Evening star., 1923-10-28
DRY AGENT-PO[|CE
.FEUD CARRIED ON
FOR MANY MONTHS
Details of Bitter Fight Re-
veaIed at Hearing of
Charges Against Davis.

Enough recriminations. accusa-
tions. implications. charges and in
timations had been hurled back and
forth by police and prohibition agents
before the police trial board yes
terday afternoon concluded the first
days hearing of charges against
the vice squad of irregular enforce
ment of the dry law in the District
to convince the most conservative
observers packing the board room
at the sixth precinct station that
cooperation in liquor raids here in
the last six months was far below
zero in so far as the vice squad and
certain prohibition agents were con-
cerned.
When Chairman Wahly of the trial
board called a halt after seven of
the twenty specifications against
Lieut.. O. T. Davis, chief of the vice
squad, had been aired from every pos
sible angle, the record was replete
with charges, countercharges and re-
buttal charges.
1t started with the first speciica-
ton against Davis, when testimony
by Agents George Fowler and Clark
agents as the result of previous
charges filed by Lieut.. Davis, was
given to the effect that an automobile
had been stopped in Rhode Island
avenue near 22d street northeast,
during the closing days of last year,
in which no liquor was found. Then
it was brought out by the prosecu-
ton that Lieut.. Davis later was seen
with a bottle of whisky in his pos
session, which he claimed had been
seized in the automobile, according
to witnesses, and which was used in
the case against Pomeroy Brown and
James Pritchard. This charge was
one of fabrication of evidence to OBJ
tain a conviction. Lieut.. Davis de-
MED emphaticaliy on the stand that
he had ever seen the bottle referred
to, and that he had no part in the
search of the automobile or in the
aftermath of this particular case.
Frame-up Charged.
Linton S. Evans, prohibition agent.
and George Fowler, Jr., suspended
prohibition agent, next testified that
Lieut. Davis had suggested placement
of a sign such as I'VE Do White
washing" in front of a private resi-
dence to facilitate raid, by obtain
ing a smelling" warrant. This was
another "frame-up" charge. Davis
denied this also, and Attorney T.
Morris Wampler for the defense
brought admissions in cross examina-
ton from the two witnesses to the
effect that no date was recalled and
not even the location of the proposed
premises to be raided was known TO
the agents making the charge.
Later, on the stand, Lieut. Davis an
nounced that he had thrown Evans
out of the second precinct at one time
because he could not tolerate his con-
duct with respect to prisoners and to
other agents with instructions never
to return, and that he had filed
charges. which were instrumental in
having Evans removed from the
Washington jurisdiction.
AS for another prohibition agent,
Lieut., Davis said: II didn't want any
connection with the man because knew
he wasn't right" This statement was
made after Leon S. Ackerman. former
prohibition agent. had taken the stand
to testify that Davis had told George
Fugitt, buyer" to go to 81 Florida
avenue northwest and make purchases
of liquor, and If he couldn't make a
purchase to "fill one up"
Davis declared that he could not use
Fugitt, for he knew him too well, and
that he wanted no dealings with Acker-
man. Incidentally, Lieut.. Davis during
examination said he remarked that
CONTINUED on Page 2. Column 2.)