The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-09-15
CHARGE AGAINST
POLICEMAN
CHANGED

Samuel A. MacNei1. taxi.driver
today executed a complete about
face and again placed serious
charges against Policeman r. w.
Daniels. whom he had previously
charged with assaulting him and
then refused to testify against him
at the Police Trial Board.
MacNeil yesterday made state
ment to Lieut.. Hugh Groves, night
| Inspector of the police force, in
which he declared that he had re-
fused to testify against the police
man because the latter threatened
to have him convicted of third Of
Tense speeding.
This new charge Is of such seri-
Gus nature. that Walter l.. Fowler
assistant corporation counsel, and
legal guide of the newly reorgan-
lied Police Trial Board. plans TO
have the entire matter thoroughly
aired before that body.
Conduct Called Strange
at seems strange" Mr.. Fowler
said. that a man would refuse to
testify because his own testimony
might have been self-incriminating
ana lflSH +. turn pl0CC
such a charge.
HE must realize, of course, that
he will have To testify this time.
He failed to answer four summons
to arpear against the officer and
the case against the policeman was
finally thrown out when MacNeI
claimed his constitutional rights
and refused to testify.
L. -. 1tHA.
man in jeopardy again. This case
will be gone into thoroughly and
settled once and for all.
1.-THE charge that a policeman
would threaten a citizen, who is
merely exercising his rights, by
telling him he would see that he
was convicted of an offense calling
for Jail sentence, revocation of
lie arse or other punisnments, is
very serious II the policeman did
intilnidate MacNeil he should be
made to pay dearly for it,"
Continued Four Times
The case against Daniels was
brought by MacNeil after the for
mer is alleged to have threatened
his service revolver at him and to
nave DhIltd IAIC LIBEL hN s1hh
failed to fire, however.
1t was continued four times be-
cause MacNeil, the complaining wit
mass. failed to appear. On the fifth
hearing, MacNeiI went to the Trial
Board, took the oath. and then exer-
cised his constitutional privilege Of
refusing TO testify on the ground
that he might incriminate himself.
The case against Daniels then was
dismissed.
The case was necessarily presented
in round "a bout manner. Because
of the absence of prosecution wit
nesses the defense placed its csc
first. 1t was shown by the defense,
and never refuted by the prosecu-
lion, that Daniels was sober and
that he offered to help another
policeman search an office that had
been found to be open early in the
morning. A park policeman re-
fused to arrest Daniels when the
cab driver charged him with being
drunk.
Recommends Dismissal
The rev trial board. holding it's
first sessions yesterday, recon-
mended dismissal from the force Of
Policeman r. r. Smith. of the
ISHIh pIScluClp VINO was CIldIbSh
with desertion.
Charges against Lieut.. J. T..
Bowers and Sergt. r. f. Hood, of
the Thirteenth precinct. for failure
to arrest for intoxication Police.
man J. II. Turner, also of the same
precinct, were dismissed.
Charges of intoxication and fail
ure to properly patrol his beat
against Policeman w. F. Fey, Of
the Ninth precinct, were dismissed,
as were charges of conduct unhe-
coming an officer placed against
Chester A. Bailey, of the Second
precinct.
The cases OF Frederick A. Schenck.
OF the Sixth precinct, who is
charged with two cases of conduct
prejudicial TO the good name of the
police force. and a similar charge
against Policeman G.. B. Vaughn,
Of the Ninth precinct. were con
tinued. One complete case against
Schenck was heard and the remain
Ing case continued unt1l next Thurs
day. No decision has been an
nounced in the former case.