Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-08
INQUIRY INCOMPLETE
Police Trial Board Adjourns
Until Tuesday.
CHARGES OF PERJURY
TESTIMONY AT VARIANCE RE-
GARDING CRAP GAME.
Testimony of Witnesses Relating to
Infractions of the Law in
a Police Station.
CHARGES OF PERJURY

Infractions of the Law in
Police Station.
The trial board hearing of Policemen G.
Fl. Laleger and Z. A. Hoffman of the sew
enth precinct continued in the Police
Court yesterday afternoon after the Stars
report of the proceedings was closed. The
men were charged with having engaged in
a game or games of craps In the dormitory
of the Georgetown police station and dur
Ing the progress of the investigation
charges of perjury developed, the testi-
mony concerning the alleged gambling
made before Major Richard Sylvester,
superintendent of police, being at variance
significant condition was developed at
the hearing yesterday. While Policemen
Clark and Hilton swore positively and in
detail that there was a game of craps for
money. in which Laleger and Holman
were the participants, the testimony Of
Laleger and Hoffman in their own defense
was Numerically opposite that of the
prosecuting witnesses. Laleger and Hof-
man declared under oath that there was no
game of craps played by them at the time
described or any other time.
AS stated by The Star the hearing was
conducted by the police trial board, con-
sisting of Mr.. A. Leftwich Sinclair, assistant
corporation COUNSEL Captain SwindellS and
Lieutenant Elliott. The charges included
Private J. G. Walsh having engaged in
q game with Holman. but upon request
of Mr.. Lambert separate trials were &C
corded the two pairs Hoffman and Laleger
and Hoffman and Walsh. Hoffman and
Laleger were tried first and although the
trial was in progress from l 80 o'clock until
nearly ., the case was not finished.
Mr.. Lambert of counsel for defendant
policemen contended that there was no
charge that the men We're on duty when
the alleged act took place, and, if such was
not true, the board had no right to try the
policemen until convicted in a court of COM
petent jurisdiction.
Policeman Clark told of Hilton and him
self having a fight because Hilton made
an improper proposition to him. Il let my
shoe fly at him and knocked him down."
he testified. Throughout the examination
Lambert and Baker took exceptions to
queries about transactions when the men
were not on duty. They were overruled
and exceptions noted.
Attorney Lambert's Contention.
Attorney Lambert made a fight to secure
for examination statements which all the
officers had made to Maj Sylvester. He
said he had served proper notice on Maj.
Sylvester to have them in court Mr..
Sinclair said none had been sent over for
the court. He was asked how about the
papers from which he was conducting the
a memorandum furnished him by Maj. Syl-
vester to conduct the examination and was
personal.
Maj. Sylvester seems to have taken a
very energetic part in this matter, and l
want II in the records that he has failed
TO produce the papers the law gives my
clients the right TO have" said Mr.. Lam
bert.
Private G. T. Hilton, while on the wit
ness stand. acknowledged that Clark knock
ed him Unconscious.
You had some trouble at No police
station, l believe" queried Attorney Lam
bert. (which resulted in your transfer to
the fourth precinct? Something about the
loss of diamond pin?"
Attorney Robert l.. Mattingly who ap-
peared ITO safeguard the interests of Hill
ton as 1t was stated by opposing counsel
objected to the diamond pin matter being
lnterJected into the investigation at this
time. He indicated that it would form the
subject of later investigation.
Policeman Hilton said he believed lob"
mad been put up on him in the diamond pin
matter. Il want my rights and justice"
said the policeman. He admitted on cross
examination that he knew crap shooting
was violation of the law, but he did not
report 1t until the controversy arose about
the alleged theft of the diamond pin
Mr. Lambert said he was not through
with Witness Hilton and could not conclude
until he had secured papers from Maj. Syl-
Nester. VIII subpoena the ma or to this
trial in order TO get the statements | want"
the attorney declared
The Perjury Charges.
Mr. Edwin Hesse, private secretary to
Maj. Sylvester, was called to testify about
the perjury charges Mr.. Sinclair began to
ask about the taking of testimony before
MAI. Sylvester, and Mr.. Lambert at once
objected. on the ground that since the
statements had been taken in shorthand
and transcribed they were the best testi-
the witness his memorandum" which had
been referred to, and from this was ex-
tracted the statements Mr.. Lambert had
Deen hghting for. After reading them Mr.
Lambert asked this question:
Did Laleger, here stated ask Mai
sylvester in his examination If he had the
right TO reserve his statement" The reply
was Yes"
And the major said No. you have not?'"
Again the reply was Yes and with feel
Ing, Mr. Lambert said: Then | object to
this being offered in evidence 1t was pro-
cured under grossly improper coercion and
misrepresentation on the part of Mai Syl-
Vester about the right given the humblest
cluzeh IL was made part of the record.
Mr.. Mattingly asked Hilton If there had
been an agreement between him and Clark
10 compare statements to be made before
the trial board, with the understanding
that they were Ito stick 10 them"
NO, SIR replied Hilton.
The testimony for the prosecution having
peen closed the board refused on formal
motion TO dismiss the case because it had
been testified that at least one of the ac-
cused men was not on duty when the al
legged game took place. Mr.. Sinclair held
the Commissioners had the right to punish
men for gambling in the station, whether
on duty or off duty.
For the Defense.
Policeman p A. Holman was then called
to the witness stand to testify for the de-
Tense. He denied there had been any game
of craps played at the time referred to, or
at any other time He denounced as false
the testimony that he had won s75 or any
other amount from Laleger. There was
money lying on the bad in the dormitory
on the occasion upon which It had been
testified that crap game had been played
but the money placed there during
Its transfer from his uniform to his citizen S
suit of clothing. Witness added:
Il have never played game of craps OF
course. know how II is played, or l would
not be on the police force"
Then" said Mr.. Sinclair "you believe
an expert knowledge of craps Is a condition
precedent to a man getting on the police
force"
No