Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-12-02
LIQUOR INVOLVED
IN BEATING CASE
Woman Says Detective Ac-
cused of Brutality Had
Been Drinking.
Continued From First Page J

sell Kelly, who. with Attorney Harry
Whelan, is representing Barrett.
Kelly said the defense would admit
that the officers waited for Baber
In his apartment. He declared, how
ever, that 1t would be shown there was
no brutal assault; that Barrett merely
grabbed him as he opened the door.
He said the defense would introduce
testimony to show that Baber'S face
bore no marks or bruises after his
arrest.
We will show you members of the
jury" the attorney said, that Officer
Barrett acted in the belief he was ar
resting dangerous murderer. We do
not contend now that Baber had any
connection with the crime, but we will
show that Detective Barrett had good
reason to believe at that time that he
was the guilty party"
Employer Takes Stand.
The first two witnesses called by the
Government were Police Capt II. H.
Grove and H. B. Seacrist, chief clerk
Of the Detective Bureau. They merely
Identified official rotations of Baber's
arrest.
Another Government witness, Cor
nelius j. Morris, a supervisor for the
Standard Oil Co., testified that Baber
had been employed by his company at
a filling station at Eleventh street and
Park road. He said he saw the youth
there on the afternoon of April 6, and
that his face bore no marks at that
time. He said he next saw Baber on
April 9, after he had been released by
the police, and that his upper lip.
eyes and the right side of his face were
bruised and swollen at that time.
Saw Face Bleeding.
William H. Sheets, manager Of the
gas station at which Baber worked,
testified that he found Barrett and
Baber in the Belmont street apart
ment on the night Of April and that
Baber's face was bleeding Sheets said
he drove Baber to the apartment house,
following closing of the gas station
at 10 o'clock Baber went into the
building, carrying small package in
his hand, which he said contained
magazines, the witness declared in re-
Spouse to questions by Mr.. Richards.
Sheets said that few minutes later,
while he was waiting for Baber to
come out, two men in plain clothes who
said they were policemen walked up to
his car. inquired what he was doing
there and to, him he was under arrest.
They ordered him to follow them into
the apartment, Sheets testified The wit
ness said that when they entered the
apartment where Baber was, Baber was
standing in the middle of the floor with
handkerchief covered with blood
against his face.
Just as they entered the apartment.
Sheets stated, Barrett came. cut OF the
bed room in his shirt sleeves. Later
t1ynr tnlr tfotI
headquarters car and taken to head
quarters. He said that when he saw
Baber the next morning at police head
quarters his eyes were discolored and his
nose and lips swollen.
Under croSs-examination by Defense
Attorney Kelly. Sheets admitted that
he was not sure that Barrett was not
one OF the two detectives who placed
him under arrest. He later testified
that Detective Van D. Hughes was one
OF the two arresting officers end that
the other one was slightly taller than
Hughes. Kelly showed Sheets a photo
graph taken of Baber at police head
quarters on the morning OF October 7
and Sheets said it accurately portrayed
the injuries to Baber he had described
to the jury.
Sober Trial Opens.
Policeman Sober of the second pre-
cinct went on trial before Justice F. D.
Let's in Criminal Division No 2 this
afternoon, charged with an assault on
Arthur T. Paul, colored, IA, on August
The colored boy was the first witness
put on by the prosecution.
The government was represented bv
Assistant United States Attorney John
J. Sirlca and the defense by Attorney
James A. OShea.
In his opening statement to the iury
Sirica offered to show that Sorber
str5lck Paul several times with his fists.
knocking him down, and then kicked
him Sirica said his witnesses would
prove that when the boy got to his feet
Sorber again assaulted him and caused
his head to strike brick wall.
Boy Was Acquitted.
The prosecutor said he would at
tempt to show that Paul then was ar
rested on charge of taking property
without right, and, after being held at
the second precinct for several hours
was sent to Freedmen's Hospital and
treated there for a laceration over his
right eye. Later, Sirica stated, Paul
was found not guilty by Judge Kath-
ryn Sellers in Juvenile Court,
The Governments witnesses will tes-
tify, the jury was told, that the as
sault was occasioned by Paul going to
Sorbers automobile, parked in an al
ley in the vicinity of the o Street Mar
ket. to. get light for a cigarette,
sorber found Paul leaning into the car,
Sirica declared, and accused him of
stealing articles from it.
OShea reserved making his opening
statement to the jury until the Cow
eminent had closed its case.
A jury was qualified in less than
nall an hour, the Government exercis-
ing one and the defense two peremp-
tory challenges
Indications were that the case would
consume all afternoon and run over
tn tomorrow