Evening star., 1924-12-31

f1cer was charged with conspiracy to
defraud the United States and with
accepting a bribe to influence his Of
fetal action; three oil magnates were
accused of conspiracy in securing
leases to Teapot Dome and other
naval reserves; and one of the same
three was indicted for contempt of
the United States Senate in refusing
to answer questions propounded dur
ing the investigation OF the Teapot
Dome scandal.
The question of the right to pub
lish income tax returns was brought
before the District Supreme Court,
which was also requested to curb the
Controller General in his efforts TO
Withhold pay of naval officers to off,
set possible claims of the govern
ment for disallowed payments to de-
pendents. There was quite a num-
ber of suits against the prohibition
unit in connection with the with
drawal of permits for denatured al
cohol for industrial uses.
Blow to Rent Body.
The District Court of Appeals dealt
severe blow to the Rent Commits
sion when in an opinion by Justice
Robb 1t declared the housing emer-
gency ofave ceased when the United
States Supreme Court last April in the
ChastIston case so stated The ac-
ton of Congress in attempting to ex-
tend the Ball rent act last May for
an additional year was held to have
been without constitutional basis.
An effort to have the United States
Supreme Court review this finding is
being made by counsel for the tenant
in the case.
This court went or record as de-
fan Of ha \
putting an end to improvidently is
sued search warrants. In granting a
new trial for murder in the Perrygo
case the court scored the third de-
gree" methods of the police, which it
said had no place III our civiliza-
ton.
Chief Justice Dies
The appellate court reopened the
packers case by admitting the Cali
fornia Canneries Company to inter-
vene in the case brought by the De-
partment of Justice against the big
FIVE" packing concerns, and in which
a consent decree had been filed. 1t
also refused to issue. an injunction
against Secretary Wilbur to save the
battleship Washington. In patent
appeal matters the court reversed the
Patent Office and granted priority to
De Forrest in the wireless cases and
to DIR. Rogers in the submarine wire
less case.
Constantine j. Smyth. chief justice
of the court, died and was succeeded
by George L. Martin, former presiding
Judge of the United States Court of
Customs Appeals. Oscar Il. Bland and
Charles S. Hatfield. judges of the lat
ter tribunal. were named by Chief
Justice Taft to sit as members of the
Court of Appeals, which they did for
the first time in the Fall term.
$50 Lawyers Admitted.
A total of 394 cases were docketed
in the Court of Appeals during the
year, marking the highest number
ever recorded in single year in the
history of that tribunal Opinions
were rendered In 297 cases and argu-
ments have been heard in a number
of others, in which decisions will be
given early in January. There are
awaiting hearing on the January
calendar 81 general cases. IS on the
special calendar, SO patent appeals
and 4 original petitions. In addition
to the new eases the court considered
So applications for writs of error in
cases coming from the Municipal
Court, Of which were granted %. The
justices also heard 546 motions and
admitted 4S0 lawyers to practice.
The outstanding feature of the work
of the District Supreme Court in 1924
was the clearing of the criminal
docket. With the aid of United States
Attorney Gordon there were stricken
from the overcrowded docket more
than 1000 eases in which trials would
have been of no avail. The court
sustained demurrer of Harry +.
Sinclair to four of the ten counts in
infr af ha
Senate and declared he must defend