Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-08
POLICE PROBERS
INVITE WITNESSES
GIVE INFORMATION

Continued From First Page)
Building. on (blank space for date) at
1880 pm, at which time your state
ment will be recorded"
The first group Of witnesses will be
requested to appear Thursday after
noon at 1880 o'clock and the others
will be invited on succeeding days.
The last of the six members Of the
grand jury who were invited to testify
before the investigating board were
scheduled. to appear today, but up to
the luncheon recess only one had
this afternoon, completing the roster
Of the grand jury, only four Of whom
responded to the boards invitation to
testify.
The sole witness this morning was
Eugene Beatty, who told newspaper men
after leaving the witness stand that he
testified that he believed the charges
against Shelby and Kelly were without
foundation and were drawn by "a
prejudiced jury" Beatty declared he
was one of the 10 members Of the grand
jury who voted against the indictment
for murder because he did not believe
the evidence was strong enough to sub
stantiate the charge.
Believing as he did that the murder
indictment was unfair" and the
charges against Shelby and Kelly with
out basis, Beatty said his conscience
compelled him to come voluntarily be-
fore the municipal investigating board
and express his views.
The other grand jurors who were
called today are J. H. Bait, Kathleen
A: Lyons. Rosemary A. Vaccaro: Baxter
M. Davidson, jr., and Mrs. Rebecca
Sachs oil of uhoy,o fajIed m chou I'm
Moved to End Inquiry.
Apparently disguised with the futility
of its investigation because of the re-
fusal of most of the grand jurors to
testify. the board Of inquiry. composed
Of Corporation Counsel William w.
Bride and Maj. Donald A. Dawson,
Assistant Engineer Commissioner, drew
up a comprehensive report yesterday
afternoon containing recommendations
to bring the probe to an abrupt end,
and went into conference with Com
missioners Proctor L. Dougherty and
Sidney F. Taliaferro. An hour later
Bride and Dawson left and presented
to newspaper men brief statement.
which was clearly indicative Of what
had happened TO their plans in the
conference. The statement read:
Invitations are still out for six men,
bers of the grand jury to appear be-
fore the special board appointed TO
consider the charges by members Of
the grand jury. Until that time limit
expires 1t would be improper and map
propriate to make any report or rec
ommendation to the Commissioners"
Commissioner Taliaferro declined to-
day OF disclose what occurred at the
conference with the investigating board,
but he admitted that Bride and Dawson
came to the Commissioners with a re-
port containing recommendations. The
Commissioners, he pointed out. did not
receive this report.
Probers Alter Plans.
As q result Of this conference, how
ever, the investigating board altered its
plans decidedly and Immediately after
1t convened this morning began the
preparation of the invitation to be sent
the 70 witnesses who testified before the
grand jury.
The procedure contemplated by the
board yesterday, it is understood, was to
close the inquiry and shift the respon-
sibility for sitting the charges against
Shelby and Kelly to an extraordinary
police trial board. The charges to be
preferred against the two officers, 1t was
explained, were to have been based on
statements made to the board by several
grand jurors who had been interviewed,
but who had declined to testify.
These grand jurors, however, 1t was
indicated. refused. on the advice Of
counsel. to sign any statement on which
trial board action could be taken.
Bride explained that since the grand
jury had failed to support its charges
it has become necessary for the investi-
eating board to seek Information from
the witnesses who testified before 1t In
order to determine whether there Is
basis for the condemnation Of Shelby
and Kelly for their investigation Of the
Mcpherson case.