Evening star., 1933-07-08
PARK POLICEMAN
ATTACKS BOYS AND
SHOOTS ONE IN FOOT
Young Officer Is Held for OBJ
servation After "Losing
Head" Arresting Youths.
SAYS HE WAS EXCITED
AT SOUND OF HIS GUN
None of Youngsters Is Seriously
Injured-One of Victims Badly
Cut About His Head.

Attacked by young park policeman
who lost his head" while attempt
ing to arrest them in Anacostia fats
near the golf course last night, six
boys between the ages of Is and 10
were recovering from their injuries to-
day, while the officer is lodged in Gal
linger Hospital for mental observation
Although the policeman. Bernon o.
Goltry, "a, empt:ed his revolver during
the scuffie and belabored the youths
with the gun butt, none of them is
believed to have sustained serious
injury.
Discussing the incident this morning
Gcltry admitted last night was the first
tune he had ever used his gun during
ll.S Is months service on the force, and
said the sound of it excited him
Nnen he fired it.
Worrying Himself Sick.
He said he had been worrying HIM
self sick" recently and he got mad"
when he thought the boys were trying
to escape from him.
Most painfully hurt among the six
victims is John Ellis, Is, 1923 V street
southeast. who was struck in the foot
by bullet after Goltry had lined the
boys up against wall and fired his
revolver at the ground. Ellis also was
cut and bruised about the head.
Eleven stitches were required to
close head cuts sustained by Charles
Knott. Is. 1915 w street southeast, as
the officer beat him down with the re-
volver, and three others of the group
were treated at hospitals.
They are Cyril Hammond, Is. 1870
Y street southeast. whose face and
scalp were lacerated: Alfred Stowell, 10,
1915 w street southeast, cuts and bruises
on the head and body, and Michael de
Marco, Is, 1902 o street southeast,
beaten on the head and face. The
sixth boy. Stanley Cox, Is, 1347 w
street southeast, ran away shortly after
the trouble began and escaped with
only slight scratches.
Were Playing in Park.
According to the story the boys told
police, they were playing IN the park,
some of them sitting on a bench, When
Goltry approached. Almost immedi-
ately he whipped out his revolver, hred
a shot into the ground and ordered
them to line up" they said.
AS they obeyed his command, Goltry
held his gun in his hand and Michael
de Marco pleaded with hin Don't
shoot again" Goltry grabbed him by
the coat and slammed him cn the head
with the gun butt, the boy said. Some
OF the group started to run then Out
stopped when the policeman shot into
tbs ground again.
The boys said when Goltry had lined
them up against the wall Of the park
field house. he began to yell at them
WHO killed Bickford? Which one OF
you killed Bickford? Ill give you TWO
minutes to tell me"
A. G.. Bickford is the park policeman
usually assigned to the beat Goltry was
covering last night.
The boys denied they knew anything
about it and Goltry began to beat
them with his gun.
Knocks Boy Down.
Alfred StoWell was struck on the ear
with the revolver butt and dropped
to the ground. AS he lay there Goltry
rammed the gun repeatedly into his
ribs ard kicked him, the boy said. When
he tried to get up, Goltry felled him
with a blow across the arm.
Knott, De Marco and Ellis also were
hit over the head and when Cox es-
capped, Goltry in firing at the ground
hit Ellis in the foot.
Desperately frightened, the boys be
gan to run and most them had lett
by the time Officers G. E. Woods and
c: E. Cox arrived in the Eleventh pre-
Cinct cruiser.
They said they found Goltry lying
on his stomach screaming, Don't let
them kill BickfC1d They're bank rob-
bers and l have them cornered. Don't
let them kill Bickford.'
The policemen disarmed Goltry and
took him to the station house. Lieut..
Henry Helms of the Park Police came to
the station house and suspended the
officer.
In Excited Condition.
Shortly afterward he was examined
by DR.. Fred Y Williamson, who an
nounced the man had not been drink
anG. but said he was in ''an excited con-
dition." Following the examination,
Goltry was sent to Gallinger. This
morning Capt. Doyle o. Hickey, super
intendent OF Park Police. said the man
will face police trial board if he IS re-
leased from the hospital.
Goltry'S version of the affair was that
he came upon the boys acting dlsorderly
in the park and intended to put them
uIlQGE dIItSI. oO4AiC VI lAIClii cOdA W. W
run and be fired in the ground to stop
them.
Didn't Try to Shoot Them.
81 didn't intend TO hit any of the
kids" he insisted today. mo police
man is going to try to shoot boys: 1t
isn't being done. That's the worst thing
about this-shooting that boy In the
foot
IN regard to attacking the youths
with his revolver butt, Goltry admitted
there had been no attempt to gang
him and said he got mad" because he
thought the boys were trying to escape
and there were too many of them for
him to handle.
The policeman claimed he did not
remember saying anything about Blck-
ford, and he knew the latter had not
been killed.
Goltry is married and has 7-month-
old child. His home is at 323 Kentucky
avenue southeast.