The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-12-15
POLICE METHODS
AT WEST END OF
COUNTY Get JOLT
Agustin Moralez Injured
Internally by Blows

Inc smooth running OF employers
injustice in the west end of Cook
county in the case of the Mexicans
arrested after the shooting affair at
Melrose Park last Tuesday, is being
badly interrupted.
Mary Belle Spencer, attorney for
the Mexican consulate, took q physi-
clan from the John B. Murphy Hospi-
tai to Melrose Park, to make an exa-
mination Of Agustin Moralez, who had
been beaten by the officers who ar
rested him. Mrs. Spencer got the doc
tor into the jail by a ruse. When the
turnkey learned who the man was,
he was greatly enraged and refused
to remove Moralez from the cell. The
doctor thereupon had the prisoner
strip in his cell, and found his body
badly bruised from blows from re-
volvers and brass knuckles. In one
place, the imprint Of the side of a
revolver was plainly visible. In ad-
dition 1t was found that Moralez was
injured internally in the abdomen,
| Win q pdu bdSu Ou Lu6 Shull.
Chief Justice Acts.
On Saturday morning, Mrs. Spencer
appeared before Judge VIM. ]. Lind
say, chief justice of the criminal
courts, and presented informally Mo-
ralez's case. When she informed the
Judge that she intended to have war
rants sworn out against the two Oak
Park policemen who had arrested
Moralez, the judge approved the
move. She also asked that the prison
er's present physical condition be
looked into.
From the courtroom, the lawyer
went to the county Jail. Soon after
she began talking with Moralez there,
he having been transferred from Mel
rose Park, jail official came running
in, saying that Moralez was wanted
at once. He was taken away. When
later Mrs. Spencer asked the cause,
she was pleased to learn that it had
been on orders of the chief justice
himself, who had asked that Moralez
be examined at once by the Jail physi-
clan. The doctor from the Murphy
Hospital, earlier in the week, had
thought that even death might result
from the brutal beating the man had
received. The two Oak Park officers
who arrested Moralez are Larsen and
Lindblad. They are likely to face
charges of assault with a deadly
weapon and assault with intent to
commit murder. aat iha
The Other 80.
The other SO Mexicans arrested at
Melrose Park last Tuesday were TAX
IN to Jail. On that day, when the
Mexican consul was there, he was as
sured by the chief of police that they
would all be released that afternoon.
Instead they were run thru police
court that night, with no lawyer, no
Interpreter, and, so far as they could
understand English, with no witness
heard against them. A fine of $50 and
costs was slapped on all of them. All
out one or two have paid their fines
md are out. When Mrs. Spencer ask
I'd Judge L. DeFranco about it, he
aid that there was strong evidence
hat all were in a conspiracy to start
riot She replied that there had
oeen no disorderly conduct on their
1art-that they were either entirely
innocent or all guilty Of being aces
series to the fact of a murder.
A Test Case.
1t is proposed by the Mexican con-
sui to put up bonds for the appear
ance in court of one who has not yet
paid his fine and carry the case to
the criminal court on an appeal. If
that wins, the case against all, except
Moralez, will fall and the fines will
have to be- refunded.
Meanwhile, Moralez, who is still
suffering badly, will be held in the
county jail, pending the verdict Of the
coroner's jury when it meets at the
adjourned inquest on Jan. 5 at Mel
rose Park.
The entire unfortunate affair, as
stated by The DAILY WORKER,
which has made careful investiga.
lion, seems to have resulted from
fake telephone alarm, which the Mel
rose Park police took without even
asking who was doing the telephon-
ing AS result Officer Stahl is dead,
officer Kolwitz badly wounded, and
untold brutality inflicted on a large
number of Mexicans.
Criminal action will probably also
be taken against members OF the Mel
rose Park police force, for beating
inflicted on some OF the 36, some OF
uhnn, wara hit with hrass knncl.laa .