Evening star., 1929-12-06
CHARGES SERVED
ON SHELBY, KELLY
Ordered to Prepare for Pub
lie Trial on December is
at Sixth Precinct.

Inspector William S. Shelby and
Lieut.. Edward ]. Kelly were served for
mally today with grave charges arising
out of the July grand jury's condemna-
ton of their investigation of the Nc
Pherson murder case, and ordered to
prepare for a public trial in the sixth
precinct station house on December 16
Substantially it is charged that the
two police officials bungled their in
vestigation of the murder and employed
inefhcient and unbusinesslike methods
in carrying out police duties in that
connection.
While the defendants we're in consul
tstion with their attorneys this morn
ing, the legal talent for the District
government prepared to put forth its
best efforts at the trial.
Corporation Counsel William w. Bride
said he did not know who would be
called as witnesses for the prosecution
If the members of the grand jury re-
fused to testify, but that his Office
intends to put up the best case we
can" Robert E. Lynch and Walter c.
Fowler. two of Brides assistants, will
prosecute the charges.
Can Compel Attendance.
1t was pointed out that while the eX-
traordinary trial board will have legal
power to compel attendance of wit
neSses, it will have no authority in law
to make them testify.
Maj. L. E. Atkins, Assistant Engi-
neer Commissioner. is chairman of the
trial board of three, the other men,
bers being j. B. Gordon, sanitary engi-
neer. and Capt II. c. Whitehurst,
chief engineer of the District.
Acting under instructions given him
by the District Commissioners yester-
day, Henry G. Pratt, major and super
intendent Of police, prepared the
chsrges against Shelby and Kelly to-
day. Copies of the charges were given
to the defendants and to the chairman
of the trial board.
The Commissioners ordered the
charges drawn up yesterday after they
had received a report from Corporation
Counsel Bride and Assistant Engineer
Commissioner Donald A. Dawson rec
ommending that the two officials stand
a public trial on the charges made
against them by the grand jury.
Investigated the Case.
Dawson and Bride, acting under
orders from the Commissioners. had
made an investigation of the activities
of the two officers in connection with
the Mcpherson case and of the resultant
grand jury charges against them. The
report reviewed step by step the inveSti-
cation and concluded with the recon-
mendation that Inspector Shelby and
Lieut.. Kelly be ordered to public trial
on the charges hereinafter set forth"
Charges should not be lightly made,
nor when made should they be lightly
put aside" the report says. These
charges are of a serious nature. They
were made by a group of citizens against
public officers. charged with grave re-
sponsibility for the lives and welfare OF
our people.
Both of the accused officers have
asked for a public trial Simple JUS
tice demands that they be given an
opportunity to answer the accusations
before an impartial tribunal concerned
solely with the public interests and
whose verdict will settle the questions
involved"
Sets Forth Specifications.
The report then sets forth certain
specifications and details the extent to
which Inspector Shelby or Lieut.. Kelly
may possibly be involved in each par
ticular specification under conSidera-
ton. With regard TO Inspector Shelby,
the following possibilities are set forth:
Failed to require his subordinates to
properly examine all articles and all
windows in the Mcpherson apartment
for fingerprints.
Failed to require his subordinates
Immediately to provide a means OF
identifying every movable article in the
Mcpherson apartment:
Failed to require that record i'm
mediately be started, or to inquire into
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