The Washington times., 1922-10-03
PROTEST
MADE BY
CITIZENS
Evidence Shows Youth Reach
ed for'H Hip Pocket, In
spector Reports.

Inspector Charles A. Evans, as
sistant superintendent Of police.
today is investigating complaint
made by six men that three police
men of the Seventh precinct yes
terday morning brutally beat
without cause a colored youth who
was arrested charged with steal
ing a 25-cent checker board from
= store near Thirty second and M
streets northwest.
Reached for His Pocket.
MY investigation is not complete,
but so far as ! have gone l believe
the policemen were in the right in
striking the boy" said Inspector
Evans. He was struck after the
policeman saw him reach into his
. hip pocket and take out something
which they thought was a revolver.
Later II turned out to be a three-inch
magnet coated with nickel"
Herbert Reed colored, twenty years
| old, OF 420 Twentieth street is The
youth. He is under arrest and was
taken TO police court today. George
Clark, a fireman of No. 16 engine
house, on D street between Twelfth
and Thirteenth street northwest,
who was placed under arrest for at.
! tempting 10 interfere with the police.
man, was released yesterday after
noon. Inspector Evans said Clark
apologtzed for interfering after he
learned what led to the striking of
Reed.
Reed, according to Evans, entered
| the store of Cavanigh and kendriCk
| at 3271 N street northwest about $3.50
! yesterday morning. One of the EN-.
/ ployes alleges that he saw Reed put
25-cent checker board under his
/ shirt.
Policeman c. {. Steep Called.
Policeman c. c. Steep was nearby
and was called on to make the ar
rest Reed. Evans says, showed
no inclination to accompany the
policeman making ii necessary for
the officer to. use two hands. He
! walked him to the box. Unable to
call into the station for fear the
colored boy would attempt to escape
he handed his keys to a citizen who
put in the call
y Inspector Evans said when the
wagon came Steep turned the man
over to Policeman r. l.. Proctor.
wagon tender. who put the man
inside. Reed. it is said. refused 70
cit down. Proctor is said to hav''
entered the car to make him sit
down and as he stepped inside. he
says, Reed hit him in the jaw. Proc
tors jaw is swollen today, Evans
says.
Proctor then grabbed Reed 20
push him down" said Evans. "As
ne did so, Reed reached for his back
pocket. Proctor told me the Colored
boy got his hand on something shiny,
end that 1t looked like a gun to him.
I He said he had no time to reach for
/ his blackjack and so struck the boy
across the forehead. knocking him to
Il the floor. Reed, Proctor said con-
unued fighting.
Il All Four Battle in Wagon.
y LAS soon as Proctor saw Reed
reach into his pocket and thought
=, Il was a gun he called out: 4 think
he's got gun. Policeman Steep
and Patrol Driver p. w. Proctor,
II brother of the wagonman, jumped in.
All three tried to subdue Reed. Two
held him while another put on the
handouts. Reed was fighting all
the time, and was probably struck a
number Of times. 1t was not until
Reed was subdued that the police
found he did not have a gun.
Il The fireman was standing near
the wagon. Inspector Evans said
he made a remark about ''it being
| shame" and said other things
The policemen are said to have
told him to move on. He IL said
to have refused and continued pro.
testing so he was also placed under
srrest. At the precinct, however,
I.Captain Bean released him afte" the
apology. Evans says.
Il Evans talked with Reed. and the
colored man said he had no com.
plant to make. admitting thai he
probably hit the policeman Reed
was taken by Evans before a police
surgeon and examined. The doctor
said he only saw cvidenC" Of one
blow. that across the forehead.
Six Men Made Complaint.
II The complaint was made yester-
day morning to Major Sullivan. su.
l perintendent OF police, by August
Eccard. Of 1917 Wisconsin avenue
Il northwest: Joseph -. Mcmahon. of
Balston, Va: Raymond Crack. of
Ba!ston. Va: Anderson Lewis. Of
Il l20l Sixth street northwest: viii
liam Barnes. % p street northwest.
and +. =. Reed. Of 3l41 y street
northwest All are said to have
witnessed the affair.
Il Inspector Evans expected to have
talk with the Complainants sorlc.
Il time today.
II The Complainants were said to
have been vigorous in their protests,
declaring the police. had no right
to strike the boy and, 1t Is said,
they were prepared to file formal
charges against the policemen.