Tenant Leader Is Evicted

Watertown landlord Herbert Brazao finally succeeded yesterday morning in evicting the leading member of the Cambridge Tenants Organizing Committee (CTOC), William Cunningham, and his three children from their Cambridge apartment.

Cunningham's eviction stems from his alleged refusal to pay his rent over the past four months.

Property Power

Defending his refusal to pay the $25 rent increase, Cunningham said, "If you have property, you have power. Evictions must be defeated in the final analysis or rents will continue to go up. Rent control will increase evictions."

Brazao justified his demand for a $150 monthly rent by saying, "We need some kind of rent control, but when you give a person six rooms with hot and cold running water, it's not a high rent."

A squad of 15 Cambridge police dispelled a crowd of 50 sympathizers who tried unsuccessfully to prevent the eviction.

Special Sheriff Ralph Bens ordered police in when the crowd blocked the sidewalk and obstructed movers who were loading the last pieces of Cunningham's furniture into a truck hired by Brazao.

The police dispersed the crowd without making any arrests. In an attempted eviction on December 11, eight people, including Cunningham, were arrested on charges of assault and battery on a policeman and rude and disorderly conduct.

Decrying the use of police force, Cunningham said last night, "It's obvious we can't win against the military forces of the law. If we had their power, we'd do what they do."

"When they try to stop the sheriff from doing his job, the sheriff might very well see fit to call in the police," Brazao retorted.