The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-24
ST. LOUIS DICKS
BRUTALITY BEAT
LAD TO DEATH
His Mothers Agonized
Cries Infatuated Brutes
BY MARTIN A. DILLMON.
Stan Cnrresnnndenf ~ Rndarntnd Pre-.

| Of Claud Mitchell by city detectives
when the unfortunate lads broken
hearted mother took the witness
chair.
Mitchell was fatally attacked by
detectives last week. who say he
attempted to escape after his auto
mobile had figured in a minor colh-
sion. The accident was so slight
that no damage or personal injuries
resulted. The officers claim young
Mitchell failed to heed their COM
mand to halt. They pursued him a
distance of one block where a num-
Der of officers joined the chase and
opened pistol fire on him. Five
blocks from the scene Of the COLI
sion. Mitchell reached his home,
ahghted from his car and fell to the
sidewalk, wounded by one of the
bullets.
In front of the home, Mrs. Nit
chell charges, detectives set upon
her wounded son and fatally beat
him with the butts Of their pistols,
the effects from which be died soon
afterwards at the city hospital.
Evidently the police picked wit
nesses with caution. Of a score Of
witnesses to the attack, the police
summoned one. Fourteen came vol
UNFAIRLY to testify. The pathetic
testimony of Mrs. Mitchell brought
many spectators to tears as she re-
cited the events which robbed her of
her son and chief support.
II was in bed," she told the
coroner's jury, when suddenly /
ran to the window at the front of
the house. | saw three men beating
q man VINO was on the pavement.
They were kicking and punching
him and stamping on him. They
just kept it up.
Finally" she said as she clenched
her wrinkled hands and choked back
sobs, Il saw that they were beating
my boy. | ran out in my night
gown and cried, You're beating my
boy! Stop! You're beating my
boyv One Of the men grabbed me
and threw me against the side of
the house. How in the hell do YOU
know it's your boy?' he scpwled at
me. My boy was on his hands and
knees and / took his head in my
arms. 'Oh, Claud,' said, they've |
killed you-they've killed my boy
"They grabbed me again." con-
tinued the scantily clad little mother,
whose weight is below 100 pounds, |
"and they pulled me away from nv
boy. They threw him down on the |
sidewalk. | could hear him moaning,
ooh, Lord, oh, Lord over and over |
again.
"'You've got to let me help my
boy cried, but one of the detec-
tives said, Get to hell out of here
or we'll arrest you | told them l |
wanted to be with my boy on the
way to the hospital, but they told
me, Get to hell away from here
They picked up Claud, dragged him
to their machine and threw him on
the back seat. He was all crumpled |
up and bloody, and / ran to the ma
chine to be with him. They showed |
me back and l fell 20 the sidewalk.
Then they took my boy away"
Unidentified Killers.
Asked if she could identify her
sons assailants from the detectives
present, she pointed out Detective
Sergeant Linder and Detectives
Moran and Hefele in the courtroom
as the sluggers.
Detectives on the stand sought to
strengthen their case by telling Of
the finding in Mitchell's car three
bottles which contained "wine and
whisky" Young Mitchell was an
employe of furniture store, and
his mother contends the bottles
found were furniture polish contain
ers. Circuit Attorney Sidner testi--
fed he examined the bottles. ,Onn1
of them, he said, contained what
appeared to be furniture polish and
the other two were empty.
No Whisky in Car.
Edward Lietner, whose car the
detectives commandeered to chase ,
was probably a surprise
witness so far as the police were /
He said he remained in
his car upon arriving on the scene, H
for fear of being shot. He said he
saw "ten men jump on Mitchell like
SO many flies on fly paper"
The inquest has been continued
further investigation of the
affair. At police headquarters there
are indications Of desire to white
wash the slugger-detectives. The
police board has ordered "thoro
Investigation and says conviction I
of the officers will cost them their
Jobs. 1t is recalled, however, that
previous probes of cases of this
nature have not resulted in convic-
ions.
Must Not Fraternize.
Seemingly, the spirit Of the brute I,
md autocrat is necessary qualifi- J
,ation for the rank of commanding /
,fficer on the st. Louis police force.
t is reported several sargeants arc 1
o be reduced in rank, one Of the
complaints being that the sergeants
n question pal with the patrolmen
lnder them"