Evening star., 1944-05-07
Marines
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sVs~s shs~S
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canal, tried to punch him In the
nose.
Il guess he thought was arrest
ing his buddy" Policeman Jordan
said.
AS three other policemen arrived
on the scene, a third marine, Pvt.
John Francis McNerney, 10, also of
the Navy Command Annex, waded
into the fracas and, while bystanders
heckled the police, the battle ragged.
Witnesses later said the police used
blackjacks. The officers denied this.
Eventually the policemen managed
to get the three marines to a call
box and held them awaiting the ar
rival of patrol wagon.
Among the interested and SYM
pathetic spectators were an Army
lieutenant colonel, a Navy COM
mander and Marine captain. Police
said the three officers interceded on
behalf of the three Leathernecks,
offering Ito be responsible for them"
If the policemen would release them.
After some persuasion, the police
men agreed, Policeman Jordan said
later.
Immediately, according to police,
the marines started slugging away
anew At the police, of course,
Witnesses gleefully whooped en-
couragement while the lieutenant
colonel, the commander and the
captain repeatedly shouted "Atten-
toni" in the approved military
manner.
Marines Battle Away.
Some of the best command barks
overheard ata Fourteenth and r
street-or on a parade ground, for
that matter-fell on deaf ears. The
marines just kept battling away
So did the police.
Again, the fracas subsidized and
this time OF went the three marines
10 the nOoSegOW.
Navy Shore Patrol officers and
men were summoned to the first
precinct to take charge of the trio.
To Episcopal Eye, Ear and Throat
Hospital went Policeman w. A. Wye
koff and J. F. Longo of the first
precinct. They received a broken
tooth and beautiful Sinner" re-
spectively.
Traffic Policeman Jordan was
admitted to Emergency Hospital
with possible internal injuries. He
said someone kicked him in the
stomach.
The marines said nothing. They
just sat in the station house and
waited while the Shore Patrol Of
ficers arranged things"
The fourth policeman, who was
uninjured in the fight, was Pvt.
Francis A. Buscher, former Uni
versity of Maryland football and
basket ball player.
Citizens who witnessed the 60
ings on at one of Washington's
busiest corners, had plenty to say.
William j. Howday, who identified
himself as an attorney with offices
in the Denrike Building, 1910 Yer
mont avenue NV, told police
sergeant who brought the patrol
wagon to the scene, that Traffic
Policeman Jordan had lost his
head completely, thus precipitating
the fight" Mr.. Howday said two
marines had tried to cross against
the light.
When the marines disregarded
the policeman's warming" he said.
"he grabbed one of them around
the neck. Two more policemen ar
rived. The marines didn't offer any
fight"
CHow the police came by their
wounds, Mr.. Howday couldn't ex-
plain)
Il believe the police became too
emotional" he concluded, consider
ing the fact that the whole thing
could have been laughed off"
Another Version of Fight.
Gerry Thompson, 701 Nineteenth
street NV, who said he was a Gov
ernment employe, telephoned The
Star following the fight. He ex-
pressed the belief that the entire
matter was due to lack of COM
posure on the part of the police.
Il saw the whole thing" Mr..
Thompson said. The police lit
into the marines and knocked two
of them to the ground. The ma
rines had apparently not heard the
policeman's warning about crossing
on the red light. The only sign of
resistance from the marines was
when they put up their hands to de-
fend themselves"
At the first precinct station, Ger
trude Breslin, TIT r street NV.
another eyewitness, followed the po-
lice and marines to the station
house. She said she was worried
about the servicemen's welfare
Il expected to find them in a
hospital" she said.
So did Mrs. E. M. Foley, an en-
ploye of the Maritime Commission,
who accompanied Miss Ereslin.
Nobody, it appeared, was worried
over the welfare of the policemen.
SoroDtimists Elect