Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-05
HESSE TO CITE 3
TO TRIAL BOARD
IN BEATING CASE
Police Head Sees No Excuse
for Conduct if Charges
Are True. II
INDICATES MORE POLICE
MAY BE IMPLICATED
Carpenters Tell Story of Alleged
Brutality to Superintendent.
Probe Started.

At least three, and possibly several
other members, of the police party who
broke into the home of William F..
Carpenter last Saturday morning to
arrest his son will be hauled before the
police trial board, Maj. Edwin B. HeSse
superintendent OF police, announced
this afternoon.
The police chief himself will prefer
charges against Sergt. Spottswood
Gravelly and Policeman Rupert Nc
Neill of the third precinct and Police
man M. P. Creel of the fourth precinct.
Whether additional policemen will be
charged depends on the results OF a
further investigation to be made by the
superintendent of police.
After a conversation in his ONCE
this afternoon with Mr.. Carpenter. his
son, Joseph, and their attorney, Harold
Hawkins Mai. Hesse said he could see
no excuse for the conduct of the police"
If Carpenters charges are correct.
Come to Hesse's Office.
The members of the Carpenter
family came to Maj. HesSe's Office at
the latter's request today and related
to him charges they had already made
regarding the conduct of the police
men, who forced their way into the
Carpenter home at 491 H street south
west.
The oficess, Carpenter told Maj.
Hesse came to arrest his son, Joseph,
for the alleged theft of pocketbook.
Although it was subsequently learned
that the officers did have warrant.
they did not show it at the time,
Carpenter said.
He told Mai. Hesse that when he
asked to see the warrant policeman
answered, Never mind about that, We
don't need a warrant for this"
He also described the manner = in
which, he says, the police broke down
the door and assaulted several men,
beers of the family, including Mrs: Car
penter. the two sons and daughter.
Carpenter also told Maj. Hesse that
the officers forced him to walk two
blocks to patrol box in his bare feet,
despite his telling them he had been
sick and feared pneumonia.
The larceny charge against the young
man was nolle pressed on the following
day, when the woman from whom
rocket book was supposed to have been
stolen was unable to identify him. An
assault charge was then placed against
him. Similar charges already had been
preferred against the father and the
elder son, Elmer.
Minimizes Affair.
Mai. Hesse was at first inclined TO
minimize the affair today He had In
his hands a telephone report from
Lieut.. William E. Holmes of the third
precinct. which said in substance, that.
according to information received by
the lieutenant, policemen from the two
precincts had gone to the Carpenter
home with a proper warrant, and mad,
en- some manner unknown to MN,
gained entrance.
The report went on to state that the
mother threw her arms around the
bows neck when the officers started TO
take him away. hindering them from
ACCOMPLISHING their purpose, and that
b general melee resulted.
The report made no reference to the
alleged use of profane language by
police and also failed to mention
whether the officers forced the father to
walk to the patrol box in his bare
feet. Nor was any report made OF the
allegation that the police forced two
girls in the family out into the street
while they were clad only in their night
clothes.
Mai. Hesse said he was reluctant to
brder any investigation until formal
complaint had been made to him by
the Carpenters. He said, however, that
he expected a written report to reach
him some time today"
When Capt. William G. Stott, COM
handing officer of the third precinct,
was asked whether he intended to
make an investigation, he replied that
he considered the affair too trivial to
bother about
Advised that an investigation might
lead him to change his mind, the cap
tain answered that he never changed
his mind once it was made up"
= Mr.. Carpenter, at first had intended
10 90 direct to Representative Gibson,
chairman of. the House District COM
mittee, and lay the facts in the case
before him.
After considering the matter how
ever he changed his mind and decided
to take his complaint to Maj. Hesse, the
aatter being the primary Official con-
cerned.
IT intend to carry this thing through
TO the end" he said, for believe such
Outrages on the part of the police are
a disgrace to the city. When a police
officer grossly abuses the power con-
kerred on him by the citizens, 1t is up
10 the citizens to demand that punitive
measures be taken.
"I know that those officers had no
right to break into my home without
a warrant, and to mistreat and abuse
me and my family because we OBJ
jected to such action, and I am going
to see that they are punished. If
the police officials will not cooperate
with me in this endeavor, I am going
TO appeal to congressional authorities"
The alleged misconduct of the police
men and the profanity used by them
was witnessed and overheard by neigh
bors of Carpenter, who have promised
to testify in his behalf.
When arraigned in court on the as
sault charges, the three members of
their family, through their attorney,
Harold Hawkins, pleaded not guilty
ard demanded Jury trials They are