Evening star., 1932-01-20
W|TTSTATT SAYS
He WAS IN ERROR
IN SIGNED REPORT
Testifies at Brutality Trial
That He Had Seen Boy
in Station House.
DENIES SEEING TRIO
STANDING ON TOES
Lieutenant Tells Attorney He
Heard No Shouts While Youths
Were Being Held.

Lieut.. John T. Wittstatt who, on
September IL, signed statement deny
ing he had any knowledge Of the ques-
tioning of William McKeever Williams,
17-year fold colored prisoner, admitted
today at the trial of third degree
charges against Charles r. Bremmer-
mann and Hollis H. Clark, Supended
members of the second precinct, that
he had seen the boy in the precinct
station while he was being interrogated
by the two policemen.
The admission was drawn from Lieut..
wittstatt by Assistant United States
Attorney William A. Gallagher, when
he exhibited the officers signed state
ment, and called attention to his faulty
memory. Lieut.. Wittstatt's statement
was read at the insistence Of Defense
Attorney James A. O'Shea, although
Gallagher said he previously had no
intention Of introducing it as evidence.
Was on Duty at Station.
Lieut.. Wittstatt was called as de-
fense witness, and at the outset testlned
that he was on duty in the Statlon
house the morning of June 70, When
Bremmermann and Clark brought In
three colored boys, whom he was un-
able to identify. Two of the boys, he
said, were taken into the locker room
by the policemen and questioned.
At no time did he see the boys stand
ing on their toes with their hands In
the air, Lieut.. Wittstatt testified. He
o went into the locker room, he said, ana
saw Bremmerman sitting in chair and
Clark leaning against a desk. They
were questioning the boys, he said, and
instead of standing on their toes, the
BOYS were standing squarely on their
feet He heard no shouting, he added,
and only heard a boy say I'm telling
YOU the truth, Mr.. Bremmermann.
Lieut.. Wittstatt appeared quite posi-
tive in his statements. He declared he
knew of no violence being used on any
prisoners.
Assistant United States Attorney Gal
lagher told Wittstatt that his recollec-
tion was somewhat different on another
occasion.
Gallagher having a paper asked the
witness If he remembered signing
statement September II.
The Government attorney said ne
did not intend to put the paper nto
evidence, but simply desired to ask some
questions about 1t. :,
Lieut.. Wittstatt's expression changed
when Defense Attorney O'Shea de-
manded that the paper be submitted
IN evidence any way, the Government
attorney read from it to show that on
September IL, the police lieutenant had
no recollection Of the boy being orought
into the station house.
"At no time while I was IN the sta
tion house do I. remember Officers
Bremmermann and Clark bringing in
any boys and questioning them" Lieut..
wittstatt had sworn to in the pres
ence of Department Of Justice agents.
Signed Under "Misapprehension."
The witness said he had signed it as
a truthful statement" but insisted
that "I signed it under misapprehen-
sion."' He meant to say that ne "o1o
see the bows brought in, he testified.
He admitted he had not read the
statement over carefully, although ne
knew its importance as document
which would be used later.
Policeman Percy A. De Neau, VINO
was the desk sergeant and was verify
ing from record books the different
hours that officers were In and out OF
the precinct station and when prison.
ers were brought in during the time
the offenses alleged in the indictment
occurred, was another witness.
Before the complaining witness, VIII
nams, was arrested three boys, who
later are alleged to have been beaten,
were brought to the station house.
Their names were Truxton, Bandham
and Gordon. De Neall testified he had
booked them at 4:22 am. Upon eX-
amining the book, he said the record
had been changed, erased to show
$40 am.
De Neall was positive under close
questioning by the Government at this
time that he was correct in his own
recollection of the time and expressed
the belief that Officer Wilson" had
made the change The record book was
passed around for the jury to see. 1t
had not left the second precinct sta
ton at any time, according to DE
Nealrs knowledge.
Lieut.. WittStatt and Officer Z. l..
Shelton could not remember the
identities Of the boys. Like his superior
officer, Shelton was aware Of no violence
being used on prisoners, while he was
in the station, although he admitted
he did not know how many times he
went back and forth He was positive
he did not see any of the boys Standing
on their toes" when he went into the
locker room. Night sticks or any other
sticks were not in evidence, he testified
The stick the two officers are alleged
to have used on all the boys, including
williams, was one kept in the room tc
hold up a window with a broken sash
cord. All the boys testified minutely
on this point, but Shelton said he knew
nothing about the window being broken
The testimony of the police officers
regarding what went on in the locker
room up to this time had not beer
connected in any way with Williams
the case on which the officers are or
trial.
Character Witnesses Called.
The defense opened its case yester
day afternoon by calling group 0
character witnesses to testify as +
their general knowledge Of the repu
tation OF the two defendants 10
peace, good order, truth and veracity.
Each of them said he knew nothin
of the facts in the present trial, bu
all gave the defendants a good name
The witnesses included H. A. Dris
coll, president of the Midcity Citizen!
Association: Ralph Davis. Thomas s
Surgeon, M. Frank Rupert, Cap
Jeremiah Il. Sullivan, Capt. Michat
L, Raedy and Lieut.. Kenneth M. Rope
of the Metropolitan Police; Reube
g. Miller, Rev. DR.. Simpson D. Dough
erty of the Memorial United Brethre
Church, Albert A. Stern, former as
sistant United States attorney; H. lie
Smith. Can't. d. H. Grove and Lieu
Harry G., Callahan Of the Metropolita
police and DR.. william T. Kerfoot, il
secretary of the Board of Pharmacy.
lanes E. O'Neil, desk sergeant {
the old Second Precinct Station, Whel
williams and the other boys are
legged to have been beaten and abuse
to make them confess 10 Vn5ics n, o.