The New York herald., 1921-08-04
THEATRE CLUBBING
CHARGED TO TIGHE
Restaurant Raiders Victim
Tells of Damaged Face and
Threat to Cruelty.
COP HELD IN A,500 BAIL
Magistrate Simpson Says AS
sault on 100 Pound Woman
Was Without Excuse.
COP HELD IN $4,500 BAIL

John William Black. purchasing
agent for chemical company and for
merly Columbia student. appeared
voluntarily yesterday before the Meyer
investigating committee and related
how he had been beaten by Charles +.
Tighe, the "clubber cop" at the Cocoa
nut Grove, in the Century Theatre. on
February Is. 1919.
Dragged to the West Sixty-eighth
street station, against the protest of
his companion Capt. Sheldon Wittlesly,
U. S. A., Black testified the pummelling
was there continued by policemen un-
I'll his nose was broken and his head
and face torn. Then he was refused
counsel, denied the right to telephone
to his home and friends and was
warned he would be "crucified" If he
started trouble because of his treat
ment.
| Because he feared the police ring"
Black testified. he was glad to escape
with SIS fine and did nothing The
case was never Investigated and no ac-
ton ever taken against Tighe. the wit
ness said He declared there was no
reason or excuse for his arrest. and that
he was frightened into silence by the
1 police power"
Coupled with other evidence gathered
by the committee in Its investigation
OF police methods OF dealing with citi-
zens, Blacks experience seems to re-
veal the tactics OF police malta" In the
Police Department. Senator Schuyler NJ.
Meyer said.
hacks Cop Against Citizen.
THE evidence all appears to indicate
that the Police Department. under Com
missioner Enright backs a policeman
against citizen" the Senator said.
This inquiry. which attracted Blacks
attention through the press, was started
as a result OF Tighes recent exploit in
running amuck at restaurant raid and
beating women and children who were
bystanders.
Tighe was arraigned yesterday before
Magistrate George w. Simpson in the
West side Court on several counts In
connection with his clubbing episode
and was held In ball for trial. Mrs.
Emma Lennon OF SCI West Fiftieth
street. Charles f. Green. crippled negro
bootblack, and Mrs. Ella Fitzgerald OF
329 West Forty-thrd street related their
charges OF assault. and on each charge
Tighe was held.
Mrs. Catherine Gaiety, who weighs
barely 100 pounds testified that when
she and her husband were returning
home from a motion picture show Tighe
ran out OF the Coen cafe. which he had
raided, and seizing Gaiety dragged him
into a back room. The policeman re
appeared waving a blackjack and made
a motion as II TO strike her. She bore
her child in her arms. She. and the
child were likewise pulled into the room
in the rear OF the saloon and kept there
for an hour with twenty-five others. She
testified that the policeman appeared to
b. intoxicated. The total bail fixed was
$4,000
There Is no excuse nor justification
for the assault and arrest Of Mrs.
Gaiety," Magistrate Simpson said
Black Details Tighe's Attack.
Black said he had been employed
for three years by the National Anilinc
and Chemical Company. lie is mar
ried and has one child. With Capt
wittlesly, visiting from Alabama. Black
went to the Cocoanut Grove on the eve-
ming In February. 1912 They were
waiting for an elevator when they saw
a man slap girls face. The Captain
lptarveucd and the man who did tho
slapping ran away.
"a short. stocky man IN citizens
clothes was pushing the Captain back"
Black testified II thought my guest
might get into trouble and said 20 the
short man, There viii be no trouble.
we arc going out He demanded TO
know who was and asked him who
he as He said he would show me and
called me a vile name. I hit him. He
struck me on the head with black
Jack. I did not know he was an officer
In fact, thought he was holdup man
He hit me several times and went
down. was stunned lie kept on
beating ne on the floor, Capt Wittiesly
stepped In md took some blows across
his arm. Then the short man said /
was under arrest That was the first
| knew he was 4 policeman"
Black was shown photographs and
Identified picture Of Tighe rs the man
who had beaten him on the way 10 the
station house Black testified. he was
punched and beaten by 1ighe and