Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-17
THREE POLICEMEN
CLEARED BY BOARD
Force Used in Arrest Of Jo-
seph Carpenter at His Home
Held Unsuitable.

Dismissal by the Police Trial Board
yesterday of charges brought against
three policemen in Connection with the
arrest February 2 of Joseph Carpenter.
491 H street southwest, brought to an
end a two-day hearing at which more
than a score Of witnesses testified
The accused policemen, Rupert Nc
Neill and S. r. Gravelly Of the third
precinct and M. P. Creel. of the fourth
precinct. were charged with having
used violence on members of the family
when effecting the arrest Of the al
year-old youth at his home, where they
had sought him on a charge Of petty
larceny.
The report of the board, made pub
lie by Mai. Edwin B. Hesse, super
intendent of police, late yesterday aft
ernoon. stated that the accused police
men had been found to have had suf-
ficient justification for seeking the boy,
had entered the Carpenter home justi-
fiably after having been refused adj
mittance upon exhibiting a warrant
and had met force with force. and used
only such methods as were necessary
to make the arrest.
Refuses to Testify.
Harold F. Hawkins. attorney for the
Carpenter boy, brought the trial to ali
abrupt conclusion yesterday when he
refused to testify after having been
called as a witness for the prosecution.
The lawyer was emphatic in his re-
fusal to talk and informed members OF
the trial board that he would do so
only under pressure.
More than half dozen witnesses for
the compliments, some of them neigh
bors, testified to the commotion and
screaming by women that took place in
the Carpenter home the night of Jo-
seph's arrest and said they witnessed
from their bedroom windows officers
beating Joseph, his father, William F.
Carpenter, and 25-year-old brother
Elmer, when placing them under ar
rest. The policemen, the witnesses tes-
titled, also marched the elder Carpenter
through the streets more than two
blocks to police box clad only in a
nightsflirt and his trousers.
Barbara, 18-year-old sister Of Joseph,
testified that the three officers and
other members of their party, after
breaking down the front door of their
home, rushed into the house and, aft
er her father refused to deliver Joseph
to them. proceeded to WELD blackjacks
and nightsticks and beat the resisting
parents into submission. Mrs. Carpen-
ter, the mother, said Gravelly hit her,
and the father also had previously told
the trial board members that the officers
had failed to exhibit a warrant for his
Nd Nxy1an44 In inf
them he had been instructed by his
attorney to admit no one, they broke
down the door and took possession or
the house.
Police Record Disclosed.
Headquarters detectives preceded the
three defendants to the stand at yes
terday's hearing and testified to
Joseph's police record, which, they say,
includes arrest on Is occasions for the
theft Of pocketbooks and his conviction
six times on the same charges.
All of the accused policemen, with the
exception of Creel, said they saw no
one struck at any time on the night OF
the arrest and denied strenuously en-
gaging in any rough tactics or using
violence in taking The boy into custody
They said that when the boys brother
Elmer, and his father attempted to frus-
trate their efforts to take Joseph, they
placed them under arrest for interior
ing with an arresting officer.
Creel made the only admission Of
striking any one during the trial, when
he admitted hitting Joseph over the
head with his night stick when he
entered the house and saw Gravelly get
ting the worst Of a struggle with one
Of the Carpenters.
Attorneys e. Russell Kelly and James
A. O'Shea appeared for the policemen.