The Washington times., 1928-03-24
BACKS
ACCUSED
cop

The Cop and the Congressman"
is the name Of the melodrarna now
being enacted in the District q
Columbia.
Leading roles are taken by Police
man orviIle Staples. now under
suspension on grave charges. and
Representative Thomas i. Blantcn
OF Texas. friend Of the policeman
and arch-enemy Of the police chief.
Major Edwin B. Hesse.
Major Hesse last night made
public a series Of charges on which
Staples will be brought Monday
morning before the police trial
board. Sessions will continue daily
until the case is finished. Major
Hesse promises.
In brief. the allegations against
Staples include false statements
accepting bOOtleggers' money fall-
ing to account for liquor and enter
ing women's room.
A Personal Fight
The Texas Representative, who
more than a year ago put up q
fight to have Staples transferred
to the Metropolitan Police Depart
ment from the Park Police and 1T
a salary above that usually given
a policeman on probation. Is making
the present affair q personal mat
ter.
BIanton has succeeded in getting
the following branches of the Dis
trict and Federal governments i'm
Volved in the case:
The Board OF District Commits
sioners, the Corporation CounsePg
office, the officers Of Nos. 3 and 81
police precincts, the Grand Jury
a subcommittee of the House Of
Representatives and the House
itself.
All Of which gives promise that
the Staples case will be more TAR
reaching than. any before the police
trial board i'm years.
Blanton, by his tactics, has placed
the whole Police Department on.
trial. In fact, the Board of District
Commissioners is being made a de
fendant in the present case.
Last week the Texan personally
called at thenDistrict Building and
demanded that Proctor L. Dough-
erty, president Of the Board OF Com
missioners and in charge of the
Police Department, call q special
meeting of the board and consider
the Staples charges. Blanton served
notice on the Commissioner that no
would see to it that fair trial"
was given his pet
Mr.. Dougherty assured Blanton q
fair trial would be given the police
man, but did not see his way clear
to have the board hold a trial.
ID. c. Heads Study Case
A special meeting of the Commits
sioners, held yesterday, considered
the legal aspects Of the case. It was
agreed that the board is without
authority to hold hearings, but will
have to await action by the police
trial board. They so informed Blan-
ton.
BIanton, by inference, told the
Commissioned he did not expect q
fair trail for Staples before the
trial board. I'm fact. the Texan
indicated as much to Cooperation
Counsel w. w. Bride, with the
result that Mr.. Bride has asked the
Commissioners to designate three
alternateS to serve on the police
trial board should Blanton raise
the point OF prejudice" at the
trial.
AS the matter stands today As.
sistant Corporation Counsel William
H. Wahiy will act as chairman OF
the trial board. Sitting with him
will be Capt. Martin Reilly and
either Capt. William E. Sanford, OF
the Fifth precinct, or Lieut.. J. M.
Walsh, OF the Second precinct.
Capt. Ira Sheetz, who is a regular
member of the board, is disqualified
to sit in Judgment in the case since
Staples is attached to the Third pre-
cinct, which is the command or
Captain Sheet5.