Evening star., 1949-02-16
Fay Receives Report
From Barrett on
Beating Of Hacker

United States Attorney George
Morris Fay today received from
Police Supt. Robert j. Barrett a
long, detailed" report on the
mysterious beating of James Row.
ell, a taxi driver, last January IA.
Mr.. Rowell was beaten by two un-
identified men.
Mr.. Fay said his Office would
study the report. prepared by
Police Inspector Robert S. Bryant,
and said that If it warrants
further action we will proceed
along that line"
Mai. Barrett has been investi-
eating the case during the last
three weeks on the basis Of re-
ports that plainclothes policemen
were involved in the beating of the
cab driver and that two uniformed
policemen failed to intervene.
Mr.. Fay added that he was not
yet able to say whether his Office
might use the report as a basis
for presentation of evidence to
"a District grand jury.
Civil Rights Probe Studied.
/ ST have only just received it."
Mr.. Fay said. 1T is long. de-
tailed report and contains at
tached statements by witnesses.
After studying it we will decide
what to do
The report. forwarded by Maj.
Barrett. reached Mr.. Fay as JUS
tice Department officials disclosed
they have under consideration a
possible civil rights investigation
in the Rowell case. Assistant At
torney General Alex Campbell
said Yesterday the department had
received a complaint in the Rowell
case but he declined to reveal its
source.
Mr.. Fay said that. so far as he
was able to judge Immediately
after receiving the report, his
Office would not make it public.
"As we understand it, he ex-
planned, the report was sent by
the Police Department for our
study and possible action. Pre-
sumably. if it is to be made public
at this time it would have to be
given out by the Police Depart
ment.
Says He Can't Identify Men.
Mr.. Rowell has said consistently
that he does not know the identity
of the two men who beat him up.
He said he thought they were
from out of town and we're not
policemen.
If the Justice Department in
vestigation materializes. the case
would come under the civil rights
statute which. the courts have
ruled, applies to violations of civil
rights by members Of law enforce
ment agencies. Violations might
range from beating to unlawful
OBTAINING of citizens.
Mr.. Campbell declined to say
whether consideration of the
Rowell case meant that it had
been referred to the Federal Bu-
reau Of Investigation.
Undoubtedly. however. an in
vestigation will be made before
the Justice Department decides
whether to take up the case as a
civil rights violation.
Link With Another Case Seen.
Meanwhile, a possible connec-
ton between the beating of
Rowell and the arrest of a man
on a liquor law violation charge
arose today when Wesley Will
liams, attorney for Gerald r..
Barnes. 80, colored, of 1914 Girard
street NV, said he would TRY
to develop" evidence along that
line.
Mr.. Williams said the arrest
VI 1l1S Ol1C4lG dg 4C4ACAA oAA v
streets NV. early on January IA
might have involved persons in
the beating of Rowell at Thomas
Circle a short time previously.
Barnes, a cab driver, was ar
rested by Detective Sergt. James
Roche and Pvt. Angelo Bonaccorsy
on charges of keeping and selling
whisky without license.
Assistant Corporation Counsel
Clark King said he regards the
Barnes case "as an ordinary liquor
law violation case which we will
prosecute at the earliest possible
moment" He and Assistant Cor
poration Counsel Robert Chal-
fonte explained the Barnes case
was continued until March Is IN
Municipal Court yesterday "as a
routine matter" along with several
similar cases awaiting jury trial.
The case had been continued from