Evening star., 1924-05-01
KNUTSON VIGOROUSLY
DENIES ALL CHARGES
Brands as "Damnable Falsehoods"
Allegations Prosecutor Seeks
to Get in Record.
EXPLAINS BRIBERY OFFER
Says He Was Confused at Sudden
Arrest in Virginia.
By a stan Correspondent.

By a StaT Correspondent.
ARLINGTON COU y TY COURT
HOUSE, May 1.-Repre sentative Har-
old Knutscn of Minnesota denied spe-
cincally and vigorously all charges
against him and stood firm under hot
SrilllnS when he was placed on the
stand today in his trial for a serious
cHense. He indignantly branded an a
damnable falsehood' certain allega-
tons on his conduct which Common
wealth Attorney Cloth sought to in
terJect into the record.
Repre- sentative Knutson admitted
ne offered $le0 to arresting officers to
avoid arrest and publicity.
Il offered Officers Wise and Burke
500 to fix it up" Mr.. Knutson said,
upon resulting direct testimony at
the opening OF the session today.
and they asked me if / had the
money on me. told them that / had
only Sc or SIS on me, but that l would
write a check. They said ] could stop
payment on a check. and then I told
them I'd leave my car for security.
At the time / thought l was ar
rested for minor offense. After
making this offer Wise and Burke
first went behind the automobile and
mad a talk. and then they came back
ana we went to jail
Arrival at Jail.
After arrival at the Jail and the en-,
try of the charge against him, Mr..
hnutSon said that he remembered
saving My God! this will ruin me-
Il asked the sheriff" he continued,
IF IT wasn't possible to give bail and
he replied | couldn't have bail if !
mad 500 in cash. / asked him to
let me call up some friends and he
sad l could not do that. Then l
mother so she would not sit up and
wait for me. and he said | couldn't
use the telephone at all.4
Bitter interchanges between oppos-
1ng counsel marked the days session.
Couldn't Tell Time.
During the cross-examination while
the prosecution was questioning Mr..
knutson sharply relative to time he
1nterJeCted: unfortunately, | left my
stop watch at home
This answer. like other answers,
brought filters from the spectators.
asked him whether he drank or not
and he said that he would take a
drink occa sionally when not feeling
well.
He described in detail his offer of
500 TO the officers in order to escape
arrest. He charged that he had no
opportunity to collect his thoughts
ard give a coherent explanation OF
the reasons for his stop in an auto
mobile with Leroy Hull. who was ar
rested with him on the night of March
3, because the officers told him at the
time he would have to explain later.
stress Bribery Charge.
Prosecution stressed the point that
although he did not have time to ex-
plain. he had time to attempt bribing
arresting officers.
Representative KnutSon emphat-
ically denied testimony of Sheriff
Fields to the effect that he had ask ed
when brought to Jail for a blank
check on the Riggs National Bank
and had promised to fill in any
amount named for his release.
Former Representative Campbell of
Kansas and Representative Fish of
New York testified as character wit
nesses for the defendant
The jury was taken to the spot
where Representative Knurson and
Mr.. Hull was arrested on the night OF
Ma arCh .. and the defense rested.
The case probably will go to the
jury this afternoon.
rH-;,k.