Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-19
.UNDERCOVER MEN
ADMIT PERJUR|ES
Liquor Cases on "Evidence"
Obtained by Hall and Davis
to Be Dropped.

While Charles Dewitt Davis and
Jesse J. Hall, professional ''informers"
employed by the police dry squad, were
pleading guilty to charges OF perjury
in Police Court today, the district at
torneys Office took steps to nolle
PROSE- all liquor cases made out on
''evidence" obtained by the pair.
Davis, employed last March by the
Police Department on recommendation
of Henry NJ. Douthitt. field secretary
of the Citizens Service Association,
and Hall, protege OF Davis. were held
by Judge Mattingly for the grand jury
on bonds of $1,000 each.
Assistant District Attorney Raymond
Neudecker estimated that about IS
or 30' cases in which Davis or Hall
were chief witnesses will be nolle
pressed without delay. The district
attorneys Office, he said, will expedite
grand jury action.
Douthitt, on being called on recently
to explain his statement that his asso-
citation had obtained evidence in 200
liquor cases, told Sergt. Little. head of
the police liquor squad. that in using
this figure he was taking credit on be-
half of the association for all cases
Davis had worked up since becoming
an employe of the police department.
Trapped i'm Police Net.
According to Sergt Little, Davis and
Hall confessed to having sworn To
false information in a total of four
cases. The men were trapped III a
carefully laid police net last Satur-
day afternoon, when they are alleged
to have perjured themselves before
United States Commissioner Turnage
by swearing to false information re-
garding a fictitious parsonage, Danny
Mills"
Maj. Hesse, superintendent of police,
announced today he would recommend
to the District attorney that all pro-
hibition cases in which Hall and Davis
had a part in obtaining information be
nolle pressed. He said he didn't be-
lieve there were a great many Of this
kind.
1.-The Police Department wants to
enforce , the prohibition law in the
National Capital, but it intends to
do it by honest methods" Maj. Hesse
declared. LAS soon as we suspected
that Davis and Hall were not play
ing the game fair we watched them
and finally laid the trap that resulted
in their arrest yesterday afternoon.
night. They could not have done
otherwise. We had the goods on
them"
Sergt. Little told the pair to go to
612 l. street southwest and make
buy" of liquor from one Danny
Mills" suspected bootlegger." Lit
tie accompanied the agents to the
vicinity Saturday afternoon and
pointed out the house, SO there would
be no mistake about the address.
Policemen I'm House.
In the house pointed out at the time
were Police Inspector Stoll. Capt.
of the fourth precinct
and Policemen c. c. Humphries and
William Curtis. The house is the resi-
dence Of Policeman Curtis. Policeman
Humphries was dressed in tramp's
clothes and was to act the role OF
Danny Mills" when the agents ap-
peared.
the vicinity all that afternoon. Yet,
early in the afternoon, they returned
to Serst. Little at the sixth precinct
and presented him with int bottle
of colored whisky, which they asserted
Mills" at 612 L street southwest. Lit
tile asked them if they were sure about
it. and they said they were. The ser
ceant took them to Commissioner
Turnage and the pair swore to their
statements and obtained warrants
for a raid on Danny Mills" home.
Yesterday afternoon Inspector Stoll
and Sergt. Little presented the facts
to Assistant District Attorney Given
and obtained from him warrants for
the arrest of Davis and Hall on
charges of violating section 125 of
the Penal Code, which deals with max
ing false affidavits. Davis was taken
into custody about 430 o'clock yes
terday afternoon. He had just re-
ported for duty at the precinct when
the trio arrived. Little called him
into private room and handed him
the warrant against him. Davis
read it carefully, reddening the while,
and then handed 1t back and began
a defiant denial Of the charge.
Mistake, Davis Says.
"Why should / want to do anything
like that?" Davis asked. Hall and
must have gone to the wrong place.
You know I've made mistakes in adj
dresses before. In order to obtain evil
dence we have to take few drinks, |
and one drink of this rotten corn |
liquor will dull a mans senses so that |
he won't know what he Is doing-I
don't care who he is.
Yes. but YOU can't say YOU mis-.
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