This is the second look at 144-16-95 [Frank Ray, Melvin Clements; Loran Lovan Taylor, Roland L. Gay – Victims] for information about an incident that happened around the 600 block of Rhode Island Avenue in 1952.
I’d been looking at the interviews fresh from the scene, however, I’m going to move to the final report that has all the interviews typed up. Reading cursive handwriting is too taxing.
So I’ll start with Mrs. Frances Smith who lived at 1707 Marion Ct/ Glicks Alley… which sort of no longer exists. She mention’s “Daddy Grace’s fence” this is the rear of the UHOP on the 1700 block of 7th St NW. Her words:
I , FRANCES BERNICE SMITH, make the following voluntary state‐ ment to ROBERT N. WINGARD and EUGENE D. THOMPSON, who have identified themselves to me as being Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. No threats or promises have been made to me in order to make me make this statement. I have been told that this statement can be used in a court of law.
“I am presently residing at 1707 Marion Court, N. W., Washington, D.C., having lived here for the past four years. I am 36 years of age, having been born July 12, 1916 in Washington, DC.
“On Sunday July 13, 1952, in the evening, I was looking out of the upstairs window of 1707 Marion Court, N. W. when I saw two police officers enter Marion Court from S St., NW. The policement were apparently telling the people to move on. The policemen went up to one man who I know as Zeke and who was sitting on the West side of Marion Court, N.W. up against Daddy Grace’s back fence. About one hour before this I had noticed Zeke walking by himself and he appeared to be drunk, but not too drunk to navigate. I saw the largest policeman of the two snatch Zeke to a standing position. The same policeman then grabbed Zeke’s right arm and placed it behind Zeke’s back, and the other policeman grabbed Zeke by the belt in the back of Zeke and started walking towards R St with Zeke. I did not see Zeke make any effort to resist the policeman at this point and I could not hear what the policemen had said to Zeke or what Zeke said to them. The small policeman was walking behind the other policeman and Zeke. When they got in front of my house the officers ‘go ahead and take advantage of me I know you are going to! The police told Zeke to ‘shutup’.
“The three of them continued on towards R St . and when they reached the corner of R St. and Marion Court, N.W., the large policeman who what a hold of Zeke, gave Zeke a shove and Zeke staggered and grabbed a hold of an iron fence around the yard on the N. E. corner. I don’t know which hand Zeke grabbed the fence with. When the policeman shove Zeke he released his hold on him. After Zeke grabbed the fence the small policeman hit Zeke on the forearm with which Zeke was holding onto the fence with, with his ‘billy’. Zeke then let go of the fence and the two policemen and Zeke started across Rhode Island Ave. That was the last I saw of them until JAMES PAGE, my next door neighbor,who had gone to the corner of R and Marion Court, hollered that they were beating Zeke and I went to where Zeke and the policemen were on Rhode Island Ave. When I started out of the door my house I heard three shots. When I arrived at the spot where Zeke was I saw “Zeke“ laying on his back parallel to R St between two trees with his head towards 7th St., and his feet towards 6th St and his face was turns toward R St . Blood was coming out of Zeke’s left ear. When I arrived at the scene I saw the large policeman putting his gun in his holster. The policeman did not appear to have engaged in any struggle, however his face which is always red, was much redder. The small policeman was returning to where Zeke was, from the callbox at the corner of 6th and R Sts, when I arrived at the scene.
“I did not see any sign of knife or any kind of weapon in the possession of or which may have been used by Zeke.
“I have read this statement consisting of this page and three other hand written pages. I have initialed all corrections and it is true and corrected.
/s/ FRANCES BERNICE SMITH