said TO have
admitted there was no evidence. Blum
berg was then discharged, and his
counsel declares Rowan excused the
tactics of himself and his partner with
the statement, I'VE often have to act
on 3 thread"
"This is but one of half dozen
cases of police barbarity reported to
the Citizens Union recently" said Mr..
Wallstein, "but it offered the best evil
dence, since the victim still bears
upon his body the marks of the beat
ing given him, and his statements have
been we'll authenticated"
|
Attorney Mr.. Wallsten sent with his
letter of transmittal copies of affidavits
by Blumberg and statements from DR..
Isaac J. Plotz. 1872 Madison Avenue,
and DIR. II. w. Emsheimer. of Mount
Sinai Hospital, concerning the nature
Of Blumberg's injuries.
Dead Man Cited as Complainant
Blumberg was an employee of the
/ w. ]. Mcdonald Trucking Company, 146
Water Street. Mr.. Mcdonald died sew
eral years ago, and the business is con-
Quoted by his widow. But in making
the affidavit charging B.umberg with
larceny Detective Kenny is aid to have
given the dead man as the source of his
/ information.
In his statement Blumberg, who has
a wife and three chi dren, says he
never before had been accused of
crime, and in the present instance he
went voluntarily to the Seventh Pre-
cinct station last Thursday night and
reported the disappearance of the case
from his truck. An officer at the
Seventh Precinct, he says, referred
i'm to the Oak Street station. He re-
ported there to Detective Kenny, who
at once accused him of having stolen
it and then told him to report again
next day.
On the second visit TO the station,
Blumberg says, Detective Rowan
grasped him by the throat, thrust him
against wall in the back room,
/ punched him several times in the face
and then said.
"Now, what do you know about that
case?"
BIumberg Describes Beating
When B umberg answered that he
knew nothing except that it had been
stolen the detective told him not to lie
showering more bows in his face, and
adding:
"You are not going to get out of
here until you tell me-
For more than ten minutes Rowan,
he charges, used his fists, and then
Kenny came into the room and began
hatchet" The other said, "No; the
lead pipe" Blumberg screamed then,
and one warned, shut up or I'll put
this gun down your throat"
After few minutes more OF this
both detectives left the room, for
moment ana returned with short
lengths of heavy rope.
They botl grabbed me-" Blumberg
continues, "and while holding me hit
me repeatedly with the ropes over the
back, neck chest and arms. They beat
me for fifteen minutes at least insist
ing that come across"
District Attorney swami said he had
received complaint from Mr.. Wall
stein, adding:
~ note that, in true Wallstein style,
he gave it to the newspapers before
had even chance to look into it. The
case should nave been handled through
the usual Lolice court channels have
already disposed Of it by sending it TO
jefferson Market court
| Wor.aax, L. Ix...x,ld