The Washington times., 1924-03-18
C0URTCROWDED
FOR KNO TSON !
TRIAL
Traffic Policeman Recites De-
tails Leading Up to Arrest
of Congressman.


a flashlight on them and placed 4
them under arrest. Presiding Judge
Harry r. Thomas repeatedly threat.
ened to clear the courtroom and
asked spectators to refrain from
demonstrations.
The judge reminded the specta-
tors that the solemn proceedings
should not be mistaken for enter
tainment.
Congressman Knutson was rep.
resented today by Oscar J. Larson
and Walter II. Newton, both Con-
gressrnen from Minnesota; Thomas
Bradley. Of Washington. and State
Senator Frank L. Ball.
The quartet of attorneys alter.
mated in cross-examining the traf.
fic officer and making appeals to
the court on various points of
law.
They pointed out that the two
defendants stand accused of a
crime which is easy to prove, but
difficult to disprove.
Commonwealth Attorney Cloth
and Attorney Bradley, who lead,
the defense's case, engaged in a
number Of tits, which provoked
Congressman Larson to remind
Cloth that It was inappropriate
for him to evidence any prejudice.
The defense attempted to prove
that Traffic Officer Wise had only"
been on the force a few months ].
and that he had held a number OF }
jobs in Washington without sue
cess
POIiceman'S Story.
Asked to tell what he based Con
gresham Knutson's arrest on,
Wise related the following story:
TRAFFIC Policeman Burke and I
were on our way to Alexandria.
Lewis Zimmerman, Burke's brother
in-law, was driving the automobile.
We spotted a sedan parked $50 feet
from the boulevard.
LAS we approached the parked
sedan, both Burke and myself >
jumped out on the running board
Of our car. When we were along
side it, We stepped upon the run
ming board of the sedan and L..
threw my flashlight into the win
dow" !
Says He Offered to Leave Car. i
Traffic Policeman Wise said that
Knutson told him and Burke he only
had Sc on his person and pleaded
that he be permitted to leave his
car as collateral while he went to q
Washington to get 500. Wise fur,
Their testified that Knutson told him
he was nothing but a poor man, and =
it would take him six months to save
it up IF give it to you"-referring
to the 500.
&vsa& -
had tried to frame" KnuAeon drew
the positive declaration from Wise J
that at no time during the making =,
Of the arrest did he know either
Of the defendants was a member of >
Congress.
Upon persistent questioning by
attorneys for the defense, Wise ad-
mitted he had been a street car
conductor in Washington and that
he had also worked at various
times for the Thomas SOmerville
Plumbers Supply Company, the Life
Casualty and Insurance Co., and
E. ]. Febrey, a steam filter.
Wise Tells of Former Jobs.
Wise said he had been taken on
as a traffic policeman in Arlington
county the first part Of this year.
Efforts were made by the defense
to show that Wise would De inter
ested in a serious arrest such as
was made through the county fee
system, but Commonwealth Attor-
ney Cloth brought out that this
was not a factor in the case.
Mr.. Cloth, on neumerous c"ca-
sions today, significantly reminded
attorneys for the defense that the.
influence and prominence Of the
men on trial would not influence
him in their favor.
When Congressman Lawson and
Newton made impassioned pleas
to Judge Thomas in support of
their contention that the proGecu-
ton should be compelled to cause
both of the traffic officers to tes- :
tify, Attorney Cloth charged them
with trying to ''revolutionize the
entire criminal procedure of the
Old Dominion"