The Washington herald., 1922-12-02
POLICE BEAT /,
HIM, GAsSED
!. VETERAN SAYS
A. E. r. Man Ayers He Was
Mistaken for Stool Pigeon
and Then Thrown Into Jail
cLUBBED WHILE IN CELL
Request for Attorney Brings
Attack, Ne Tells Judge Hard
ison at Court Proceeding

Proof that the police are smart
ing under the pitiless publicity
given the vicious and unlawful
practices Of certain professional
bondsmen and their blue-coated
allies was presented 30 Judge
Hsrdison In Police Court yester-
day in the shape Of the battsred
head and face Of Harry Boyd, 1915
Eighteenth street northwest, a
former sergeant In the quarter
masters detachment of the Second
Division, American Expeditionary
Forces in France.
Boyd. who is still suffering
more or less from being gsssed.
swore under oath that he wes
dragged from . his cell IN the
Eighth precinct Thursday nigh;
by two policemen and unmerci-
fully beaten with clubs because
he insisted on the privilege OF
telephoning to Armand W. Scott.
his attorney. to come and get him
out on bond.
BEATEN INTO HEIPLESSNESs
locked up on a charge Of assault
ing Policeman Edward J. Moffett
of the Eighth precinct Moffett
claimed that as he took Boyd to
the patrol box at Seventh and
streets northwest, the ex-soldier
struck him.
Boyd insisted he was the one
who got hit and accused Moffett
Of clubbing him into almost q
state Of helplessness at the box.
Later on. Boyd testified. when he
insisted on having his attorney st
the precinct. he was beaten up
by two policemen. His eye was
blackened and his head showed
several bumps when ne Yves
placed on trial. He was suffering
! from shock and could hardly
stand up TO plead to the charge.
They told me at the station that
they had stopped sending Tor Nv
yers," Boyd complained TO Judge
Hardison. Not being acquainted
with the men At the Eighth pre-
cinct. Boyd could not Identify the
man who attacked him. They did
not show up at the trial.
CALLED STOOL PIGEON.
Boyd's arrest occurred. he ex.
planned, after Harry Beckley. .
former detective. had mistaken him
for a revenue agent and ordered
him away from in front Of q pool1
room and cabaret in the 1900 block
on Seventh street. Beckley called
Moffett. Boyd testified. and told
the, policeman to take this damn
1 stool pigeon away"
Boyd said he was not a revenue
agent nor did he have anything 10
do with the police or their activi-
ties. He was merely strolling In
that neighborhood. he declared.
when Beckley, who runs the pool
room, became suspicious The
court dismissed the charge against
Boyd and released him.
Attorney Scott claims ft is but
another instance OF the police hold
ing a prisoner incommunicado until
a bondsman with whom they have
an alliance could arrive. But In this
instance. II is claimed. the bonds
man failed TO arrive-being fright
ened off by the publicity given their
lactivities.
WILL FILE COMPLAINT.
Scott said he would not only fle
a complaint with the District Com
missioners about the unprovoked
assault on Boyd but would present
the matter more fully to JudgeS
Hardison and Mcmahon whea the
Police Court meets next Tuesday
night for a special session to inves-
tiEate the dishonest bondsmen snd
policemen.
Scott is one Of the attorneys who
have made repeated complaints
against holding prisoners incommun-
icado and first sending for bonds
men instead Of the attorneys who
are asked for by the prisoners.
The newest development in The
Forthcoming investigation by the
Police Court Judges is that the
court viii be asked to appoint a
committee OF lawyers 20 assemble
the facts to be presented Tuesday
night
PROBE TO BIZ THOROUGH.
There Ia no doubt that this re.
guest VIII be granted. As a result
the court viii have at IT'S disposal
q corps Of trained investigators, who
will work with a vengeance. Ms il
were, as the men who seek appoint
ment on the committee are attor-
neys who have had clashes with the
bondsmen because they refuss TO
split fees.
Another angie 10 that the -stoo,
pigeons employed by the vice squad
and prohibition agents and uni
formed policemen viii be invest 1
gated. as it is now thought the
'stool pigeon" is responsible for
much OF the Tipping Off that D.
done. The stool pigeon" receives
but q small vare for assisting the
police and r. therefore a natural
prey for the bondsnen. Then. too.
the stool pigeon" knows when and
where a raid will be made and N IN
q position &c give the bondsmen
first hand information.
II developed yesterday that there
Is hardly an attorney OF rood stand
ing with practice IN either the Police
or Criminal Courts who has not had
"run-in" with the bondsmen over
the fee-splitting proposition.
00Dn VI0nn