The Washington times., 1929-01-24
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1 Major Edwin B. Hesse has
called on the head of his boot
leg squad to make a detailed
report on the case which
looked so queer when it
went to a Police Court jury
this week that the defendant
was acquitted.
THE liquor squad has too many
air-tight cases to carry into court
to bother with queer ones" the
police head said.
= Twice In "a hours the attention of
Major Hesse was called to bootleg
cases which prompted explanation
by Sergeant Letternan
Under Close Scrutiny
''This SQUAD is one Of the most
importants arms of the Police De-
partment,' 2 Major Hesse said. Local
", as well as nationally, its work is
the subject OF close scrutiny. It'll
must function officially or else we
shall surely change its personnel"
Major Hesse believes juries will
be slow to convict on the evidence
. Of the dry squad Il it brings In too
many queer cases,
The queer" case in question w8s
one in which Harry Rockeli was
charged with second offense pos
session of liquor. following his ar.
rest at the establishment in the 200
block of Ninth st. N w. The
liquor squad, headed by Sergt. O. J.
Letterman, raided this establish
ment last October. with the result |
that an Injunction was asked
against the place. That case is now
In the courts.
Escape" Reported
Letterman. testifying in the Rock
ELI case, said that Frank McCor.
mick, against whom the Injunction
was sought, was In the establish.
nent when Rockelli was arrested
1t was revealed that while Rock
ELI was being placed under arrest
Mccormick walked out A police
report said he escaped. (
Al report from the raiding squad
said Mccormick was standing near
the bar at the time OF the raid;
that he talked to Letterman and
said:
Sergeant, I'm a good fellow,
won't you give US chance2 You
know what this means to me If we
are charged. It means year and
b day in Jail.
Letterman's reply was Frank.
/ you are here, caught and you'll
have to take your medicine. "
Sees Something Queer
Harry n. WheIan, counsel for
Rockelli, drew from Letterman the
statement that there was "soms-
thing queer about this case, where
upon an acquittal was had when
the case went to the jury.
David A.. Hart. assistant u. s.
District Attorney, who prosecuted
the case for the Government, de-
clares Letterman meant there was
something queer about the place
where the arrest was made and not
about the case itself.
Hart praised the dry squad for
the work ii has done under the
direction OF Letterman.
IN the meantime. Sergeant Letter
! man has filed With Major Hesse
report on the second case which
shows that after three months time
the police dry squad learned it
arrested the wrong man in q raid
Ii the 500 block of Burks ct. S. w.
The Burks Court case caused
Judge Mcmahon to telephone poles
headquarters for an explanation.
which was sent TO him last night
after receipt of the Letterman Es,.I
port.
The report shows that last Octo.
ber Private M. A. Anderson OF the
Police DepArtn1ent, made pur-
chase in Burks Court: that he sWore
To q warrant and furnished the Let
terman squad with description OF
the man making the sale. The man
In question -colored-- a scar on
his face.
The sahad made the raid on Octo.
ber % with Anderson absent. Six
or eight persons were in the place.
One. John SeWell was arrested and
II oneshalf-gallon jars Of liquor were
seized. Sewell gave bond and was
released.
When the case was called In
police court last Monday, Police
man Anderson testified that Sewell
was not the man who made the sale.
Prosecutor Hart had the case con-
tinued until Tuesday and again con.
tinued for further investigation. He
insists that he win pfosecute Sewell
for possession Of liquor, eliminating
the sale charge.
LetterInan's report to Major Hesse
said that this Is the first case Of the
kind the squad has had and stated
that there are times when 1t is not
practical for the informer in such
cases to. be with the squad when
raids are made.