Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-09
Taxi Operator Claims He Is
Friend of Representative
De Priest.
LEGISLATOR ADVISED
ACTION, HE ASSERTS
Police Sergeant Did Not Hurl
Epithet at Cab Driver,
Witness Declares.

Celebrating less than 10 minutes the
Police Trial Board today exonerated
Sergt. John H, B. Swain of the eleventh
precinct, charged with conduct pre-
judicial to the good reputation of the
department as an outgrowth of his In
vestigation of an automobile accident,
during which he was ch - with hav-
ing referred to Theodore lsevelt Tay-
lor colored, 25 years old, OF 631 Harvard
road southeast, as a Negro"
Swain denied the charge and also said
he had permitted Taylor to explain his
version of the mishap, which resulted
in Taylors arrest June 8. Witnesses
backed his story.
The case against Swain was instituted
by Taylor on what he said was the adj
vice of Representative oscar DePriest,
colored member Of the House from Illi-
nois. Taylor told reporters he was
close friend of Representative DePriest
Witness Clears Officer.
G. E. Veirs, shipping clerk of ASIA
Fifth street, the other party in the
crash, appeared Is defense witness. He
explained he was driving east on Ben
ming road northeast when his machine
collided with telephone pole and then
riccocheted into Tayor's car. He said
the accident was due to the carelessness
of Taylor.
Veirs said Swain was courteous. re
asserted he did not see the policeman
handle Taylor roughly, as the latter
charged also.
Mrs. Viers, her daughter Doris and
Harry McAlliSter, who we're with Viers
at the time, all testified for Swain. They
said he showed Taylor every considera-
ton until he insisted ION talking too
much"
Taylor, appearing a the first wit
ness against Sergt Swain, testified
he was driving east on Benning road
northeast at 10 miles an hour when
he noticed another automobile ap-
preaching him from behind as he
started to turn into Forty fourth street
He said he continued along Benning
road for fear of being struck by the
other machine.
/ Says He Held Out Hand.
The witness said regardless of the
fact that he failed to make the turn,
the other car crashed into a telephone
pole and then struck the rear end of
his automobile. He said he was hold
ing out of his hand when he approached
Forty-fourth street
Taylor testified Sergt. Swain arrived
OAA viz SNSAAC oAACAbly dlJCI
and began questioning the driver of the
other automobile. He added that Swain
Immediately ordered him to go sit in
MS machine. He said he obeyed the
instructions. A few moments later he
started back to the spot where the
sergeant was talking to the other driver.
When Sergt. Swain saw me coming :"
Taylor said, ''he rushed at me, grabbed
me by the seat of the pants and showed
me back into my car, telling me to get
PACK In there, you - Negro In
doing so he hurt my back"
Fined on Permit Charge.
Taylor said he was removed to the
eleventh precinct few minutes later
without being given an opportunity TO
learn the identity of the other driver
or to explain his side of the accident.
lie was charged with reckless driving
and failure to exhibit a drivers permit.
lie said he was eXonerated in Police
Court few days later on the reckless
driving charge and fined SO on the
permit charge.
While Taylor was on the stand ne
was accused by Joseph Kelly, attorney
Tor Swain, and members of the Trial
Board with changing his story. Can't.
y. I. Davis, a member of the board,
engaged in an argument with Taylor
when the witness testified on cross-ex-
animation that the machine which
struck his car had hit his automobile
before colliding with the telephone pole.
the captain had the stenographer read
carrier testimony of Taylor in which
ne had said the machine struck the
telephone pole first. Capt. William g.
Stott, another member of the board
also argued with Taylor over several
details.
illustrates" Testimony.
Taylor illustrated his testimony by
pushing two toy automobiles I'D and
down on a three-foot square chart
AT one point in answer to question
by Kelly Taylor testified Il was doing
most of the talking"
Kelly brought this out in an effort
to prove the contention of Swain that
1t had been necessary to order Taylor
to his machine because he would give
no one else an opportunity to talk.