The Washington times., 1924-03-11
PROBE RUM
SOLD At
CAPITOL
Committee Goes Into Closed
Session Despite Protests
of BIanton.

pointed by the House District
Committee to investigate the prev.
alence of of bootlegging and the
use Of firearms in the District Of
Columbia today went into execu.
tive session to take testimony re-
garding bootlegging in and neal
the House Office Building.
Dorsey q Witness.
The committee had as a witness
B. F. Dorsey, arrested recently on
charge Of bootlegging at the
House Office Building. Dorsey de-
clared at the time he was arrested
that he was selling liquor to a mem.
Der of Congress.
The committee was in open ses.
sion when Dorsey was called. Con.
gresham Edward M. Beers Of Penn.
sylvania, a member Of the com.
mittee, objected to calling Dorsey
in open session, declaring that evi.
dence might be developed which
would reflect on members of Con
gress even thought they might be
Innocent Of wrongdoing.
Congressman Thomas L. BIantOn
declared that he would not sit on
any, white washing committee" and
that ifsthe committee was afraid to
call Dorsey, or any other witness,
because he might give information
which would injure somebody he
would no longer take part in the
hearing. Blanton started to walk
out OF the room but was called
back when Congressman Gibson
stated that the committee could Sc.
cure all the information and at the
same time protect innocent members
by hearing Dorsey in executive ses.
sion.
Press Silence Asked
The committee adopted a resolu
ton requesting newspapermen not
to divulge any information they
might obtain as a result Of these
executive sessions.
Inspector William s. Shelby, OF
the District Police Department
took the stand before Dorsey was
called to present information regard
ing the use Of deadly weapons in
the District.
He presented a bill, prepared by
police officials, to restrict the use
Of firearms and their sale in the
District. This bill was taken into
consideration by the committee.
Shelby stated that at present a
criminal can go INTO any store
handling firearms and can secure
any weapon he chooses by merely
giving a name and address to the
clerk. THE storekeeper is not
obliged to investigate to determine
whether the name and address are
true and there is no way the police
department can check up to FIND
who is buying weapons" Inspector
Shelby stated.
Bill Restricts Use.
He explained that under the pro
posed bill no dealer could sell dead
ly weapon without written authority
from the police and no person could
carry q weapon without a permit
from the judge Of the Police Court
Issued on the approval of the Super
intendent Of Police.
Congressman Israel M. Foster Of
Ohio questioned Shelby regarding
the attitude OF police officials to
ward a bill that he had introduced
| which is designed to make the carry
ing of firearms by any person en-
| gagged in the violation of the pro
hibition law a felony. Shelby re
| piled that such a measure would as
sist very materially in stopping thu
carrying of weapons.
Thirty HOmicides in 1923.
Inspector Shelby told the com
mittee that during 1923 there wer
thirty real homicides in the Dis
trict of Columbia, classified as fol
lows: With revolvers, IA; knife,
razor, 2, and other Methods s
During the same perid there wer
349 arrests for assault with danger
GUS weapons, the chief weapon
used being as follows: Revolvers
100; knives, 1875, and razors, 90
He stated that twelve of the as
saTlts were made with dishes which
while used for this purpose, wer
classed as dangerous weapons.
i In 1923 there were thirteen al
rests with assault with intent t
kill, In ten Of which revolvers wer
used. There were 326 arrests 70
carrying concealed weapons, anon
them 214 revolvers, 40 razors, a
knives, 10 blackjacks and Z bras
knuckles.
From these figures, Inspecto
Shelby said: 1T is manifest tina
the enactment Of legislation Anne
only at the sale, use and posses
sion Of pistols will only PARTIAL,
correct the conditions with which
the police department q cor
fronted."