Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-04
3 POLICE INDICTED
|. IN BRUTALITY CASE
Grand Jury Accuses Men of
Using Third Degree
on Prisoners.
Continued From First Page.)


indicted were mot read in court
The ceremonies of reporting the in
dictments were devoid of the spectac-
ular and there was no large crowd at
the court house to witness the pro-
ceedings. Apparently there were no
policemen present in the court room.
Perry. Latin and Mostyn remained
OShea and then went directly to the
clerks Office to give bond. Mostyn,
Latin, Grooms and Burroughs already
are under suspension from the police
force. Perry was suspended as soon as
the Indictment was reported
All the indictments were in cases re-
garded by Department of Justice in
vestigators as typical of the third de-
gree" The attacks are alleged to have
occurred in the first precinct station
house within a space Of two days and to
have been made in an effort to compel
the prisoners to confess TO crimes of
which they were suspected.
Although the attack on Harker is al
legged to have taken place at an hour
when Inspector Louis j. Stoll and Capt.
w. E. Holmes presumably were in the
captains Office, adjoining the so-called
"third-degree ROOM" the grand jury had
\ TO comment to make in that connec-
4 On. Stoi and Holmes were questioned
ia t before the grand jury adjourned
yea terday afternoon.
Indictment Charges Assault.
Tia indictment in the Harker case
reciteA that Detective MoStyn and
Policen zen Latin, Burrough and Grooms
with 4 rec and arms in and upon one
James II Harker, then and there being,
feloniousA and unlawfully did make an
assault w h certain dangerous weapon,
to wit, piece OF rubber hose, in the
right hand of him, the said James A.
Mostyn" ana that the four officers,
using the "sA d dangerous weapon then
and there felN riously and unlawfully did
strike beat, y Use and wound the said
James H. HarLA against the peace
and Government of the United States"
A second couu, in the Harker case
declared that the, four policemen then
wound and Ill trcA and inflict other
wrongs and injuries\ upon Harker.
Alleee johnson Was Beaten.
The grand jurors al ged that Walter
johnson was attacked by MoStyn and
Latin on the day of IL Harker Incl
dent. The indictment ga inst this pair
charged that they did UNA awfully make
an assault" and with \their hands
did beat, wound and ill-treN t" johnson
| and commit other wront3 and in
juries" johnson first told his story
to Star reporter and the Ainvestiga-
ton followed.
Preston Brooks, the third ina 'ctment
charged, was assaulted by 1ostyn
alone, also that day. The deta ctive,
it is charged with his hands did
beat, wound and ill-treat" Brooks.
Two counts were handed 90 Wn
against Policeman Perry. The in st
charges that cry "feloniously arA
I 10 yfil 10
a certain dangerous weapon, to wit. I
a wooden club and that he used the ]
club to strike, beat bruise and wound I
the said John F. Miller"
The second count charged that !
Perry did unlawfully make en- assault" /
on Miller and with his hands did beat |
wound and ill-treat" Miller.
HOUSEKEEPING Charged Ignored.
The grand jury, at the same time, !
ignored charges of HOUSEKEEPING and |
theft lodged against Harker by pol &c, |
following his alleged forced confession :
nearly two weeks ago. Harker was !
brought before the grand jury on the |
burglary charges more than week |
before he was called to testify against |
his police accUsers.
Conviction Carries 10 Years.
The charges against Mostyn, Latin, !
Burroughs and Grooms in the Harker
case carry with them. on conviction. !
maximum sentences of 10 years in the
penjtentiary. The charge against |
Policeman Perry also is rated as a
felony and would subject an offender, |
if convicted, to possible Imprisonment !
| for 10 years. The charges against !
| MoStyn and Latin in the other two !
cases involved simple assault" con- |
viction OF which would mean possible !
penalty of not more than one year /
in prison.
Harker Charge Brought Probe.
The third degree inquiry resulted !
/ from the airing of brutality charges
| against first precinct police by Harker |
| and his attorney, S. McCom'S Hawken. |
Earker waS arrested as a suspect IN !
burglary case and taken to the first pre-
| cinct station house abCut 3 O'Clock IN |
| the morning He wss released late the !,
next night in custody of the attorney.
Harker promptly charged that he had |
| been beaten and otherwise coerced into
confession Dr. H. Watson M~ffett j
was called to examine the young man !
| and found he was suffering with badly
bruised and swollen left eye and nu- /.
| merous bruises and welts on the body
Press photographs showing these hurts
were exhibited ID the grand jury.
The furore caused by HarkerS charges |
| caused Mai. Pratt to direct Inspector |
StoN to make an investigation. AT this !
| time 1t was not generally known that !
| Inspector Stol had been in the once
of Capt Holmes. precinct -mmander,
about the time of the alleged beating. /
Took Written Statements.
Inspector Stoll took written state
ments from each of the policemen ac-
cused by Harker and also from all
| other officers attached to the precinct. !
| 1t is understood the grand jury was ad-
| vised that Stoll did not question any OF
| these policemen personally, but asked
| Capt. Holmes TO have his men prepare
STATE mentS.
Stoll presented to Mai Pratt a report
admitting that Harker had been badly !
beaten either just before or subsequent
to his arrest He incloSed the written
police statements, all of them denying
any knowledge of the attack on Harker !
, or of any third-degree practices what
ever, but recommended that four po-
| llcemen be suspended. Maj Pratt sus- !
pended the four accused policemen ;
pending further Investigation
Reichelderfer Takes Hand.
The probe aroused DR.. Luther H. |
Reichelderfer, president OF the Board OF
| Commissioners, and w. w. Bride, COR
| poration counsel, who went to the |
White House and appealed to President /
| Hoover for Federal assistance in going |
| to the bottom of the third-degree |
| charges. The President arranged Tor |
them to confer with Acting Attorney
! General Thatcher. !
Following a conference with Thacher
| and Director Hoover Of the Bureau OF |
Investigation, Thatcher announced that
the Department of Justice would launch |
an immediate and vigorous" inVcStl- |