Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-16
BOARD OPENS TRIAL
OF POL|CEWOMAN
Mrs. Van Wrinkle TeStifies
Against Mrs. /. F. Kelly, Ac-
cused of Neglect of Duty.

Charged with being on an automo-
bile ride with q man when she was
supposed to he on foot-patrol duty,
Mrs. Louise +. Kelly. private or the
Woman's Bureau. was placed on trial
before the Police Trial Board today.
Mrs. Nina Van Wrinkle. lieutenant
of the Woman S Bureau, the first wit
ness called, created q mild sensation
by a point blank refusal to answer
a question on cross examination by
Attorney Bertrand Emerson, jr.. rep
resenting Mrs. Kelly, while attempt
ing to elicit from her how Mrs. Kelly
was dressed on the night of June 70.
when Mrs. Van Wrinkle had testified
seeing her in the automobile.
After several question along this
line. which Mrs Van Wrinkle parted
by stating she identified Mrs. Kelly as
being the woman in the car through
familiarity with her features, and
upon Mr.. Emerson demanding to
know exactly how Mrs. Kelly was
dressed, Mrs. Van Wrinkle stated.
Il refuse to answer that question.
Lets Refusal Stand.
Emerson immc diately halted an ap-
parent order from Chairman W. II.
Wahly who was about to instruct
the witness to answer, by asking that
Mrs. Van Wrinkles refusal to answer
the question remain as she had
given it.
The charges brought against Mrs.
Kelly include specifications of neglect
of duty and making untruthful state
ments to superiors. Mrs. Van Wrinkle
stated that she saw Mrs. Kelly cross
ing the Connecticut Avenue Bridge In
an automobile on the night of June
4 @11.. ,nxyfn h In
which she was riding turn around
on the bridge and start trailing the
car. Mrs. Van Wrinkle outlined the
route taken, stating that the car
proceeded to n house on Sixth street
southwest near l. street. and not
far from the nlorgue. where Mrs.
Kelly got out, and stayed for about
25 minutes. Mrs. Van Wrinkle said
that when the car resumed it's trip
it went to the Capitol and drove
around the Capitol grounds for a time
and then went to Dupont Circle, where
a stop was made at drug store.
Under a rrilling cross-eXa mination,
frequently interrupted by objections
from Emerson. Mrs. Van Wrinkle
stood fast to her account of the trip.
Taxi Driver Testifies.
Emerson elected from her. however
the statement that she had no per-
sonal knowledge that Mrs. Kelly was
not on official business on that night.
Miss Rhoda Millken. sergeant at
the Women's Bureau. also took the
stand and testified to having seen
Mrs. Kelly at Connecticut avenue and
K street at about $3.50 o'clock ON the
night Of June 81. Miss Milliken
stated that Mrs. Kelly was on duty
both on the night of June u and
June % from to 10 o'clock. during
which hours. it is alleged. she was
the occupant Of an automobile. not
the property of the District. and was
taken on the ride which formed the
basis for the charges.
William II. Jones, taxicah driver,
testified that he drove Mrs. Van
Wrinkle. on the night of June %, on
the trip she took. hut upon being
pressed by Emerson for an Identical
ton of Mrs. Kelly during Cross-ex
animation he refused to give positive
identification of the policewoman.
Another witness brought into the
case was Anna Brown, who said she
lived on T street between Seventeenth
and Eighteenth streets. She de-
scribed her occupa ton at the outset
Of her examination by saying that she
sometimes worked for Mrs. Van
Wrinkle. and later by saving that she
helped her in her work" a sharp
cross-examination brought replies
from her to the effect that she had no
occupation. and she denied having
gotten any money for the present op-
erations. She simply testified that
she saw a woman resembling Mrs.
Kelly at a place near Connecticut
avenue on the night of June %, but
when pressed refused positive identi-
f1cation OF Mrs. Kelly.
The prosecution rested shortly after
noon and character witnesses for
the defense were introduced in the
persons of Capts. Burlingame, Collins,
Cornwell and Doyle. The trial is to
be resumed this afternoon.