Evening star., 1928-03-24
STAPLES WILL GET
HEARING MONDAY
B|anton to Defend Suspended
Policeman Before Trial
Board.

The Police Department and the cor
poration counsels Office today completed
arrangements for the impending battle
before the Police Trial Board over the
case Of Oryille Staples, suspended po-
liceman, which has attracted consider
able attention because of the interest
taken in it by Representative Blanton
of Texas. The case will come formally
before the trial board Monday morning
at 9 o'clock, when it convenes In
special session for the sole purpose Of
hearing the charges against the police
man.
The latest move OF the Police Depart
ment was to relieve Capt. Ira SheetZ
of the third precinct. from sitting as
member OF the trial board during its
hearing on the Staples case. Two alter
mates were named 10 replace him. These
are Capt. William E. Sanford OF the
fifth precinct and Lieut.. J. w. Walsh
Of the second precinct
Police officials explained that IL Is
the usual policy to remove automatical-
ly members Of the trial board in cases
involving any officer under members
command. In this case Capt. Sheetz
happens to be the. commanding Officer
OF the precinct 70 which Staples Is at
tached.
Blanton to Defend Him.
Robert L. williams. assistant corpors-
ton counsel. has been assigned to prose-
cute the case. Blanton has served no
tice that ne will defend Staples E1-
traOrdtnary precautions have been taken
by District officials at the behest Of the
Commissioners TO guard against any
conduct that might be with reason
subsequently, characterized as persecu-
ton of the policeman.
A copy Of the official charges and
specifications which were served on
Staples Thursday evening. were made
public late yesterday by the Police De-
partment. Thirteen specifications are
contained In the charges. which range
from an accusation that Staples made
false statement TO a superior officer
to accusations OF bootlegging, failure 70
account for seized liquors, accepting
money to refrain from prosecuting boot
leggers and entering the apartments Of
women without warrant"
The dates of the acts attributed 70
Staples IN the official record. and which
ne viii be called upon 70 answer before
the trial board. cover the period of a
year, from February. 1927. to February.
1923. The allegations of the Police De-
partment in chronological order follow.
q,
March 26, 1927. it is alleged that Staples
obtained money from a man named as
bootlegger, in return for which he
agreed not TO enforce against him the
National prohibition act. The amount
OF money alleged to have been involved
was not named.
IL IS charged that on March 28. 1927.
staples seized in garage a truck con-
tanning 2l0 gallons of corn liquor and
when he turned the truck over TO his
superior officers. it contained onlv 40
gallons and that he failed to account
for the remaining $50 gallons.
Charged With Taking Bribe.
II Is further alleged that on March
80. 1927. Staples accepted $40 and again
on April Is, 1927. 500 from a man
named, the same in both instances
agreeing IN return not 70 proceed
against him under the national prohi-
bition act
Acting Capt NJ. /. Raedy is named as
q prosecuting witness in a charge that
Staples on April 80, 1927, told Capt.
Raeoy, his superior officer. that he had
entered a petition in voluntary hank
ruptcy, including among his liabilities.
stated therein. claim and Judgment
against him for SAL so. The specifca-
tion or this charge states that Staples
had not. on that date entered vol,ln-
tary bankruptcy.
1t is also alleged that on June 20.
1927, Staples entered without iuStifca-
ton or warrant" an apartment near
Twenty-first and PENNSYLVANIA avenue
at am, and while therein pulled the
covers from bed occupied By a woman.
On November Is. 1927. II is alleSed.
Staples accompanied a bootlegger and
70 has .s,ss =
said was real beer" and another. ne
said. which was stronger than real
beer, 20 a man, for which he received
SS from the mans wife. He also is
accused on the same occasion OF having
told the woman that IL she wanted 60
make further purchases. the man sc-
conlpanying him would recognize her,
but that she should better buy from
him direct.
Entered Apartment.
The most recent charge is that
Staples. on February "a 1898, went into
an apartment near Twenty-Second and
N streets. offered improper suggestions
70 the woman occupant and Threatened
70 return and knock the lock OF the
door.
Staples only reply 20 the accusations
thus far Is that he has been framed"
because OF tRe reports that he fur
nlSfled Rlanton with some az the in
formation he used IN his recent attacS
On the Folice Department and It's super
intendent. Mai Edwin 3, HeSSe.
When they frame you IN this mans
Police Department. they really frame
you" Staples IS quoted as having said
IL reply - the charges against hl,n.
ChSracteriEtng the case against
Staples as most "GsStarcly, infamous.
lying. outrageous frame-up," Repre-
sentative Rlanscn III q speech IN the
House today declared It "a disgrace -
the Metropolitan police force"
He was interrupted ev Representative
UndeEhlll. Republican. Of Massachusetts,.
who raised q point ~ order :hat the
statement being made by Mr.. B,aason
was 'unethical and improper on the
ground thas the case was IN the
courts"
Rlanton was upheld by Representative
ChlndolooO Of Illinois who VAS pgeSid-
ing MIR, Elantoa told the House thas
when the sons Of TWO CongyeSSmea were
arrested and taken 20 the pclScs sta
tion and We're being beaten I'D by q
policeman Staples had irtsrfeFed ana
warned the policeman that II ne did
not sop he wouid beat him up and
have him eefeTe the Law.