Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-04
U. S. Attorney Investigating
Disclosures Affecting
Local Department.
BASED ON Statement
BY MARGARET STOUT
officials Reticent Regarding Charac-
ter of the Accusations-Inquiry
by Grand Jury Probable.

Alleged graft in the police depart
are said to have been named, has come
Margaret Stout to Assistant United
it is declared.
The statement of Mrs Stout, who was
recently convicted and sentenced to a
term of two years at Occoquan on a
charge of conducting disorderly
house, came after she had been sur
| rendered by her bondsmen in Criminal
Court No. l Monday afternoon. Upon
being taken into court she Immediate
ly made certaiH accusations which Mr..
Hawken decided to Investigate. Mrs
Stout was taken to the Office of United
States Attorney Laskey, who assigned
Mr.. Hawken to investigate the matter
A stenegrapher took her statement.
and yesterday afternoon number of
witnesses were summoned to Mr.. Haw-
ken's Office at the city hall. These
witnesses included, it is stated, jurors
who sat in the case of the accused
woman and also in the case of Ray
mond Kleindienst. former detective,
who was convicted of adultery. 1t is
department were also heard.
Other Witnesses Heard.
There were number of other wit
nesses who appeared before Mr.. Haw-
ken today. several of whom are men,
bers of the police department. Mar
garet Stout also was heard again to-
day by Mr.. Hawken.
Ha1
ing this matter" said Mr.. Hawken in
reply to a question. Anything that is
to be given out will have to come from
Mr.. Laskey. and he is out of town."
Mr.. Hawken refused to give the names
named in the alleged graft by the Stout
woman and also said he could not say
whether or not the matter will be pre-
scented to the grand jury.
is said to have made the statement af-
fecting the police followed a raid on
her house by the police of the tenth
precinct. 1t was in this raid that De-
tectfve klinedienst was captured.
Klinedinst took an appeal to the Dis
trict Court Of Appeals after Justice
Covington had refused TO grant him a
new trial and had sentenced him to the
pending the decision of the upper court
Maj Raymond W. Pullman, superin-
tendent Of police, this morning said he
was not in position to discuss the
police investigation. The whole mat
ter. he said, is in the hands of the
United States attorney. Maj. Pullman
Monday night conferred with United
States Attorney Laskey and Mr. Laws,
his assistant. The conference lasted
more than two hours.
The three officials went over the
affair in detail, it is stated, but the
chief OF police this afternoon said he
was unable to give out any informa-
ton regarding the matter.
would be followed in the event of an
Indictment being returned by the
grand jury, the chief said the officers
Indicted undoubtedly would be sus-
pended pending trial.
It is known that Maj. Pullman is
entirely familiar with the allegations
made by Margaret Stout. The con-
victed woman. it Is reported, blamed
Kleindienst for having her surrender
ed. rumor having it that she was told
he had informed her bondsman or an
acquaintance that she probably would
leave the city rather than remain and
undergo the sentence of two years i'm
posed upon her.
Margaret Stout, it is stated resided
on Delaware avenue southwest, the
precinct in which Kleindienst did ,duty
prior to the enactment of the so-called
red-light measure.
Inquiry Causes Commotion.
Members of the police force. more
especially those who are well ac-
quainted with the officers whose names
are linked with the investigation, are
making anxious inquiries concerning
, the latest disclosures. Many of them
| today expressed themselves as favor
ing a full investigation of the charges
in order that persons not mentioned in
them will not be affected by the ru-
| mors
IF there is truth in Them said a
policeman this afternoon, Il hope it will
come out without delay. Let the guilty
ones, If there are any, take their medi-
cine"
Maj. Pullman says he is satisfied that
the investigation is being pushed as
rapidly as possible. He is certain Mr..
Laskey and Mr.. Hawken will reach q
conclusion without delay. Should the
statements warrant grand jury action,
, he said, he had no doubt that that body
would take up the investigation imme-
diately.
Commissioners Awaiting Report.