Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-10
Personnel of Trial Group to
Be Same as That for Dis
missed Policeman.
20 DEFENSE WITNESSES
SUMMONED TO HEARING
Attorneys Say Accused Officer Is
Confident of Acquittal on
Pratt's Charges.


commander of the eighth precinct, will
face the same police trial board tomor-
row which convicted Policeman Robert
J. Allen and sentenced him to be dis
missed from the force 1t was disclosed
last night by Chapman w. Fowler, who,
with T. Morris Wampler, will defend
the veteran police officer.
Aliens board was composed of In
spector Louis J. Stoll, chairman, and
Carts. Charles T. Peck of the eleventh
precinct and C. P. NJ. Lord of the thir-
tenth precinct. Doyle has the choice
of half q dozen other officers, but
Wampler said he is willing to rest his
fate with the same three men who
found Allen guilty. although he is more
optimistic over the outcome of the trial
than was the policeman who predicted
the verdict in his own case.
Doyle will appear before the trial
board at 10 o'clock to answer the charge
of INSTRUMENTATION preferred against
him by Mai. Henry G. Pratt, superin-
tendent of police, because of his out
spoken defense of Allen. The trial al
ready has been delayed twice, but there
was no indication last night of further
continuance. Fowler announced that ne
was prepared to go to trial The cor.
poration counsel's Office which VIII
prosecute the officer has been ready Ior
O week.
Negotiations Denied.
In spite of the failure of two attempts
to settle the case amicably and thus
spare Doyle the stigma OF appearing pc
fore a police disciplinary board for the
first time since 1898, there were recur-
ring rumors at the District BUILDING
Yesterday that these negotiations had
been renewed. The reports, however,
were met with prompt and empnatlc
denials from Doyle and his attorneys
as well as Mai. Pratt.
"Capt. Doyle does not propose to re-
cant nor does he intend to seek voiun-
tarv retirement" was Fowler's answer
to the reports. He is ready to go TO pat
and is confident of acquittal."
Fowler said he has summoned az leaSI
90 witnesses to testify In Capt. DoyIe
behalf. The majority of them are 10 DC
Character witnesses. and these include
a number of prominent washington
business and professional men. Inc
Iawver. however, intimated that he
would nut several surprise witnesses
an the stand, although he declined tc
reveal the purpose. ~,
Mai. Pratt. the complainant, will De
the prosecutions principal witness. IL Is
understood that the prosecution also
has summoned number OF witnesses,
most of thin being authorities on mill
tary discipline.
Trial May be Long.
No one connected with the corpora
ton counsels ONCE would hazard 2
prediction as to the length OF the Trial.
Fowler said the defense probably Woulo
take one day to present its case, Wnlcn
indicates that the trial most likely Will
continue through Tuesday.
The prosecution, 1t was SAID, VIII pase
its case entirely on the report winch
Capt. Doyle submitted to MAJ. FratI
unfolding Allen for his criticism OF the
United States attorneys Office for fail
IRE to prosecute an investment broker
indicted more than year ago and ar
rested several weeks ago on new
charge. Mai. Pratt commended IN his re-
mort to the Commissioners, suggesting
Doyles suspension pending trial, that
the captain. in sustaining Allen, shared
equally the responsibility for the police
mans insubordinate action ana eX-
pressed the belief that the situation
which has resulted has natural teno-
ency to the further destruction OF the
morale of the department"
Capt. Doyle will be the first officer Of
his rank to appear before trial board
since last March, when Capt. Guy E
Burlingane, retired commander OF the
second precinct, successfully fought the
charges of Mrs. Helen F. Blalock, for
nner Seventh street palmist.
Policeman Allen, who is vigorously
fighting to prevent the trial board
sentence in his case from being carried
out, came out victorious in his flrst
move Yesterday when the Commission
ers voted to entertain his appeal from
the boards findings. The Commits
sioners also agreed, at the same time,
to give careful consideration to the
policeman's request for an examination
of the trial board members TO deter
mine whether his conduct at the trlal
wednesday had any influence on the
verdict.
Notice Filed Yesterday.
A notice of appeal, together with q
letter urging that members OF the trial
board be called upon to certify whether
their findings were in any way anecteo
by Aliens actions, was filed with tne
the officers attorneys, H. Raplh Burton
and Tench T. Marye. The Commits
sioners acted an hour later.
In entertaining the appeal the Com
Y11issioners granted Aliens counsel the
usual 10 days in which to submit 9
written statement in support thereoI
No indication was given, however
whether the Commissioners proposed u
call upon the trial board members U
certify as to the influence The police
mans conduct had on their verdtct.
Aliens letter asking an examination
of the trial board members called at
tention to press reports Of the tria
which showed that Inspector Stoll
chairman of the board. suggested tina
the officer was guilty of insubordinatiol
in pleading his own case because OF nj
violent attack on Maj. Pratt, and point
out that anything he said was priv
legged, thereby eliminating any question
of characterization.
The attorneys take the position tina
they have right to know whether tn
statement of Inspector Ston had an
bearing on the verdict. 1t is their con
tention that whatever Allen did or sal
at the trial could not be considered Il
the elaboration on evidence submitte
in connection with the charge Of in
subordination preferred by Maj. Prat'
Cat Cushions aS life. PreSerVers