The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1921-07-27
TWO POLICEMEN
ARE SUSPENDED
Offers Powers and Page are Suspend
cd by City Council Following Diff
ficulty In Mill Village Friday Night.


Officers j. L. Powers and j. r. Page,
of the city police force, were suspend
ed for period Of thirty days by city
council last night following a Difficult
ty in the Laurens mill village last Fri
day night when M. G. Clevinger II
former employee OF the mill, claims
he was unlawfully attacked by the
two policemen. Clevinger has also
taken out warrants charging the two
policemen with assault and battery
with intent to kill and it is under
stood the case may come up in the
higher court.
The case was aired at a public meet
ing of city council, such a large crowd
attending that the meeting was ad-
journed from the council chamber to
the court house. The entire council
was present with the exception of AL
dcrman Albert Dial, who was out of
the city.
According to evidence brought out
at the hearing and testified to by both
sides, Policeman Powers had warned
Cleyinger to stay away from a certain
house In the mill village, Policeman
Powers testifying that the warning
was given upon complaint of neigh
bors and relatives of the woman living
in the house, relatives objecting to
the attentions Of Clevinger.
Clevinger, placed upon the stano,
testified that on the night Of the diff
iiculty he was sitting on the piazza
OF another house talking to friend
when the two policemen came up and
called him out. They asked him IL he
had bcen to the house where he had
Eeen warned not to go and upon his
statement that he had, words passed
between them and Policeman Powers
said Il have a good mind TO maui
hell out OF YOU" The entire party
thcn went toward the mill store and
there Dunk Powers appeared. Police
man Powers again reminded him there
OF the warning not 10 go to this house
again. Ccyingcr replied. according
to his testimony, that he had sce..
IA lawyer and would not stop going
there. Policeman Powers thcroupon
"truck at him, knocking a cigarette
out Of his mouth. Policeman Page
then s,.okc mp and said while you
are at it give him good one" He
started off and they followed. He got
faster and as he ran he thought Po-
liceman Page hit him with pistol
and knocked him into small ditch
Dunk Powers and Policenan Page fell
on top OF him. After struggle they
all Sot up and the policemen told him
to get off the mill hill! In answer to
q question from one Of the aldermen,
he said that he was not sure that Mr..
Page hit him with pistol, but he
thought SO. The policemen. he Salo
liled no charges against him.
Frank Waldrep, called as q witness
by Hlovngor, said that he saw the
party in front Of the mill store and
the first words he heard was when
Clcvingcr said "It's damn lic" The
| rest OF his testimony was practically
the same as Clevngers except that
he said that it appeared to him that
| Clevingcr, Page and Dunk Powers all
| fell in thc ditch at the same time and
that he did not see any pistol at any
| time.
policeman Powers, called to the
stand, said that h VAS called that
night about / o'clo2.; by Policeman
Page and when they found Clcvingcr
he called him out and asked about
threats which Clcvinger was said TO
have made and asked him What did
tell you about going up thcre?"
| Clcvinger replied that he had seen
| lawyer and 1t was none of his damn
business. Policeman Powers said he
| then made pass at him and knocked
q cigarette out of his mouth They
went on toward the company store
where more words followed. Palico-
man Page said while you are at it
f, give him n good one" Clevinger then
started away and was followed by
Page and Funk Powers, he following
on behind. 1t looked to him as If
Clevinger fell into little ditch and
Page and Dunk Powers fell on top. He
| came up and told them to get off, but
Dunk Powers said he would not until
they had gotten Clevingcr's hand out
Of his pocket. Clevinger got up with
| IL n,fn tel, t. III, u