Evening star., 1934-03-29
Woman HystericaI as She
Accuses Officer of Beating
Her While Drunk.
ACCUSED'S CHARACTER
DEFENDED BY OTHERS
Jurney and Capital Police Off.
cials Take Stand in Police
Court Hearing.

Apparently on the verge of hysteria,
Mrs. Elsie Jardine, 49, took the wit
ness stand in Police Court today
and elaborated on her accusations
against Alfred Wilmott, Capitol police
lieutenant, whom she charged with
knocking her down and threatenii>,
to shoot her early on the morning O.
March 18
She told Judge Isaac R. Hit, pre-
siding at the trial, that the officer
was so drunk that even if he haC
been in uniform. 1 wouldn't have
trusted my son with him"
Mrs. Jardine, who filed a S15,00C
damage suit against Wilmott after
causing his arrest on an assault
charge, was so nervous that she hac
to be administered to by a matror
at frequent intervals during her tes-
timony.
Jurney Defense Witness.
After Mrs. Jardine's testimony was
concluded, a number of character wit.
nesses for the defense were heard
Among these were Chesley w. Jurney
Senate sergeant at arms: James L
Dunn, custodian of the Senate Office
Building; Inspector Albert j. Headley
of the Metropolitan Police and vii.
liam S. Orthman, head of the Capito
police. The court then recessed fol
lunch.
Mrs. Jardine testified that her sor
by former marriage. George Smith
%, was attacked by Wilmott a few
minutes after he left their home, IL!
c street northeast.
Hearing loud talking, she said, sht
looked out the door and saw Wilmot
pulling her sen across the street.
Her statement that Wilmott was in.
toxicated was made in response to &
question by the officers attorney, Viii
liam H. Collins. The lawyer hat
asked if Wilmott had identified him
self as an officer.
When Wilmott insisted that her sol
accompany him to his Office, she con
tinued, she seized the officers coat
sleeve. Wilmott cursed her then. sh
asserted. quoting him as saying:
Stop or III shoot you dead in you
tracks,"
Threatened With Shooting.
Despite her remonstrances, she tolc
the court, Wilmott grasped her arm
with one hand and her sons with tn
other and ordered them to march,
threa tening to fill them full of LEAD
if they did not obey.
She resisted, she went on, anC
Wilmott cursed her and then knocked
her into the gutter. AS she lay there
she declared, he stood over her ant
said:
IN blow your brains out!"
Describing the episode as the most
terrible thing I've gone through il
all my life" Mrs. Jardine said hel
breath was knocked from hel anc
her thigh was injured. A pas5erby
summoned police, she addtu, and Will
mott was arrested on a drunkenness
charge He failed to appear in court
to answer the charge. however, and
his collateral was forfeited,
Was Circus Employe.
Under cross examination by Col
Inns, Mrs. Jardine acknowledged she
once was connected with circus. bu;
denied she had been employed as a
snake charmer"
Assistant United States Attorney
Louis Whitestone objected when Col
lins asked Mrs. Jardine if she had
sworn out a warrant against another
man, charging him with assault ano
then settled for 5000 after filing a
SIS 900 damage suit.
Collins explained he wished tc
show this woman's disposition 10 In
stigate litigation and later to settle
out of court" but Wni.estone's oo-
lection was upheld by Judge Hit.