The Washington times., 1920-12-16
GOULD DROPS
THEFT STORY
Justice at "Nicky" Trial Rules
Out Alleged Confessions
of Three Brokers.

Justice Gould, presiding in the
bond theft conspiracy case on trial
in the District Supreme Court, at
noon today excluded the alleged con-
fessions made by Norman S. Bowles,
David w. Sullivan, and Wilen w.
yesterday, United States Dis
trict Attorney John T. Dooling, Of
New York, and officials of several
security companies because they
have been obtained from the defend
ant on promises of immunity.
KNOWLEDGE OF THEFT.
The confessions are said to have
related what knowledge the defend
ants had OF the theft and negotiation
of $4,000 900 worth of securities
stolen from messengers in the New
York financial district, and many
OF which were handled through the
brokerage firm OF Sullivan & CO. in
Washington.
Justice Gould ruled that the con-
fessions had been involuntarily made
because OF the promises of immunity
after Norman s. Bowles, Washington
lawyer and former member or the
n rm OF sullivan & Company ana l.
Morris Wampler, counsel for the 1c-
PENDANTS, took the witness stand ma
told Justice Gould, who had excluded
the jury from the courtroom, OF the
alleged promises of immunity.
BOWLEs CALLED TO STAND.
Bowles was called to the stand af-
ter the Government attempted to in
troduce the alleged confessions. Coun-
sci for the defendants objected to
their introduction. arguing that they
were not competent evidence in that
they had been obtained from the de-
PENDANTS after DoolinG and the Sc
curity company officials had prom
ised the defendants would not be
prosecuted or receive any prison
sentence.
Attorney wampler, who was in
the office of Robert II. Mcneil, in
the Southern Building, last March,
where the alleged confessions were
made, testified that the defendants
had not only been promised i'm
munity by Dooling, but that he per-
sonally had been given this assur-
ance.
Bowles said that he had demanded
and was assured of absolute i'm
munity from prosecution before he
made the alleged confession Of his
knowledge OF the theft and negotia-
ton of the securities.
INSISTED ON IMMUNITY.
81 summoned yesterday and Bowles
to Mr.. McNeill's office last March at
the suggestion of former Judge Rock
wood, District Attorney Dooling. and
Saul +. Myers. OF the National Surety
Company. At this conference Bowles
declared that there would be no
statement made by either him or
yesterday unless absolute immunity
was given. After while the assur-
ance was given, Mr.. Dooling assert
ing he would make recommendation
in behalf of the men to the court II
they would make a clean breast of
what they knew of those responsible
for the bond thefts and help in the
recovery of the stolen securities.
This assurance was given" con-
tinued Mr.. Wampler, land l then ad-
vised my clients to tell whatever they
knew of the bond deal"
Quoting Mr.. DoollnB, Mr.. Wampl"r
said the District Attorney declared,
81 am not the judge or the court, but
II you men tell me tho whole truth
and help the inquiry to recover the
stolen bonds and running down the
thieves / will make a recommendation
to the court that you will not be
sent to prison"
CLAIMED INSIDE PULL
MT Wampler further testified that
DoolinR said that he frequently made
recommendations to the court and
that not one of them had been dis
honored. Wampler also said that
former Judge lockwood and Mr..
Myers declares to the two men that
they represented the monicd inter.
est of the country, and that they
were In a position to urge upon the
court in favor OF the three men so
~