The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-04-24
Scalp Wound Displayed by
Victim; Two Others
Back Charge.
NABBED FOR DRINKING
SightIeSS Trio UnruIy, Is
Cops Defense Given
by MorriSSey.

said that his wounds had been
inflicted by a beating admin
istered to him in the garage
of the police station early to-
day.
He and two other blind men, he
testified, had been arrested for be-
ing drunk and disorderly, and when
they we're taken to police station
they were forced to beg their assail-
ants to stop beating them, he added.
He is Ray Johnson. 81, of 430
MassachuSetts-av. and he sells news
papers at the corner of Washington
and Meridian-sts.
Last night, he testified, he was
invited to the apartment of Charles
Bennett, 81, blind musician, in the
Colonial Hotel and he met for the
first time in five years an old friend,
Rex Overman, rs, another blind mu-
Sician.
Arrested at Hotel
They and Mrs. Overman and
Juanita Thompson neither of whom
is blind, and Mrs. Bennett, who is
blind, drank highballs and at 1870
a. m. they became so noisy that the
hotel manager, Arthur Navin, asked
the night clerk to call police to
quiet them
Police came, they said, and ar
rested Mrs. Overman, Mrs. Thomp-
son and Bennett, Overman and
johnson, and took them to the sta
ton in a patrol wagon manned by
Patrolmen Dan Foley and Martin
HanSford.
There, the blind men all say, they
were beaten, the other two not so
severely as johnson. AS johnson
stood in court blood was visible on
his right cheek from a wound in
his scalp. Bennett displayed to
Miss Bess Robbins, Judge pro tenn, a
scalp wound less severe. He said
he was asleep when the police ar
rived and they awakened him to ar
rest him for being disorderly.
Charges of drunk and disorderly
were dismissed against the women.
and each of the men was fined So
and costs, with the costs suspended.
shut Up" YeIIs Turnkey
After court. johnson went back
to the turkeys Office and when
Turnkey Andrew Heller spoke, john
son remarked:
Why you're the man who
wouldn't let me call the newspapers
this morning and tell them why 1
wouldn't be at work"
Shut up" Turnkey Heller said.
You aren't out of here yet, you
know"
Turnkey Heller went TO the safe
and brought back a package con-
tanning Johnson's valuaDles.
Pushing paper in front of john
son. Turnkey Heller said:
Here, sign this"
Morrissey Questions Cops
Not until I feel to see if my valu-
ables are all there" johnson re-
piled.
Shut up, and sign this. or I'll put
you back in JAIL" Turnkey Heller
said.
Not until I have satisfied myself
l am getting all my belongings"
johnson insisted.
We'll you won't get EN- at all il
you don't sign this" the policeman
replied and eventually Johnson
signed, took his possessions and left.
Chief Mike Morrissey called
Patrolmen Dan Foley and Martin
Hansford into his office today and
after a long inquiry Issued a state
ment about the case.
Scratched, Officer Claims
THE men we're drunk and re-
sisted being taken from the patrol
wagon when it reached the garage.
One Of them kicked Patrolman Foley
in the chest and the two policemen
were having so much trouble sub
DUNG the men that Patrolman Hold
Eller, who was in another room was
attracted and came to their assist
auce," Chief Morrissey explained.
1t was necessary for the police
men to push johnson back over a
table to subdue him and his head
got scratched. Of course my men
were much easier on them because
of their being blind. Johnson did
not want to part with his valuables.
Finally the policemen had to put
them IN cell in the garage reserved
usually for dead DRINKS"
Patrolman Eller told Chief Nor
rissey that he was so badly scratched
IN the fight that he went to City
Hospital for treatment after he got
of duty this morning.