The Washington times., 1923-03-31
CONV|CTON'
RECORD
SOUGHT
BY. HIM
Successor So Asserts, Saying
Weak Cases Were Pigeons
holed.

Grave conditions resulting from
Frank j. KelIy's alleged attempt
to maintain 1913 per cent con-.
viction record" were disclosed to-
day, it was said, following an in
ventory of the liquor docket by
Charles s. Baker and David a.
Hart, newly appointed prose.
cutors, in charge of violations Of
the national prohibition act.
New Arraignment Plan.
Hundreds of weak cases, SONS
of which date back to 1921, are
said to have been found pigeon
holed" and the sure" cases brought
forward
Prosecutor Baker asserted thar
he was confronted with the worst
conditions that have sever been
found in a district attorneys
office, and intimated hiatt II he
were to keep on using KelIy's sys-
tenn, he would never get out Of the
The following ordef was today
issued by Prosecutor Baker In an
effort for cleanup:
Hereafter all persons charged
with the violation Of the national
prohibition act will be arraigned
the day following their arrest.
nOfficers will see that all wit
nesses In any cases in which they
are interested are summoned to
court on the day of the arraign-
ment.
More Speed on Cases
During KelIy's administration al
legged offenders were not given Q
n. 49, M4at
two weeks after arrest. nc Was
limited that this caused the piling
up of cases.
BY bringing the people before
the court the day after their arrest.
we expect to expedite the cases a.
has never been known before" A.
sisting United States Attorney
Baker said.
Gordon Ordered Change.
Major Peyton Gordon, United
States District Attorney, ordered
the transfer yesterday of Kelly ard
Thomas Lodge, also an assistant
prosecutor, to other duties, an
nouncing at the same time that Kelly
and Lodge were only taking q few
days off and were going to Atlantic
City over the weekend.
Today Major Gordon, much
wrought up over publication Of re-
ports that the changes were made
as the result of friction between
the District Attorneys office in
Police Court and the police vice
squad, refused to even discuss the
changes.
mo, l won't say anything, enc
way or the other" he declared.
Major Gordon was asked whether
any complaints had been filed with
his office against Kelly and Lodge
in Police Court. He replied:
II am running the District At.
torney's office, not the District Conn
missioners."
Major Gordon also asked n re-
porter who called on him why peO-
pie were poSing in business which
didn't concern Them" referring to
inquiries regarding the changes.
Despite all reports to the con-
trary, it was understood today that
the changes in Police Court were
temporary. Kelly and Lodge viii
take the weekend off, but when
they return they win be assigned to
other work.
The changes, it was understood
today, are direct result Of the man
ner in which bootleg cases were
in the Police Court.
It is generally known that the
police vice squad has been at log
gerheads for many weeks with the
District Ottorney's office in Police
Court.
Police Officials Silent.
Police officials today declined to
comment on the changes. It il
known. however, they are pleased
over the shifts.
Assistant Attorney Kelly declared
last night that charges of lack Of
with the police vice
squad were pure fiction"
II have always believed Major
Iordon was my chief and for that
.eason refused to let the vice squad
AXE his place. Kelly declared.
My record In the Police Court
speaks for itself. 1 have tried to
10 my duty conscientiously. ! have
made mistakes, but stand on my
ecord
AS far as my personal interests
re concerned, / have wanted ex. |
,erience in another branch of the |
District Attorneys office. Some 1
ime ago / requested transfer. !
m going to Atlantic City over the /
Holiday, but my trip is on no way i
Connected with the change in my /