Evening star., 1938-08-31
ON TRIAL
IN BOYS ARREST
Called Wagon Only When
Patience Was Lost, He
Tells Police Board.

After listening to the testimony Of
II witnesses the Police Trial Board
today studied the charge that Officer
Charles F. Fox, a Metropolitan police
man for IA years, assigned now to
the eleventh precinct. was guilty of
conduct prejudicial to the force" in
sending seven boys to the. police sta
ton in patrol wagon the evening Of
July l.
The policeman said in his own be-
half that he ordered the arrest of
the youngsters and their conveyance
in the patrol wagon only after he had
been tried beyond his patience by
their persistence In lighting firecrack-
ers, contrary to police regulations,
near his home at 4208 Twelfth place
NE. where he was trying to sleep.
Couldn't you have gone over and
taken their names and forwarded
them to the Juvenile Court?" Inspec-
tor William Holmes, presiding officer
Of the Trial Board, asked the police
man.
Il didn't do that because had
warned them BEFORE" Mr.. Fox said.
The boys ALI lived in the immediate
neighborhood of the Fox home,
which the policeman has occupied
since April.
Children Warned Fourt Times.
The officer related that since he
moved into the Twelfth place house
he had had occasion to warn the chill
dren four times against being noisy
and playing baseball in the street.
Once, he said, a baseball hit his wife.
He said that he had never discussed
the children's activities with their
parents, all of whom are his neigh
bors.
The parents of six Of the children
and their boys stayed all morning
and afternoon yesterday at the fourth
precinct station. where the Trial
Board sat. James Reed, 18, the
seventh of those arrested, said he
came not to prosecute the officer but
only to testify as witness He said
that he. knew none of the youngsters.
ranging in age from IL to IS, with
whom he was put into the patrol
wagon and charged at the twelfth
precinct station with discharging fire-
crackers.
The cases against the children were
never prosecuted. The boys were taken
from the station house by their parents
within an hour after their arrest in
an alley behind Twelfth place NE.
near Taylor street at about $50 pm.
Declares Conditions Unbearable.
The policeman said he watched the
boys, some of whom denied before
the Trial Board that they were light
ing firecrackers. set off the crackers
for Is minutes before he acted.
Il was reluctant" he told Inspector
Holmes and his colleagues on the
board, Capt Lloyd Kelly and Capt.
Hugh Growers. but I felt it was my
duty. I acted when conditions be-
came unbearable. I had no personal
feeling against the boys"
He denied the statement by Joseph
Goetzinger. 13. 43l2 Thirteenth street
NE, one of the seven, that when he
made the arrests he said: 1--WE been
waiting for this" He denied. too,
that he had been unduly forceful in
leading William Tribble, IA, 42l4
Twelfth place NE, toward the wagon.
I'VE don't contest that the arrest
was unlawful" Michael J. Keane. jr,
assistant corporation counsel, who act
ad as prosecutor, said, but he insisted
to the board that the use Of the patrol
wagon was unjustifled.
The officer was only. doing his duty.
Michael Lane, his counsel, said. The
boys involved in the case besides Reed,
Goetzinger and Tribble were jeremiah
Hurley, jr.. John j. Walsh, Alfred B.
Riley and John w. Byrnes.