Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-27
Department Completes Off,
CiaI Acts to Bring Doyle and
Allen Before Board.
SUSPENSION FOR PRATT,
KELLY, SHELBY DEMANDED
Senator Blease Renews Attack on
Heads of. Force in Speech ON
Senate Floor.


official act yesterday to bring Capt
Robert E. Doyle and Pvt. Robert j. AL
len to trial on charges of insubordina-
ton as counsel for the veteran COM
mander of the eighth precinct consid-
cred the advisability of asking the Dis
trict Commissioners to appoint a spe-
cial board of three civilians to try him
instead of trial board of three police
officers.
The formal charges which Doyle and
Allen must face-Allen for his threat
to investigate the United States attor-
ney's Office and Doyle for defending him
utspokenly-were served on the two
officers shortly after 6 o'clock, a few
hours after Senator Cole Blease of
South Carolina closed another vitupera-
tive attack in the Senate on the Police
Department, in which he suggested
that President Hoover take steps to
remedy the situation.
Criticizes Commissioners.
Senator Blease criticized the Com
missioners and other local agencies,
spension of Supt. of Police Henry G.
Pratt, Inspector w. S. Shelby and
Lieut.. Edward L. Kelly.
After reviewing recent happenings in
the Police Department, and deploring
the suspension of Capt. Doyle and Po-
liceman Allen, Senator Blease said:
ITO be frank about 1t, do not want
TO criticize him, but I am surprised at
Mr.. Hoover; positively am surprised.
When I was. the governor of South
Carolina and had the power to appoint
Ia AafOrNaNAAnf nfHRArR
had come to me about commissioner
that have come to Mr.. Hoover about
the three Commissioners Of this Dis
trict, if the reports had come to me
about detectives working under him as
they have come to him, would have
discharged every one Of them, even II
every one Of them had been the clos
est friend I had in the world. do
not see how he can sleep peacefully
this city.
Says Town HOneycombed.
"This town is honeycombed with
gamblers, blind tigers, women of the
very worst type. and some of them.
Senators, if am correctly informed
are in some Of the very best apart
ment houses in this city. When you
go to one of these hotels you do not
know whether your wife Is sleeping
next door to brothel or not. Who is
responsible for that? The men who
enforce the law in this city. And l
repeat, am surprised at President
Hoover because he has not at least
made some attempt to try to correct
some of these evils and stop these
murders and this horrible crime that
is infesting this District
The South Carolina Senator asserted
that Somebody should be put in con-
troll in this city who would have the
nerve and the backbone to straighten
it out"
Senator Blease declared 1t was his
belief that Policeman Allen. who Is
awaiting a hearing before the police
trial board as the result of letter he
wrote the superintendent, would be
tried by "a packed jury"
The meeting of the senatorial sub
committee investigating police affairs,
scheduled for yesterday morning, was
postponed because all of the Senator's
could not be present. The date for the
meeting will be announced as soon as
Chairman Sackett can arrange for 1t.
Among the matters awaiting the action
of the subcommittee is the resolution
Senator BleaSe introduced in the Senate
Thursday, seeking to have the Senate
go on record in favor of the suspension
of Pratt, Shelby and Kelly, unless Capt.
Doyle and Policeman Allen are restored
to duty The object of the resolution
is to have all of these officers kept on
the same basis pending the investiga-
ton, either all on duty or all suspended.
Worse Every Day"
Taking the floor in the Senate In
the afternoon. Senator BleaSe declared
that IF We do not do something at an
early date in this matter. just as surely
as we are living, this city Is going to
be a hades of crime. 1t is getting
worse every day"
The South Carolina Senator began
by reading from a local newspaper OF
Yesterday a summary OF different stories
about various police developments. He
mentioned the recent revival of discus
sion over the death three years ago of
Detective Sergt Arthur Scrivener,
found shot in an alley in Georgetown.
He referred TO the Mcpherson case. to
the escape last week of a prisoner
Wilbur William Hand. from a local
police station, and discussed also the
arrest by prohibition agents of Precinct
Detective Robert F. Langdon on charges
of transporting and illegal possession.
While telling about the arrest of De
tective Langdon by prohibition agents.
Senator Blease read a newspaper story
in which Langdon was quoted as saying
'he was no pimp."
II congratulate him for that" Sena-
tor Blease commented IF a man goes
into something and gets caught. I do
not believe in him squealing on tn
other fellow, and even though he did
run liquor, he is a pretty good fellow"
Wants Pratt Ousted.
Summarizing the various incidents he
had touched upon, Senator BleaSe said
they represented just a part of "ths
record of the District of Columbia Po-
lice Department and the district attor-
ney's office" in the papers on one day
"Yet we are told" the South Caro-
linian continued. that Capt. Doyle
should be suspended and that Mr.. Allen
should be suspended. taken OF the pay
roll; that Pratt should be allowed 10
diScredit the testimony of Allen by
trying him and having a packed jury,
for that is all it will be- Any man VINO
has practiced criminal law knows what
a packed jury Is, and especially when
ones enemy. the man who is persecu--
ing him, can pick the jury. What
chance has man? 1t does not make
any difference what showing he makes,
he will be convicted, because Pratt
wants to shield the department in these
two horrible murders that were passed
off in this country as suicides