Evening star., 1924-07-12
POL|CEMEN'S TRIAL
FIXED FOR MONDAY.
Assault Charges Against Two
Officers Pushed by One OF
Alleged Victims.
INDICATED IN REPORT
Ninth Precinct Captain Says Win
! field and Joiner Acted Properly
in Northeast.
INDICATED IN REPORT

A reverberating echo of the safe
and sane Fourth of July as staged
this year in the 1000 block OF Sd
street northeast, with the principals
including two policemen, a civilian
recipient of blows. indignant man.
mas, cap pistol-toting youngster
and a score or more of excited spec
tators. will resound in Police Court
next Monday when a charge OF as
sault, lodged in turn against the
policemen by their victim, against
whom similar charge already has
been dismissed, will be heard.
Reports of the doings that day
differ widely. The policemen. w. r.
Winfield and John A. Joiner of the
ninth precinct. claim that they were
about their duty. sleuth1ng tor vlo-
lations OF the safe and sane regula-
tons, VIII IN the trouble was preclp-
itated by indignant mothers and rel
ativeS. i'he latter accuse the police
men OF unwarranted bullying and
abuse of authority, coupled with
cruel assault.
All Admit Scuf1ing.
All admit that there was a goodly
amount Of scuffing, head-busting and
all-around activity of nature
sane regulations. At the conclusion
Charles II. Ambrose of 1915 Sd street
northeast, his head bleeding freely,
was arrested on charge of assault
ing the policemen. This charge was
dismissed yesterday by Judge Nc
Mahon.
Following IAN investigation of the
whole affair." Capt Louis Stoll of
the ninth precinct today forwarded
to Maj. Daniel Sullivan, superinten
dent of police, complete account of
the happenings as disclosed by the
stood to vindicate Winfield and Joiner
of the charges against them, justify
ing them for using the force they did
In quelling the Sd street disturbance.
. The report is now in the hands of
Inspector Pratt. who is conducting
general investigation of the cir
cumstances, with a view to Furnishing
the policemen if they are found guilty
or clearing them before the public
If they are not at fault.
Warrants Sworn Out.
: Warrants charging assault were
sworn out yesterday by Mr.. Ambrose
and they will be served on the police
men. Capt Stoll said today, in COM
pliance with regulations. Winfield,
he said, is temporarily out of the
city and Joiner will be served as soon
as technicality in the warrant is
eorrected. Neither will be locked up
Or suspended from duty pending the
Police Court hearing Monday, Capt.
Stoll stated
! Ambrose. his head wounds bound
in gauze and adhesive tape, gave The
Star the following version of the ar
rest:
+. u was sitting on the top step of
flight of about fifteen at the 3rd
Street house. reading newspaper,
when the officers passed.
"A woman down the street came up
and said something to one of the
policemen about a cap pistol he had
In conversation with them and they
took her name and address.
Say He Was Dragged Down.
about that time my sister, Mrs.
Gertrude Winfield. came to the front
door and Winfield said to her:
wen get you next. Mrs. Winfield
said: My little girl. Marie. has cap
pistol, but we are going to the coun-
try tonight and l guess she can shoot
1t up there With that Winfield came
up the steps and stepped over my
legs, as if he was going into the
house.
Il got up and asked him he had a
warrant to search the house and he
told me to get the H-out of the way
as they were going to collect all cap
pistols. l had my back to the street
and Joiner came up and grabbed me
and dragged me down the steps, at
the same time hitting me over the
head with his club.
"A lady next door ran over and
called to him not to hit me as 1 had
done nothing to deserve such treat
ment. With that he hit her on the
back of the head.
Asserts Woman Was Seized.
Winfield had gone into the house
and had grabbed my sister, and Joiner
then went in. | managed to crawl up
Che steps, when one Of them came out
and again dragged me down and on to
the lawn
II managed to get up the steps
again and went into the house. The
policemen were searching every room
on the first floor. / went into the
Kitchen and my sister started to
bathe my headN The policemen came
up and appeared as if they were
going to hit me again when she
begged them not to. They, however,
threw me to the floor.
My clothing had been torn off and
T asked them to let me get some
clothing before they took me out.
They took me to the police station
and later to the hospital, where 1 re-
ceived treatment l was taken to the
police station and put into cell
Later got out on collateral"
Described As Big Men.
Varying descriptions of the police
men are given by the respective
parties concerned. Mrs. Winfield to-
day said that both are we'll over 200
pounds in weight and of large build,
while Mr.. Ambrose does not weigh
more than 135 pounds. Capt Stoll.
however, denies that the men would
willingly take advantage of their
superior size to bulldoze respectable
citizens.
E"They are two Of the most efficient,
H1ild-mannered, reticent policemen in
my command" he said. IF they used
rough tactics in enforcing the law
they did SO only after unusual provo
cation, and they were perfectly justi-
fed in doing so. The morning of
July 4 / gave my men strict instruc-
tions to inforce the regulations re-
garding fireworks and they had my
orders to stop the firing of cap pistols
I had told them If children refused to
obey the order, to take them to their
parents and inform them of the law.
This is just what Winfield and Joiner
did and one of the mothers launched
into a strong TRADE of indignation.
Neighbors Joined in upbraiding the
policemen for doing what I had told
them to do and the argument became
so heated that my men were threaten
ed and attacked and thereby COM
PEELED to use. physical force and
prefer charges"