Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-03-07
DIVORCE PROBE
IS RESUMED IN
COURTROOM
Judge Moncure Expected to
Make Statement This
Afternoon
MANY WITNESSES
Morning Session Taken up Principally
With Political Activities of Judge
MOncure.

The morning session of the Bar
Association committee which Is in
vestigating the divorce conditions was
taken up mainly with the examination
of witnesses introduced by Attorney
( Frank Stuart in regard to the alleged
/ political activities of Judge Robinson
Moncure during the election of last
summer. Judge Moncure's counsel,
John S. Barbour, also introduced JUS
! tice Troth, justice of the peace in
Fairfax County, to relate the clrcum-
stances Of difficulty he had with At
torney Frank Stuart.
! The session took a recess at 12:45
D. NJ. and it expected that Judge Mon
cure will begin his statement TO the
! committee Immediately after the af-
ternoon session convenes, at 2 o'clock.
! Rev. Dr.. E. V. REGISTER was called
and made statement as to his con-
nection with the case of Smith VS..
Smith, in which it was alleged by Mr..
Stuart that Judge Mcncure promised
the parties that if they would have
the marriage ceremony performed,
divorce would be granted directly al
terwarti. DR.. REGISTER stated that he
had been called on the telephone by
Courtland H. Davis, and asked to come
to Judge Moncure's office and perform
a marriage ceremony; that ne Went
to the Office. the circumstances OF the
case were related to him, and that IN
, order to assist in remedying de-
lcate situation he performed the cere--
mony of marriage. DR.. REGISTER stated
chat he recalled some statement be-
ing made as to the probability OF the
parties applying for divorce at some
time in the future, if circumstances
YarTsatedNts butE that no promise OF
sls.sEmediate divorce was made IN
Ms Itesence land that he knew nothing
of such d promise being madc;. either
atthe Fine, ,-ofrthe marriage or at any.
,otheS, tine. s'FhS impression given me-,
.yaiG prs REGISTER, was that the
hdge; Was Aoi1g his best to hel lp two
young people out of an embarrassing
situation, and l performed the cere-
money in that same spirit" a".
The :frst. witness who testified as
to. Judge Moncpre's alleged political
'activitics was Clyde B: Lanham, real
estate. dealer, who stated that Judge
Moncure asked him to vote for How
ard ". Smith for Commemorative
Attorney in the last election; that
Mr. Smith was q friend Of his, and
possibly would do more for him than
would Mr.. Snow, Mr.. Smiths opponent
Mayor J., NJ. Duncan was called and
asked whether he, as mayor had ad-
vised, or directed policemen Durrer
and Magner rot to make any state
ments before the committee. The may
or stated he had not, but on the con-
tiary had advised them to make any
statements to the committee that
might be Of value, but not to talk
about the matter on the streets.
Policeman Patrick Magner was then
called, and said that woman living
in Rosemont. whose husband had
been arrested for violation of the
prohibition law, had gone to the po-
lice court and stated that she had lost
$500, the inference being that the
money had been taken by Magner and
Policeman Durrer. He said he and
Durrer were called to the Office. at
which time Chief Goods. Mayor Dun
can Judge Moncure, Justice Snow
and Policeman Durrer were. present.
The Judge, he said, told the woman
she would have 10 make out state
ment in writing TO the effect that sh"
had lost her money. which she failed
to do. He said that after he left
the office he met Judge Moncure on
the outside, and the Judge said to him
and Durrer, Boys. if it had not been
for me you would have been sent on
to the grand jury" told him | wish
ed we had been. then we would have
seen what would have happened "Hc
then told us that if he had listened
to Mr.. Snow we would have been
sent to the grand jury. He said that
when Mr. Snow came here he had
nothing-that he no pants on; that
he was not qualified for the position
he had given him as police justice.
but that he gave it to him so he
could live" Magncr said that just
before election he and Durrer were
getting into their motorcycle to leave
the station house when Judge Mon
cure stopped them and said, Boys,
| have done you favor and | want
you to do me one want you to vote
for Howard Smith" Magner said he
did net tell the judge whether he
. would or would not vote for Mr..
Smith, but that he voted for Mr.
Snow.
Other witnesses who testified that
Judge Moncure had asked them to
vote for Mr.. Smith for Common
wealth's Attorney were Robert F.
Downham, Mr.. Shuman and S. NJ
Pullman.
Mr.. Downham stated that he went
to Judge Moncure's courtroom to ar
rL