Riot Trials Set for Friday; Students Circulate Protest

Before a packed and noisy courtroom, 28 students pleaded not guilty Friday morning to charges stemming from Thursday's Square riot. A trial for 26 of them was set for this Friday, while the two others, who were found guilty, appealed a one-day sentence in the House of Correction.

The only official University statement came from Delmar Leighton, Dean of Freshmen, who said yesterday that the Administrative Board considers the matter entirely in the hands of the courts and will take no action for the present. "We are interviewing the arrested students and others who were present at the scene of the rally," Leighton said.

The two students who were judged guilty, Richard C. Wheeler '52 and Maynard W. Powning '53, requested on their lawyer's advice an immediate trial. This came after 26 other students pleaded not guilty and requested that their trials be continued.

Police Testify

Powning and Wheeler both pleaded not guilty to a charge of disturbing the peace. Two students testified in Wheeler's behalf, and one appeared for Powning. Three policemen testified against the two.

Judge Edward J. Dever, brother of the Governor of Massachusetts, found both guilty and sentenced them to a day in the House of Correction. Both promptly appealed and were released in $100 ball for trial in Superior Court.

The other 26 students, 25 of whom are charged with disturbing the peace and one with two violations of motor vehicle regulations, will appear for trial in East Cambridge District Court this Friday. Five CRIMSON editors are among this group; they will be defended by Joseph A. DeGuglielmo '29, Mayor of Cambridge.

The arrests followed a rally held for Walt Kelly, creator of the comic strip character, Pogo. Most of the students were arrested before Kelly arrived in the Square. Police issued a riot call when the crowd, which had swelled to 1500, began to slow traffic.

Police Brutality

Chief of Police Patrick F. Ready denied charges made by the CRIMSON and many students that police used unnecessary brutality. Ready, who was not present at the riot scene, denied that police had clubs. However, witnesses reported that billys were used and several students, after being released from jail checked into Stillman for injuries due to clubbing.

Two policemen reported lacerations, were treated at Cambridge City Hospital but returned to duty immediately.

Walt Kelly, himself assaulted by a policeman, offered to post bail for all 28 arrested students on Thursday night. "It was rough for Mrs. Kelly and myself. And I'm entirely in sympathy with such students as found themselves in trouble with the police when the students did nothing wrong," Kelly said yesterday.

Randall Threatened

Chief of University Police Alvin T. Bandall was reportedly threatened with arrest by a Cambridge policeman.

According to witnesses, the latter incident took place near Edward J. Sullivan, a Cambridge City Councillor, who last night said he planned to take definite action to the Council.