St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-12-20
Amnesty Group Charges Mill City
Police Bias Against Wally Nelson

Minneapolis policemen this week
were charged with discriminatory
action" against Wallace Floyd Mel
son, one Of the nations outstand-
ing conscientious directors, as the
result of an incident last Satur-
day in which Nelson was alleged
ly forcibly thrown into a police
squad car and taken to the police
station.
In a strong statement Of pro-
test against the alleged discrimi-
natory treatment, Irving Blumberg,
1924 Russell Ave. No., member Of
the executive committee Of the
Minneapolis branch NAACP, who
was present when the incident
happened, said that he was part Of
the group of three men and three
women carrying placards, dis
tributing literature and seeking
signatures to petitions asking am
nesty for conscientious directors
still in Federal prisons.
Gathered At POstOffice
According to Blumberg, the
group had first gathered at the
Minneapolis postoffice and then
proceeded into the Minneapolis
loop. The group included, in ad-
dition to Blumberg, Galen Cain,
Arthur Sternberg, st. Paul attor-
ney, and Madeline Rusk, Mary
Alice Beck and Helen Salvail.
Blumberg stated they stationed
themselves in front Of Powers de-
partment store at Fifth and Nicol-
let, standing near the curb so as
not to obstruct the pedestrian traf-
&C." He said that about thirty
minutes later, the patrolman on the
corner "came over to inquire what
we were doing" but when the
group explained, the patrolman
made no specific objection"
According to Blumberg's state
ment, a little later the patrolman
came over to tell them that a squad
car was on its way ito take US
down to police headquarters for
questioning" It was decided that
it wouldn't be necessary for the
whole group to go, and SternberE
would represent the group at po-
lice headquarters while the others
continued to carry placards and
obtain signatures.
All Answered the Same
Blumberg said that when the
squad car arrived, Sternberg
agreed to go down to headquarters,
but when a policeman asked Blum
berg if 81 were coming, too" Blum
berg replied, mo, not unless you
insist" He states the others gave
the same answer.
Blumberg said that Sternberg
proceeded to get into the squad
car, when zone Of the policemen
who had been talking to Wally
about ten feet away, started drag
ging Wally toward the police car.
While Wally was not resisting, he
evidently was not going along will
ingly."
According to his statement, he
protested and charged Nelson was
being mistreated because Of his col
or. Blumberg said that when one
of the officers asked Nelson for his
Identification card, the latter said
he saw no reason for producing one,
that he was minding his own bust
ness, land considered it inappro-
pirate for police to ask him to
identify himself" This reply, Blum
berg stated, caused two police
men to grab hold of Wally, literally
lift him of his feet, and throw
him into the squad car"
Refused to Go
Wednesday, Nelson said that
when the police officer asked him
to 90 down to headquarters, he told
the officer he was "too busy" and
that he didn't care to 60, just as
the others had also stated. Nelson
stated that when the policeman told
him the captain wanted 10 see him,
be replied II the captain wanted
to see him, the captain could come