Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-11
TRIAL BOARD RESUMES
-
u 81
Hearing HRegarding Alleged
Game Of Craps.
TEsTIM0NH TODAY
w1rnnssns rnI OF PROCEED
IEds IN drATIoN.
Policemen Arraigned on Charges Of
Infraction Of Law Relating
to Gaming.

Policeman Bloom was the nfSt WliHeSS
examined at the session of the police trial
board held this afternoon to listen to testi-
| mony regarding the alleged crap game in
Georgetown police station, for participation
in which Policemen Hoffman and Laleger
| were placed on trial last week
Attorney Wilton ]. Lambert asked him
concerning a diamond pin that was stolen
| in the police station.
Il don't know anything about pin that
was stolen,' he responded, with emphasis
| on the word stolen.
| The witness was withdrawn, after objec-
| ton had been made by Attorney Mattlngly
| and sustained by the board
Policeman Laleger, one of the defendants,
| was then examined respecting part OF the
| testimony he gave at the hearing last week
| He was asked If he was on duty at the
time he had told of having been in the
dormitory about the date the crap game IS
| charged to have been played Inc testimony
| was ruled out.
Did you call at Kittens house last
week." Attorney. Mattingly asked.
| Il remember stopping by there one day,
| the witness answered.
| He denied that he had said anything TO
Hilten about what he Q1ilten) had said to
| Major Sylvester.
| Defendant repeated that he did not en-
| gage in any game of craps in the station.
| He also said he had no bones in his
possession in the station and said he saw
| none on the bed
| IF there had been any on the bed" he
stated, Il think would have seen them. >
The defendant said he could only ac-
| count for Kittens statement by saying the
latter was prejudioed: So far as clark Is
| concerned, he stated, he thought he did
not have as bright a mind as he should
| have.
IF there was question of Clarks SAN
| ity raised" said Laleger, Il should have
| to say / believe he is insane"
| He said he had told Clark he was crazy
at the time he Clark struck Hilten.
| Testimony of F. D. Payne.
Frank D. Payne appeared as witness
| an dtold the trial board that he had con-
| Quoted lunch room at 1909 SD street. He
| said that Policeman Kittens reputation for
| truth and veracity is bad.
Would you believe him under oath?"
| the witness was asked
L don't know anything about him per-
| sonally." he responded.
Witness said he had heard the officers
| reputation discussed in his (witness)
place of business, but could not give the
| name of single individual who had dis
| cussed it, nor could he tell when he heard
the discussion, He did say that the dis
cussion was brought about by talk
about police matters.
Who asked you to come here and testify
against Mr.. Hilton'S reputation"
He said that Mr.. Lalleger had asked him
| to go to Mr.. Lambert's Witness said he
| had been arrested for conducting a poker
game and forfeited s25 collateral. Eal-
| leger, he said, participated In the raid,
| which was conducted by Sergt. Schneider.
Hugh Clements testified that he recol-
| lected the time that Hilton was on charges
| for 'hoodling," and said Hilton wanted him
| to testify in the case for him. Hilton, he
| said. told him he would pay him for it.
Witness said he had been a member of
the police force and had resigned of his
| own free will. He said he had been be-
! fore the court once for assault
That is our case" said Mr.. Lambert
| He said he would renew his motion that
the charges be dismissed on the ground
| that the officers were not on duty at the
| time charged. His motion was overrule1,
| and Mr.. Lambert noted an exception.
Against Other Policemen
Then" said Mr.. Sindair, I'VE will take
up the case of Privates Walsh and Hoff-
! man."
In this case the charge is that they en-
/ gagged in game of craps in the police sta
| ton, and that they afterward denied I'M
| der oath, that they had done so. A third
specification against Walsh alleges that he
talked about the game charged.
| Policeman Howard p. Short was called
and asked what he knew of a crap game
having been played in the station during
| the time covered in the charge.
| Witness said that some time about Christ
mas he came off duty at II o'clock and
went to the top floor of the sation, where
| lie Sleeps. Witness SdlO he saw 'DOnES on
q bed and Walsh and Hoffman were on
| opposite sides of the bed
| Il saw no crap game played he stated,
| land | saw no money
Witness said he Walsh the next
morning and he (Walsh) said he had won
| s72 or $13, and Hoffman had asked him for
| the loan of $40 Walsh asked him what he
| thought of it, and witness said he thought
| it was bad business. He told Walsh that
| he thought il would merely be a matter of
! loaning a man his own money.
Did Not Hear "Crap."
Witness said he did not advise Walsh
| one way or the other about the matter
| During the conversation about the winning
| OF the money the witress etated the word
crap was not mentioned.
! How many bones old you see in the
| dormtory?' Mr.. Sinclair asked
Two" was his answer.
Witness repeated that he did not see the
| men handle the bones" That affair did not
| interest him enough, he said, for him to go
| over and look at it. Witness retired short
| ly afterward and could not say that the
men engaged in a game. Witness was
! asked to state the exact language used by
| Walsh the morning after he had seen the
bones" and he said Walsh had told him
| that he had either won" or trimmed that
young fellow of $72 or $73.'
| There were four men in the room the
| night he saw the bones. Witness said he
| did not hear the conversation between the
| men in the dormtory.
| Il didn't want to see If there was a game
| there that night" he admitted.
Witness was asked If he was not charged
with the duty of arresting and prosecuting
| persons who play craps, but he made no
| response. 10 -
On cross-examination witness said that
bones" are frequently taken from pris-
| oners, and it Isl not an unusual thing 10
| see them about the station. He said he
| had never seen any gambling done in the
| station.
Il might have heard some conversation
| between Them" said Short, but I don't
know what 1t was to swear to 1t positive
| ly."
All witness knew about the money was
| what Walsh had told him.
| Questioned byoMr.. Mattingly, witness ad-
| mitted that he had ihad conversation
| with Policemans Brown and said he told
| the latter that be (witness) would tell the
| truth if called as, a witness. Witness said
| he had told the lieutenant of a money
| transaction there, He denied that he had
| told anybody that he had seen crap game
| in the station. Witness did not remember
| that any superior officer had urged bim
| not to say anything about crap game in
| the station.
| Policeman John Kuster testified that he
| knew nothing of a crap game having been