The sun., 1919-08-10
POLICE ACCUSED
BY B. R. T. MEN
''Why Should We Protect
Scabs9" One Quotes Cop
as Saying.
WOMEN ARE INTIMIDATED
"Sad and Disgraceful' Condi-
ton, Says Nixon at B. r. T.
Mems Stories.

Employees of the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit Company, testifying before
Public Service Commissioner Nixon
yesterday. told of the assaults that
had been made upon them and how,
little interested the police seemed to be
in protecting them.
| One Of the men said that when he
appealed to one of Commissioner En-
rights men to stop the rioting Of the
strikers the guardian Of the law re-
piled:
, "why the hell should we protect
scabs?"
Other policemen responded to ap-
peals with shrug of the shoulder. ac-
cording to the testimony.
Women told how the strikers had tried
to intinfidate them and get them to stop
their husbands from working. Threats
were made to kill their husbands More
testimony along this line will be given
when the hearing is resumed tomorrow
afternoon, according to counsel of the
B. r. T.
William Gardner conductor on tho
Jamaica avenue line, told of a num-
| Der instances of violence. He said there
were many men willing to take out cars.
but they did not dare because there
was no police protection.
Assaulted with Police Present.
The morning the strike started, Gard
ner said, he was assaulted with rocks.
cans and pieces OF concrete. Near Rich
mond Hill a crowd collected Friday Ahd
pulled the power pole from the. wire.
The patrolman riding on the rear seat
went to the front and Joined two other
| non-combatant members OF the force
there. 1t was not until mounted
man came up that the mob was dis
persed. BY that time the fuses had
been stolen.
| Inspector Henry Gignalls told of a
mob OF 200 that tried to put a car out
OF business at Bergen street and Utica
avenue. He asked a policeman, whose
shield number was 23l5, he said, to dc
something and received the reply al
ready referred to, that he did not see
why he should protect "scabs." Two
other policemen on the car also re-
fused to interfere Their shield numbers
were 5S33 and 1853. the witness said.
| AOu hdu pSibcI 30 10 lnt DATnS and
| tell your husband to quilt work, and II
you don't we will come back and get
| you" some strikers told Mrs Harry
Benz, 95S Seneca avenue. In front OF her
home,
Benz took the stand and said he had
| yielded TO his wife's fears. Otherwise
he was perfectly willing TO work. but he
did not want her to worry.
| I'm protect you 20 long as you stay
on the car. but II you get OF you take
your life In your hands" Benjamin
| Lewis was told by the policeman as
| signed to his car. He had to get OF tC
fix the pole. and was assaulted without
any attempt oh the part OF the police.
man to stop it.
Loses n shoe In Fight.
Norris Bierman. a new guard on a
broadway elevated train, said he was
told by strike sympathizers to quit his
Job. He learned that a number OF
strikers were preparing for trouble al
the Fulton street station. He gave the
motorman the signal to run by the sta.
tion, but the train stopped. A crowd OF
striking motormen from the surface car:
got on, and Immediately there was a
mixup. He lost not only his hat but one
of his shoes One striker told him ht
was lucky to get on with his life
After the row was over policeman
assigned to the train showed up and
asked innocently II there had been any
trouble. When he specified a few thing;
that had been done TO him the policeman
said blandly:
"why did you not let mo know
about III"
what did he want you to do. write
HIM a letter" asked one Of ths lawyers
present
This caused roar OF laughter. which
was checked sharply by Commissions
Nixon with the remark:
This Is nothing ITO laugh at, gentle
men. II Is a very sad and disgracefu
thing"