Evening star., 1932-05-01
ROVER PROMISES
PROSECUT|ONS|N
ATTACKS ON POLICE
Answers GIassford Letter
and Assures vigorous"
Action.
SUPERINTENDENT CITES
SERIES OF ASSAULTS
Officers Are Handicapped in De-
Tending Their Lives, U. S.
Attorney Told.

A letter from United States Attorney
Leo A. Rover to Gen. Pelham D. Glass
ford, superintendent of police, assuring
the latter that a number of persons
charged with assaults on policemen will
be vigorously prosecuted" was received
by the police head yesterday.
The letter was in reply to one from
Gen. GlaSsford written several days
ago. calling attention to what Gen.
Glassford described as the necessity Of
vigorous prosecution of those who have
assaulted police officers.
Gen. GlaSSford declared a policeman
Is "hedged about with many regula-
tions which practically establish the
rule that he cannot defend his life un-
til he has been placed in absolute jeop-
ardy or suffered injury as the result of
an assault with dangerous weapon"
and then, when it may be too late, he
is given the right to draw his pistol and
defend himself
Describes Recent Assaults.
Gen. Glassford inclosed in his letter
to Rover detailed reports of recent as
saults on four policemen. Gen. Glass
ford then wrote:
Without intending In any way to
influence your office in the prosecution
of assaults on officers or to violate the
ethics, I feel that I would be derelict
in the performance of my duty were
to fail to call to your attention the
necessity for prosecution of the most
vigorous nature and the infection of
the utmost penalty in such cases pro-
vided by law"
Declaring the policeman handicapped
In defending himself, Gen. Glassford's
letter added:
THE enforcement of these rules,
which are laid down in the manual
governing the force and repeated as
saults on officers cannot fail, but detri-
mentally to influence the morale of the
force, and it is for the purpose Of main
tanning the esprit de corps that take
the liberty of bringing these matters
to your attention, knowing that the
thought herein contained will receive
the same courteous consideration as
other suggestions made to you here
tofore by this department.
Prosecutions Pledged.
In reply, Rover outlined the status
of various cases in which assaults on
officers were involved and concluded
by saying: You may rest assured that
all of these pending cases will be vigor-
ously prosecuted"
In the case involving the shooting Of
Officer Thomas D. Bacon in February,
Mr.. Rover's letter stated the defendants,
John Kendrick and Harry Yudelevit. will
come up fer trial before Justice Let's
In Criminal Court next Tuesday after
noon at / 80 o'clock.
In the case involving an assault on
Off1cer George z. Cooper in which he is
said TO have been kicked, the defendant,
Earl Owens, was sentenced to 30 days
in Jail April 27, Rover's letter pointed
out. In the case involving an assault on
Offlcer Luther c. Wise, in which he was
stabbed, the defendant died In Casualty
Hospital April 27, after being shot by
Wise in the Scuf1e.
Telling Of the fourth case, which Gen.
Glassford had referred to, namely, an
assault on Officer Walter D. Perry,
Rover said the defendants, Alfred Will
lians and Thelma Robinson, have de-
manded jury trials and the case is to
come up next Wednesday.