The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1941-10-24
NAACP Fights
Police Brutality

At its regular monthly meeting
last Sunday, the Local Branch N.
A. A. c. p. presided over by pres
ident Wyatt w. williams, heard
the report of committee appoint
ed at the September 21st meeting
to investigate the case of one Mr..
Perry, who was arrested few
days proceeding the above date
and assaulted by police officer.
The report follows: We, the un-
dersigned: President Wyatt w.
Williams, ]. c. Baker, Mary M.
Duncan, N. H. Ferguson, James
Braggs, l.. r. Blackburn with Mr..
Perry, went to the office of Mayor
Earl Riley as per the associations
request, the 22nd day of Septem-
Der. The case was stated to the
Mayor and pictures of the scars
shown. Mr.. Perry was requested
to remove his glasses to show his
eyes and the bad scar on his leg.
The Mayor vas asked if it was
the policy of the police depart
ment to secure evidence in this
manner. The question was not an
swered. The Mayor wanted to
know if this case had been taken
up with the Chief, Mr.. Nyles. he
committee explained that it was
the demand of the meeting of the
N. A. A. c. P. that the matter
be taken up with him first.
The Mayor tried to reach Chief
Nyles by phone to make an ap-
pointment for part of this COM
mittee to see him. Unable to
reach him at this time he (the
Mayor requested that two of this
committee see Chief Nyles the
next day. A committee composed
of President Williams, Mrs. Dun
can, Kelly Foster, Mr.. Perry and
L. r. Blackburn, went to the Of
flee of the Chief of Police Nyles,
the 23rd and had an interview.
The Police officer accused of COM
hitting the crime against Mr..
Perry, was also present. The case
was stated to Chief Nyles and
each officer and Mr.. Perry were
questioned. The Police officer de-
MED any knowledge of why the
man was so marked up; claiming
he did not lay hand on him. He
made open accusations of the
crime Mr.. Perry was arrested for
and stated he did not have to re-
sort to such tactics to secure ev-
idence of the guilt. Your commit
tee tried to make it plain that
they did not come to make any
attempt to obstruct justice. Our
mission was to protest the abuse
on a citizen who willingly SUBJ
mitted to arrest and was beaten
afterwards. Chief Nyles requested
that we wait until after the trial
of Mr.. Perry, the third of Octo-
Der and then file charges against
said officer, if he so desired. Your
committee felt that until such
charges were filed, they were not
justified in going any further with
the case.
Last Sunday thousands of Ore
gonians witnessed the launching
of the Meriwether Lewis as it
glided smoothly into the William
cite River. The Oregon ship
building corporation in launching
the Meriwether becomes the first
emergency shipyard in the nation
to launch its second vessel. The
first, the Star of Oregon, was
launched three weeks ago. Mrs.
Earl Riley, wife of Portland's
Mayor, christened the ship with
a. shower of champagne. A num-
Der of race men are employed at
the ship yards. Many invitations
were issued by Mrs. Riley to men,
bers of the race to attend the
launching program. Among them
were Mrs. Isidore Nancy, who had
as her guests Mrs. Robena Martin,
and Mrs. Caro- Minor.