Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-18
A7O' BODY PROBES
.JEFFER|ES' ARREST
sx.Army Captain, Nephew of
Mrs. w. R. Wister, Charges
False Detention Hers
ROBINSON INVESTIGATES

RU bl ooN
,r,,, committee of seventy is investi
IN the complaint of John Jefferies,
gs'pe peston. that he was arrested here
vi ,.hout cause and locked in q cell and
w,.a;J wv..;oJ communication with friends. Mr..
qegor;es is former aviation officer and
JnSew Jenb Of Mrs. William r. Wister,
lilo Spruce street.
ii1 The former captain, a friend of Sen
stor Henry Cabot Lodge, was arrested
sorjy Sunday morning near Twelfth and
walnut streets and taken In n patrol
wagon to the Fifteenth and Locust
streets station. He was slated as a
s,snspicious character"
The arrest was by Patrolman Joseph
Savage, who last night said he had
nrdered Mr. Jefferies TO move on several
times before taking him into custody.
E L. D. Roach, secretary of the
committee of seventy, said a suit for
false arrest may help to eliminate such
cases in the future.
Was Looking in Shop Window
Mr.. Jefferies said he had been visit
drg friends in Washington, and came
mere to visit Mrs. Wister. He arrived
ko late Saturday afternoon, he said that
he went to hotel. Later he had dinner
at his aunt nome, leaving there short-
" before midnight.
room was warm and he decided to take
n short stroll before retiring. He was
docking in a shop window on Walnut
ktreet, he said, when the patrolman or
Nered him to move on
Mr.. JefPeries said he WALKED back to-
ward Broad street then turned east on
Ahe south side Of Walnut. He was
Hooking in a shop window near Twelfth
htreet, he continued, when Savage ar
rested him.
Although he asked several witnesses
of the arrest for their names, Mr.. JEFF
ferries added, the patrolman would not
allow the names to be given.
Denied Use Of Phone :
The former aviation captain said he
was denied the use of the telephone at
1.-The Fifteenth and Locust streets sta
Tion. He was sent to the Twelfth and
Pine streets station for a hearing and
held for further proceeding.
After the hearing he gained permis-
sion to telephone his aunt, who came
to the station house and identified him.
A rehearing was accorded him and he
was discharged.
Mr. Jefferies left here yesterday for
Boston, and plans to go from there to
California.
Superintendent of Police Robinson
also is investigating the case, Mr..
Roach said.
II am in the case" said Mr.. Roach,
because Mrs. Wister asked the COM
nittee of seventy to make an investiga
ton, which we are now doing. The re-
suits of the investigation will be turned
over to lawyer for further action
Mr.. Roach said that he took Mr.. JEFF
fo int pph;,,
son Monday.
''The superintendent said Roach,
Twas greatly surprised and apologized
for the action of the police at the station
house. He said he would at once look
into the NATTER
Lieutenant Canon at the station house
today said Patrolman Savage was per-
forming his duty.
Mr.. Jefferies was seen acting sus-
piciously around a neighborhood where
many bold robberies had been commit
ted" the lieutenant said.
Savage approached him once, ana
the man could give no satisfactory eX
PLANTATION of his presence. He said he
lived in a nearby hotel, so Savage gave
him the benefit of the DOUBT and told
him to go there and not to loiter about
the vicinity.
''Some time later, when Savage re-
turned after patrolllng MS beat, tne man
was still there. Again Savage ques-
toned him. When his answers did not
satisfy the patrolman he> arrested JEFF
ferries and sent him to the station
house.
"When Captain Jeffries says he was
refused the telephone privilege at the
station house he says what is not true.
He made no request to get in touch
with friends until the next morning,
when the patrol wagon was waiting
to take him to the Twelfth and Pine
streets station to get hearing.
He was told then that the wagon
was waiting and that he could use the
telephone when he reached the other
station. The ride took less than five
minutes, and then he was allowed the
telephone privilege. ....
when we found the man was a
Equitable gentleman, of course we
dropped the suspicious character
charge, but the patrolman had no other
option than arresting him considering
the circumstances under which he came
an contact with the captain"
Lieutenant Canon, who has been at
The Fifteenth and Locust streets sta
tion but short time, said that he had
investigated Patrolman Savage and
found him to be an efficient patrolman,
anxious to do his duty.
IF Jeffries had been other than
what he was and had not been ar
rested, what would have happened if a
robbery had occurred?' the lieutenant
asked The police would have been
blamed" he answered.