Persecution of Negroes by Roughs and Policemen, in the City of New York, August, 1900 V. 1

About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline

1 Persecution of Negroes by Roughs and Policemen, in the City of New York, August, 1900 1 (1900)

handle is hein.newyork/pnrpm0001 and id is 1 raw text is:

PERSECUTION OF NEGROES
BY

Roughs and Policemen, in the City
of New York, August, 19oo.

STATEMENT AND PROOFS WRITTEN AND COM-
PILED BY FRANK MOSS AND ISSUED BY THE
CITIZENS' PROTECTIVE LEAGUE.

STATEMENT OF THE PERSECUTION.
THE riots and persecutions described in this pamphlet occurred
mainly in the 20th Police Precinct, which is under the command
of Acting Captain John Cooney, and within the jurisdiction of In-
spector.Walter L. Thompson. Chief William S. Devery resides
in the precinct, near the scene of the disorder.
The district has a large colored population, and mixed with it
are many dissolute and lawless white persons.
On August the 12th last a Negro named Arthur Harris was
with his wife at 41st Street and 8th Avenue. He says that he
left her to buy a cigar, and when he returned he found ier in
the grasp of a man in citizen's dress. This man was a police
officer, named Robert J. Thorpe, who had arrested her, as he
claimed, for soliciting. Harris says that he did not know
Thorpe was an officer, and that he attempted to rescue his wife.
The policeman struck Harris with. his club, and Harris retal-
iated with his penknife, inflicting a mortal wound, and then ran
away.
Thorpe was attached to the 20th Precinct, and was much liked
by his comrades. Policemen thronged his home, and his funeral,
on August 16th, was attended by Chief Devery, Inspector Thomp-
son, and other officials.
Harris, the murderer, had disappeared, and many policemen
who were interested in Thorpe were seized with a desire of venge-
ance on Negroes generally. During the day of the funeral there