Evening star., 1925-01-18
NEW TRIAL BOARD
HEARS POLICE CASE
Alleged MaItreatment of PriS'
oner Charged Against
J. K. HoWeS.

Another case of alleged maltreat-
ment of a prisoner by local police was
probed by the police trial board yes
terday, when it began the considera-
tlon of charges against Pvt. j. X.
HoWes of No. 9 precinct. which grew
out of the arrest of A. H Fowler jr.,
during the course of a fire Christmas
evening at 715 Eighth street north
east Howes is charged with conduct
prejudicial TO good order and police
discipline, the specification alleging
that, without reason or just cause, he
arrested Fowler, handled him like a
criminal. threw him into the patrol
wagon, using vile and filthy language,
and that he beat the prisoner when
he reached the police station.
Only four witnesses for the prose
cution-A. II. Fowler, jr.; w L.
Fowler, his brother; Mrs. Hattie
Moore, at whose home the incident is
alleged to have taken place, and her
daughter, Miss Maize Moore-were
heard yesterday. The trial will be
resumed Thursday morning at 10
o'clock at No. police station.
Police Charges Dismissed.
Fowler was charged in the Police
Court with interfering with firemen
) In the performance of duty and of
dSSauItlhS policeman. These
charges were dismissed after trial.
A. II. Fowler, jr.. first took the
stand and testified, on direct eXamf-
nation, that firemen turned him over
TO Policeman Howes and said he was
interfering with the work of the fire
men. He asserted that Howes i'm
mediately threw his left arm around
his neck and grabbed one of his
wrists, making at the time certain
T1r Dr-l-
carried to the patrol wagon, he said.
and thrown in bodily by the officer
AT this point, he said, his brother
came up and offered him his hat,
whereupon Howes, he said, again
cursed him.
He cursed him again while the
wagon was on the way to the sta
tion, he testified, and when it reached
NO. 3 station he asserted Howes again
attacked him in the wagon and threw
him out, where he landed on his side
on the pavement. At this time, he
said, his brother came up But that
did not deter Howes, who, he testi-
fed, Immediately jumped on him and
began beating him with his baton.
He could give the board no reason
for the attack, saying that he had
not abused the officer in any way
He said he merely told the ffremen
that they could not reach the roof
of the building through the roof of
the house they were in. The fire was
in chimney.
Brother Tells of Difficulty.
Fowler's brother when called to
the stand, testified substantially TO
the same points as to being thrown
in the wagon at the scene of the fire
he he
a few moments behind the wagon
Howes was in the wagon 'pummel-
ing him.
He said he attempted to interfere
to stop the beating, but the patrol
wagon driver, a negro, whose name
was not given in the testimony, grab
bed him and threw him against the
wall.
On cross examination, the witness
testified that his brother had two
bruises on the head and one on the
wrist. Attorney Bertrand Emerson,
defense counsel, had difficulty in get
ting him to answer the questions di-
rectly, and during the course of the
examination referred to his brother
as a police fighter"
The witness testified that Howes
threw his brother out of the wagon
and landed on top of him. He was
replied in the negative.
rs that the testimony you want
this board to believer" ed Attor-
ney Emerson.
Yes
Then I have no further questions"
Mrs. Moore testified that the fire
men came to her house and attempted
10 get to the roof. The first group
of firemen had come and left, find
ing they could not reach the roof and
a second group came. She testified
the latter were very rought and were
using rough language She said she
neither saw nor heard any difference
between Fowler and the firemen The
first she knew of his arrest was
when her daughter told her.
Miss Moore then was called She
said that Howes had Fowler around
the neck, and it appeared he was
choking the man to death. He held
him by his head, off the ground, she
testified, while they were going to the
patrol wagon, which was on the op-
posite side of the street
His toes only touched the ground
every six feet or so. she told the
board. She did not hear the police
man ask the ffremen why they wanted
Fowler arrested.
Nearly a score of other witnesses
are 10 be heard in the case.
The newly constituted trial board
is sitting in this case, consisting of
William H. Wahly, assistant corpora
tion counsel of the District, presi-
dent; Capt Ernest W. Brown of No.
i precinct, and Capt. Martin Riley
OF NO. precinct.