Evening star., 1949-04-16
Hearing Clears
TwoPoIicenlen
0fBeatineYo
Both Are Restored
To Duty by Boord;
FBl Continues Probe

The FBI continued It's inveSti-
gation today Of . Washington
mothers charge that two police
men beat her ls-yeAr-old son. but
the Metropolitan Police Depart
ment has cleared both men and
restored them to duty.
The police action. taken BY
Supt. Robert J. Barrett late yes
terday. followed a five-hour hear
ing before q trial board. Two po-
lice otficials and q civilian attor-
ney comprised the board.
The board heard the poiicemen's s
attorney question the yeraeity OF
the complaining youth. Harry
Petit, of 635 B street NE. and
accuse him OF being q self con-
fessed thief"
The attorney. Charles Z. Ford.
also aSsailed the FBI and the
United States Attorneys ONCE for
taking up the case. The youth and
his mother. Mrs Mertie Petit.
took their complaint to the FBI
on advice OF United States Attor-
ney George Morris Fay.
Falsifying Admitted.
The youth himself admitted un-
der questioning that twice he had
falsified his aged In connection
with his driving license and that
he had Intentionally participated
in an automobile tampering es-
capade that led to his arrest
March 20 near q Fifteenth and H
streets NE. used-car lot.
Mr.. Ford used these admissions
to contend that the youth cant
be believed" In his accusation that
the arresting policemen. Pvts.
Eugene L. Hummer. 80. and VIII
liam Harry Reed. 20. mistreated
him after taking him to No. .
Precinct Station for questioning,
The policemen had been suspend
ed after the complaint.
Harry. however. testified the
two policemen twisted his arms.
hit his face and beat him with .
board until he told them his
brother Clarke. 10. was with him
in the car-tampering attempt.
The beating occurred in an up
stairs room with the doors closed
and no witnesses. the youth tes-
tifled.
Testimony On Bruises.
Only one of the policemen on
duty In the station at the time.
Pvt. John A. Porch. testified he
detected any bruises on the
youths face when his mother met
him there. 1t. Carl @. McCor-
mick. acting station commander.
said he noticed nothing unusual
In q casual observation of the
youth. just before he was allowed
to go home.
About AZ hours later. however,
Mrs. Petit complained by phone.
first to Supt. Barrett's ofiice. then
to the precinct. Capt. Irwin Um-
baugh, station commander, and 1t.
Albert Embrey. both Of whom later
accompanied the mother and son
to the United States attorneys
office and to the FBI, testified they
observed bruises on Harry's arms.
eyes and buttocks after the com
plant.
The police officers testified no
complaint was made by Mrs. Pet
tit or her son while they were in
the station. Mrs. Petit. who was
summoned there by one Of the
arresting officers. asserted. how
ever, that she had protested to the
two arresting policemen without
effect, after Harry told her they
had worked me over"
Youth Explains Silence.
The youth said he failed to COM
plain to station ofhcials because
II didn't want to say too much. /
didn't know whether they'd let me
90 or not. I didn't want to get
any more"
The youths older brother. Clarke.
who was brought to the station by
their mother. testified the pair and
another youth identified only as
Joe" had intended to remove q
generator from = car at the II
street lot when they were surprised
by the police. Clarke forfeited S25
on q charge Of tampering and
Harry's case went TO juvenile
authorities
Mr.. Ford. in his protest against
the FBI investigation. charged
that an attempt was being made
to "supercede" the police depart
ment by referring the complaint
to the Justice Department as =
civil rights matter.
The board included Inspector
Robert c. Pearce. chief clerk Of the
department; Capt Charles J. Sui
livan and Attorney Frederick J..
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