Evening star., 1940-06-26
PoIiceman's 5
Dismissal in
Shooting Asked
CoIored Groups
Make Demand Deus
Be Prosecuted

A demand that the Capitol police
: sergeant who accidentally wounded
q l0-year-old colored boy Monday
be dismissed from the force and
prosecuted was made today by rep
resentatives of Negro organizations
here
A delegation called at the Office of
Chesley w. Jurney, Senate sergeant
at arms, this morning to make the
demand. An investigation to de-
termine what punishment shall be
handed the Capitol policeman
Sergt. Vernon. O. Deus-was being
made by Capitol officials.
The representatives of the Negro
organizations brought with them two
OF the children who witnessed the
shooting and requested that the chill
dren be given chance at a public
hearing to tell their version of the
incident.
The wounded boy, Fred Walker, ir.,
of 912 Fifth street NV, is in
Casualty Hospital with a bullet
wound in his neck. He and three
other children were arrested by the
Capitol police after two of them had
been caught in the pool that is part
OF the fountain in the Plaza between
= the Capitol and Union Station.
Girl Makes Statement.
Margaret Marie, II, of 440 7 street
NV, made statement to police
which coincided with the story told
by the wounded boy. She said:
The policemen took us in the
guaroroom. One of the policeman
said: Is that gas chamber ready?'
Eli, that's my brother, started to cry.
Then this policeman told him to
come over to table where there
was a gun and he picked up the gun
and tried to hit him over the head.
he told Fred Walker to come over.
out Fred wouldn't do it.
Fred said, I amt never coming
up here again The policeman said,
You're not going to be able to come
up here. He picked up the gun and
pointed it at Fred How would YOU
like some of this he said. Then the
gun went off. After it was all over,
ne bought us cake and candy"
Inc police sergeant said the gun.
which he had been cleaning. dis
charged accidentally as he was put
ting 1t back in his holster. The chill
dren denied this.
Those who called at the Capitol
TO press for action in the case in
cluded representatives of the local
chapter of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored
People, the National Negro Congress.
the New Negro Alliance. the coIored
Elks, the Ministerial Alliance and
the Joint Citizens Association.
Called Accidental.
The Capitol Police Board at
meeting yesterday decided the shoot
ing was obviously accidental" but
held that Sergt. Deus should be
reprimanded and punished. pre-
sumably by a short suspension from
the force, for being negligent.
Kenneth Romney, House sergeant
at arms, ordered 1t. Roy Brown and
sergt. E. r. Hales to obtain the facts
on the shooting He said that on
the basis of this report he would
make recommendations to the Police
Board, of which he is a member. as
to the punishment.
Mr.. Romney said Sergt. Deus was
one OF the most efficient officers on
the force. He has been a Capitol
pohceman for -four or five wears"
and is pistol expert. He is one of
the lew on the force allowed to
carry gun, Mr.. Romney said.
Inc sergeant at arms saiG the
police had been having trouble keep
ing children out of the pool. He said
ne did not know whether it was
customary to take culprits to the
guard room.
After their arrest Monday
which was the hottest day of The
year--the children were taken tn
the guard room while police made
an attempt to reach their parents
to warn them to keep the youngsters
away from the pool.
Changes Appear Certain.
Some changes in the method of
operating the Capitol police force
appeared certain to grow out of the
incident. Mr.. Romney said that at
tention had been directed to a pre-
vious order, which instructed the
officers to leave empty the chamber
In their revolvers directly under the
hammer. He also ordered that head
quarters for the House police force
be maintained in the Capitol close
to the Office of the sergeant-at-a
with lieutenant and sergeant in
attendance at all times.
The Capitol police force is "pa-
tronage" organization largely and
many members of Congress have
found places on the force for young
constituents who have come to
Washington to study or to apply for
Government jobs. hTe organization
Is not under civil service.
Indications that there might be
changes in the method of selecting
new men for the force were seen
in the announcement made by Mr..
Romney following the meeting yes
terdsy. He said rule might be
made which would require new ap-
pointees to the force to be between
% and so years of age. This, he
said, would eliminate the appoint
d. a% - re