The Washington times., 1929-02-28
us. EXPERT
lIVSHAKEN
BY CROSS
FRI.

Griznled veterans Of policing
the National Capital today
rallied to the defense of one
Of their number who is under
fire.
Headed by Major Edwin B. Hesse,
superintendent OF Police, all officers
81 the rank OF captain and above
In the Police Department, appeared
In the room in the Sixth precinct
where Capt. Guy T.. Burlingame,
suspended commander OF the Second
precinct. is on trial on charges or
conduct lnbecoming an officer and
preiudicia1 to the good order. repu-
tation and discipline Of the deparl.
ment.
The charges grew out Of series
Of letters which 1t is charged the
captain wrote to Mrs. Helen f..
Blaleck.
10 Recite Record
The galaxy of police officials ap-
peared in answer 10 summonses by
the defense and will be used as
character witnesses in spreading
upon the records the admittedly
eSlgiable record which Burlingame
built fp III his 3a years service in
the department. s
The officials arrived in the midst
81 4 technical discussion of3txpewrit-
inx by expert witll llesses. The ex-
nerts were ta followed. on the
stand hy .ssharlfS Green. eol0red
d, who III expected to recite
the story OF "tlae I1arade of the gal-
vanized iron tubs from Mrs. Bla-
locks palmistry parlor to Capt. Bur.
lirlganne7A home.
The appearance OF the high police
Officials was the first time since the
trial started before the extraordinary
trial board that any nigh ranking
officials have been m attendance.
Come In Full Dress
Many of them have served with
Captain Burlingame for more than q
score of years and have worked up
with him from the ranks to the high
positions which they now hold.
They came before the trial board
parbed in the blue uniforms bearing
the gold braid showing their ranks
and service in the department. Elk
traordinary care had been taken in
their grooming and the officers were
immaculate as they sat in the rear
of the trial room.
Points of OrientatiOn. loose rocker
arms. relative pressures of typewrit.
ing strokes, seal letters, improper
delineation, and the elasticity OF
paper are only a few OF the phrases
which poured into the record today.
The trial opened this morning
with DIR. Wilmer Souder, Typewriter
expert of the Bureau OF Standards,
taking the stand for cross-examina-
fion by William E. Leahy and.
Henry f.. Woodard, counsel for
Captain Burlingame.
Ieany, by his cross-examination
endeavored to show that defects
which Souder pointed out in the
type Of the machine taken from
Bur1ingame's office in the Second
precinct, might have been caused
not by the fault of the machine.
but by personal characteristics
of the writer.
Expert Unshaken
The expert seemed reluctant to
discuss the question OF Identifying
4 writer on a typewriter. He said:
II am willing to point ont the
G1araGIGEIACiCs u WRITER IN
letter, but would not take the re-.
sponsibility for influencing 4 jury
~ to the identity of the writer"
I,eahy. In his cross-examination
tried to adduce from the witness
that the defects shown In the type
by light strokes disappeared almost
entirely when the letters were hit
with heavy stroke.
Dr. Souder, however. maintained
that certain evidences Of the de.
fects could still be seen regardless
of the heaviness with which the
keys were struck.
DR.. Souder admitted that some Of
the defects which he pointed out in
the typewriting might be caused to
Continued on Page 2, Column u