The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-08-23

mad parked, and to my personal OBJ
servation this was being done ir-
regularly and all ears in the block
were not marked.
| inquired of officer Britton in a
quiet and dignifed manner, why the
checking of autos was being done in
this spasmodic manner, whereupon he
became enraged, lost his temper and
Informed me in a loud profane and
abusive manner that it was none of
my damn business The attitude and
bearing of this man was such that I
finally told him that / felt he should
be reported for frequenting a nearby
saloon. He then became more abusive
and stated that he would go in to this
saloon to show me that he would go
IN whenever he desired Upon his
coming out | made note of his number
and started to go in my office.
Claims He Was Attacked.
\ Thereupon without any provocation
whatsoever he seized me by my collar
and left arm and yanked and showed
me around and threw me down on the
sidewalk, all the while using loud
Iprofane and abusive language in the
manner of man who had absolutely
lost control of himself. | informed
him that it was not necessary to use
any force to compel me to go to the
police station if that was what he
desired. -Nes.ert4felers-4re grs tinued 30
choke, assault and abuse ME all the
way to Main street and call me vile
and abusive names, among them, a
damn dirty crook
At the police station he informed
me that | was arrested for interfer-
ing with an officer in the discharge Of
his duty and that l should report at
the municipal court the following
morning at nine o'clock. went to
municipal court the following morn
ing and waited all forenoon without
any case being called or any charges
being made against me. l was finally
informed by officer Clausen that It
would not be. necessary for me to wait
any longer but that they would let
me know when l should come back.
Baldwin Demanded Trial.
Thereafter nothing further was
done and there apparently was de-
sire to drop the case without any de-
termination of liability on my part or
wrong doing by the officer. No charge
was filed against me or any action
taken until demanded that my rights
be determined and the court pass upon
the question of whether / was guilty
of any offense. Not until then was
any charge filed against me, and / was
then charged with using loud and
abusive language, tending to excite a
breach of the peace, when in fact my
entire conversation was with a police
officer and could not have had any
tendency to excite breach of the
peace unless such officer had a vile
temper and was utterly unable to
control himself or have any question
asked concerning his work.
The case came up for trial on Mon
day, August goth, 1923. At the close
of the prosecutions evidence and upon
the testimony of Officer Britton him
self, the municipal judge dismissed
the charges against me as unwar-/
ranted and unfounded, and stated that
no grounds for arrest were shown.
For Citizens Good.
If citizens, business men and tap
payers cannot inquire Of a police Oh
fcer about his work or discuss 1t with
him without being assaulted, choked,
and dragged through the street as
criminal it will cease to be safe TO
live in Kenosha, own property here
or even be seen upon the streets.
am fling these charges in the inter-
est of the citizens of Kenosha to the
end that they may be protected from
such unwarranted and vicious assaults
and not be in in danger of such treat
ment from a man who has demon
strated his unfitness t oremain on the
police force"
Officer to State Version.
The testimony brought out in court
on Monday did not verify in every
particular the claims made in the
formal charges against the police of
fcer. 1t is claimed by Policeman
Britton that the claimant has exag-
gerated the amount of force used to
place him. under arrest and that
this will be brought out at the time
Of the hearing
1t is the claim of the police officer
that he was within his rights as an
officer Of the Jaw and that it was
necessary for him to take some action
to preserve the dignity of the law.
This is the first instance in many
years where private citizen has
brought charges against police Of
fcer and for this reason the outcome
of it will be watched with interest.