Evening star., 1925-03-12
LIEUTENANT DENIES
BEATING. PRISONER
Pierson Says He Was Not in
Station When Alleged As
sauIt Took Place.

Joseph W. Pierson, lieutenant OF
police. on the witness stand in Grim
inal Division ]. before Justice Ho.h-
ling and jI today, vehemently
denied that he took part in an al
legged assault on Arthur "A. Davis
while the latter was a prisoner in
the seventh precinct September q
last. Pierson said the only knowl-
edge he has OF the alleged assault is
from the testimony before the trial
board and at the present trial. The
lieutenant insisted that he was not
in the station between ! and 2 O'Clock
on the morning of September -, at
which time Davis claimed a sack was
thrown over his head and he was
beaten with blackjacks and a rubber
hose.
The lieutenant, who with Pvt.
Ralph G. Proctor is on trial under
an Indictment charging an assault
with a dangerous weapon, detailed
his movements on the night in ques
tion from the time of his arrival at
the station at 1880 o'clo until his
trick of duty ended at 5 o'clock.
Denies Alleged Remark.
On cross-exa mination by United
States Attorney FINELY, Pierson de-
MED that he had a conversation about
1:45 with q man named Caldwell at
the Connecticut lunchroom, when
the lieutenant is supposed 10 have
| said that IL Davis was his brother
he would be in favor of hanging him,
He also denied that ne had remarked
TO Caldwell that he feared to go back
to see Davis because he would be
| sure TO paddle" him The man,
Caldwell was asked to stand. and
Pierson said he knew him well but
gain denied that he had made the
| statement attributed to him.
Examined by his counsel, Attorney
W. E Leahy, Pierson declared he is
45 years old and has been on the po-
| lice force more than 20 years. He
/ talked with Davis after the latter
had been placed in a cell and asked
him what was the trouble with Mus
selman. Davis denied that he had
struck Musselman, Pierson said, and
he then remarked, We'll if that is
/ the way you feel about it, | Will get
some one to identify you"
Pierson then turned the key TO the
| cellroom over to the desk sergeant
he stated, with directions not to let
any one go back there until he re-
| turned with the person he thought
could make the Identification. The
! witness explained that a s the usual
course when suspect denies guilt.
At this conversation Davis had tes-
tihed that Pierson cursed him and
declared, We have you Pierson de-
MED using any profanity and did not
make any threats, he said. He ad-
mitted ordering the other prisoners
from that cell to be taken to No. 3
precinct, but declared he was car
rying out the orders of Capt Bean
and had no "ulterior motive in re-
moving the prisoners.
| Visit of Wife.
| Pierson then told of seeking iden-
tification of Davis as the assaila Mt
of Musselman and arriving a the
home of Mrs Eva May Dove. who
went with him to the station. Mrs.
Dove was in the captains room walt
ing to have Davis shown to her when
the wife of Davis and his sister Vis-
tied the station, said Pierson. Mrs
Davis asked to see her husband and
was told If there was any particular
reason for the visit she would be
permitted but when she would not
tell why she wanted to see him her
request was denied This is the
usual custom of the precinct, said the
| lieutenant.
The accused oficer declared he
could not recall telling Mrs. Davis
that she might go home or walk the
streets" as testified by her. He de-
cIared that after the Identification OF
Davis by Mrs. Dove he took the latter
in the captains car back TO her home
and stopping at the Connecticut
lunchroom, picked up Sergt. Belt and
| conveyed him TO his home on Belt
! road Pierson said he looked at. the
clock as he was leaving the station
with Mrs Dove and it registered ] !
minutes to l o'clock. When he re
turned after leaving Sergt. Belt at
the latter's home, it was am, he de
clared Leaving orders with Proctor,
who was alone with the desk ser
geant in the precinct, to call him It
O'Clock, Pierson said he went TO bed
He was awakened by Proctor about I
o'clock, he stated, and told that Davis
was complaining of pains in his side
He directed his removal to the hos
pital and ordered the desk sergeant
to accompany Proctor and the pris-
oner.
This detail left the station un2uard- :
ed, so the lieutenant dressed and took
charge of the desk, he stated In
| proof of that part of his testimony he
Identified the record of calls at am.
on the blotter as in his handwriting.
A number of witnesses, including
prominent merchants OF Georgetown.
LAWYERS and fellow officers. testifie ed
to the good regulations of Pierson
and Proctor.