Evening star., 1928-04-05
PROSECUTOR QUITS STAPLES
HEARING; ATTACKS BLANTON
Continued from First Page.)


nesses present today that policemen
had beaten up" prisoners unlawfully
and could also prove "intoxication OF
high police officials" Chairman Wahly
held that this was not proper testi-
mony in the Staples case.
The trial neared its end today All
testimony was in few minutes De1ore
noon. and Chairman Wahly asked how
long counsel would take to sum up. The
spectators broke into a laugh when
Blanton remarked that he assumed that
williams would be allowed hours and
he would be allowed only minutes.
Finally Blanton said that he would
need / hour and 20 minutes, and Will
liams said he wanted the same
Trial May End Today.
If nothing unexpected occurs, the
Staples trial may be brought to close
! late this afternoon. 1t is expected that
! the trial board will then take the case
under advisement, reserving its decision
until a later date.
The religious question arose while
James A. Bramhall was on the witness
stand, recalled by Prosecutor Williams.
do you recall having testified here
before that you were member of the
knights of Columbus?" asked Williams.
JuLIlpliik up ALUM AAio OLAdA "tt1A AkS
face flushed, and shaking his fist
toward williams, Blanton shouted:
Il am not going to sit silent and let
this counsel drag an honorable religious
organization into this mess. If he cam
not try this case without trying to lug
in religion, he had better quit.
II hold no brief for the knights OF
Columbus. I am a Knight Templar. a
Mason and member of the Shrine
but concede to every man the right. II
he wants 1t, to be a Catholic or
knight of Columbus.
Calls 1t Improper
1T is none of my business and none
of Mr.. Williams business. submit to
this board that it is improper and 1t is
indecent to try to lug in here the
religious question.
Il have seen here in this room, since
this trial began, prominent officers of
the knights of the Ku Kiux Khan. We
are not going to engage in any Ku Klux
fight here. / am not going TO permit
Mr. Williams to drag In something here
for their benefit"
During the foregoing speech by
Blanton the spectators started to ap-
plaud. but were raped to silence by
the chairman.
Chairman Wahly cut short this out
burst from the Texan by quietly re-
marking that this does not call for
argument"
Williams then handed the witness,
Bramhall, paper which he refused to
let Blanton see. Then Blanton demand
ed to see 1t. intimating that Williams
might be trying to intimidate the wit
ness, but the chairman sustained VIII
liains position.
s.Sked by Williams whether he want
ed TO explain the paper, Bramhall said
he did not.
DO you owe any dues to the knights
of Columbus?" asked Blanton.
In dues and fine owe $i8," said
Bramhall.
Still Belongs 10 Order.
The witness denied that the fine was
the result of any ''wrongdoing." Bram-
hall. replying TO a question by Blan-
ton, said that the paper referred to this
matter only.
$50 that Is all there is up the prose.
cutor's sleeve?" declared Blanton as nc
turned and smiled at the spectators.
Then turning to the witness, he asked,
You are still knight of Columbus.
aren't your" -
EE, answered 6KAIIhtIhM-
Before the taking of new testimony
began today Blanton announced that
he had witnesses TO tell about three
different open saloons where drinking
lis going on and where as many as
nine policemen have been seen" he
asked the board whether it would hear
these witnesses, but Chairman Wanig
said 1t was not material TO the Staples
trial.
well. | also have witnesses--and
witnesses Of high cfaracter-to show
intoxicaEion of high officials OF the
Police Department"
THAT should be looked into" re-
marked Chairman Wahiy, but not IN
connection with this case"
IAN right. I'll excuse my witness or
these points" said Blanton.
u also have some policemen here
who have been ined for beating up
prisoners" continued the Texan. Will
The board let me 90 into that?"
NO" replied the chairman,
Then they will be excused too" said
Blanton.
Staples was called to the witness
stand again In. rebuttal by Blanton.
williams objected 70 his being Ques-
toned in general terms about conver-
sations that took place between him ana
Walter Skinker. president OF the SKIN
ker Motor Co, with regard to bringing
liuuor from Canada, and also concern
ing alleged attempts of Staples to find
bootieggers In Skinker's garage and
other garages nearby.
IT want TO show that big garages III
this city are harboring hootleggers, with
sars in cold storage--dead storage-~they
call it," declared Blanton. Il am going
TO show that Staples ran negro boot
ieggers out of one garage and they went
across the street to the Skinker garage" ="
williams. objecting strenuously TO this
line of questioning on the ground that
1t was dragging In lrrevelant matter.
Blanton shouted: I'm going to hold
you responsible for this sort of testi-
mony."
"You are not going to hold me re-
sponsibie for anything" retorted WI
liams sharply.
You take 1t from me as the cock
am going TO hold you responsible for
Juggling In these things"
After williams had continued to OBJ
iect 10 leading questions by the Texan.
the latter declared that Williams had
"disgusted Washington and this audi
ence by his methods" -
"The board is not here TO instruct
you how to ask proper questions" de-
ciared williams. "If you do not know
how TO ask them. that Is your own
fault"
Blanton then proceeded TO ask some
specific questions of Staples, who re-
lated some OF the conversation between
himself and Skinker. He denied posi-
lively that he had ever asked Skinker
10 tell him Row to put secret liquor
compartment I'm his automobile Spe-
cifically he denied the testimony OF
gkinker on this point yesterday and