Evening star., 1904-03-18
THE CROFT NEARING
Policeman Answers Charges
Before Trial Board.
APPEAL BY COUNSEL
THE BOARD URGED TO DEFER
FINAL ACTION.
Contention That Appeal for New Trial
in Conspiracy Case Should
Be Considered.

Policeman Samuel A. Groff's hearing be-
fore the trial board yesterday occupied but
a short time. There was not a single wit
ness examined, and most of the time was
taken up in discussing the merits of the
case. Mr. Maddox was present as attorney
for Croft, and Attorney e. Scott Douglass.
who was counsel for Machen ip the con-
spiracy trial, was present and assisted in
the presentation of the defendants case.
Mr.. Stevens, assistant corporation counsel,
occupied but a few minutes in his argu-
ment, concluding by saying the board
should recommend Grofr's dismissal. Mr..
Maddox on the part of the defense. did
not argue for an acquittal. All his client
wanted, he said, was justice, and this, he
argued, could only be accomplished by post
poning action until the appeal from the
verdict of the jury in the recent trial of
Mr.. Croft is passed upon. The appeal, ne
said, had acted as a stay to the sentence,
and certainly, he thought the board would
not do the accused officer the injustice of
recommending his dismissal. He suggested
that the board might recommend that the
case be postponed until the court case is
finally passed upon, and that his clients
pay be withheld, or that he be given the
amount of the average pensioner. He said
he would not even object to his being
granted leave Of absence without pay
On behalf of the District Mr.. Stevens
said it was not necessary to rely upon the
verdict of the jury at ALL The first count
of the charges, he pointed out, alleges that
the indictment of the officer tends to bring
discredit upon the force, and 1t Is within
the province of the board to consider only
the one specification.
How do you plead?" Chairman Sinclair
asked after Assistant Corporation Counsel
Stevens had read the charge, as printed In
yesterdays Star.
Wen plead not guilty was the re-
sponse of Mr.. Maddox. I'VE can't deny
the verdict, nor can we deny a conviction
and the imposition of sentence
Read it, said counsel, when Mr.. Ste
vens presented the copy of the indictmen
upon which Croft was tried and convicted.
II don't believe anybody connected with
the case read it, unless 1t was Mr.. Doug
lass, and If they did 1 don't believe they
understood it."
II suppose" remarked Chairman Sim
clair, you will admit the jury did not
understand it,"
Certainly added Mr. Maddox, land
show by what some of them said about the
case after the verdict was rendered that
they didn't understand much about the
case p j
Transcript of Record.
Mr.. Stevens presented the transcript of
the court record, showing the trial, convic-
ton and sentence, and concluded by say
ing: This makes out a case in favor of
the District of Columbia, and is sufficient
cause for the removal of any man from the
police force"
Mr.. Maddox said he was not familiar
with the method Of trying policemen, but
he presumed the board had the right to go
over the record, and should 1t so decide he
felt quite sure the conclusion would be diff
ferent from that which was reached by the
jury. The situation, he admitted, was an
embarrassing one. So far as he con-
cerned, he would furnish the board with a
copy Of the record.
Counsel then went on with a statement of
the case as it had been given on the wit
ness stand in Justice Pritchard's court by
the defendant. He started out by telling
how, when his client was doing police duty,
he noticed the letter carriers taking letters
from the mail boxes, and saw how some of
them cut their hands on the fastenings.
Realizing the need Of improved fastener
he perfected a model, which he afterward
patented Counsel then recited how Sam
| uel A. Croft had turned his business over
| to his brother, and of subsequent money
| transactions.
And" he said chat was all the con-
nection Samuel A. Croft had with the con-
Germ. The transactions were honest, busi-
ness ones. and checks for various amounts
| were given. OF course. If he had been in
any conspiracy. he would not have given
| checks. but would have passed over the
cash money"
| After Croft had turned over his business
| as he did. stated counsel. he started to
| work on another patent, the 'peacemakec."
| Being engaged upon his police duties and
| giving time to his new patent he knew he
| could not properly attend to the sale of the
! fastener to the government. Where any
| conspiracy came in, he said, he had never
| been able to discover
| Counsel referred to the speech Of Mr..
| Holmes Conrad in the so-caled conspiracy
| trial, and said it was a display of eloauence
| which took the jurymen from their feet
| and did more toward the verdict thar all
| the testimony put together. He then told
| of Mr.. Conrads statement concerning his
| belief in the innocence Of Samuel A. Croft.
| And in face of the admission made by
| the special counsel for the government"
| he said, 1.-The jury for reasons which can
not be understood returned a verdict Of
| guilty.
| THAT verdict" declared Mr.. Maddox.
| with emphasis. cannot stand. Croft must
| get new trial and be acquitted. as no
| conviction upon testimony such as was
| offered at that trial will hold"
Interviews With Jurymen.
| Counsel then read interviews with Jurors
| Carl Petersen and w. O. Bergman, in
which they were alleged to have assigned
as the reason for his clients conviction the
| signature to the mutilated letter. The tes-
timony showed, Mr.. Maddox said, and was