Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-25
FOUR l.ST PRECINCT
POLICE SUSPENDED
Action Follows Report of
Probe of Charges Of Beat
ing by Officers.
fcOntinned Prom First Page1


done greater injustice than he has
In either case, I believe that Har-
ker did break into 72T North Capitol
street and get this money, but, even if
he did, the officers had no right. legally
or morally, to abuse or beat a prisoner
to get an admission Of guilt, and when
he does he defeats the very purpose
for which he is striving. namely, TO
obtain evidence enough to convict and
clear up crimes II It is proven that
BARKER was beaten up by suy one in
order 10 ret . confession he viii doubt
less be acquitted. regardless Of how
guilty he may be, and In that case
the general public win be the sufferer.
necsmmends Suspension.
EN- view Of All the facts heretofore
developed in this case, recommend
that Pvts. James A. Mustyn, w. G.
Gr00mes, William r. Latin and w. T.
Burroughs be suspended.
Il understand that this case is to go
hefU1e the grand Jury ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
ing. "Wednesday. August 26, 1881, and
undoubtedly. after the notOrtty it has
received Il VII look INTO al angles Of
the case.
II am recommending the suspension
Of these men as Moxtyn was picked out
as the man who did the beating-the
others were IN the room at the time,
and II this man was beaten up by a
member Of this department in their
presence consider them equally guilty"
Frssenens aEake Charges.
Two Of the three new charges to-day
were made BY prisoners Of the District
jail, both of whom declared they were
severely beaten while held for tnVesta-
gataon ut the police station.
One OF the prisoners, Robert Z.
Martz, 20, charged with frst-x1egree
murder in the fatal shooting Of Irwin
Zfrkle IN n Ninth street pool room sew
eral months ago. declared tive first pre-
circt detectives beat him internationally
fhruugaout the night of his arrest.
The other prisoner, Frederick G.
Sampson, %, charged with housebTeak-
ing and larceny, asserted he and TWO
ufker men were beaten by the same
detectives several times day for three
days.
Third Case Investigated.
Mai. Pratt said today that the case
of a third prisoner-Henry johnson
was under Investigation. johnson Is
said 10 have complained that on Au-
gust 3, while detained IT the police
station, be was beaten.
Inspector Eton worked on the case
unt1 midnight last night and Was stAl
busy interviewing witnesses TO-DAY, al
though this Is his Day on. All Of the
oficers named signed afhdaFitz that
Harker had received no harsh treat
ment during his questioning. Thus Tar,
however. there is nothing To account
for the manner IN which Harker, during
the IL hours he spent at the station,
rot n black eye. O badly bruised ear.
rcd welts on his back from neck 10
waist, q cut on the top Of his head and
a line OF cuts and bruises down his
left shin.
Pratt Interviews Harker.
Harker identifled Mostyn and Laflin
as the men who beat him and said that
Burroughs and Groones were present
while the beating was being admins
tered. Mai Pratt. VINO interviewed Har-
ker yesterday. said TODAY that there was
no doubt In his mind that Harker had
been subjected TO terrible beating. al
though he could not say where or when
he received II.
Assuming. however that he was beat
en- In the station, Mai Pratt said it
would make no difference which OF the
officers did the beating and which
stood by-ahat ne would consider them
an equally guilty.
In signed statement made TO The
Star today, Martz declared two FIRST
precinct detectives beat him with their
Sasts repeatedly in an effort to make
him say he had SHOT zirkie intention
ally.
PuIscA Hair From Head.
Martz said he insisted the shooting
WeS accidental but the officers bloodied
his nose and pummeled him about the
faee every Is minutes or 50 thr0uR hoH
the night. One Of them pulled hts
tlair with one hand. he said, while he
punched with with the other. He pull
ed out . handful of hair" Martz added.
Sampson said he and two other men
we're picked up at Fifteenth and +
streets on the night Of May 25 and ac-
cused of having attempted TO break
into \ Fifteenth street Jewelry store.
At the station, he asserted. he ana
his companions were beaten by two de-
tecttves and a uniformed policeman.
The detectives joined in beating him,
Sampson said, one Of them punching
ore side Of his face while the other
pummeled the other side.
One Of the detectives was armed with
a broomstick and the other with .
saved -oH pool cue. Sampson said. Al
though they threatened him with the
clubs, he said, they did not use them on
him. They did strike the ether men
with the clubs, however, he asserted.
Heard Companions Yell.
Il know they beat them" he said
ssberause ! heard them yell" Aside
from his signed statement, Sampson
asserted une Of HIS companions was