Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-09
c. B. PITTS INDICTED
ON TESTIMONY IN
BANKRUPTCY CASE
Board Chairman of +. n.
Smith Co. Said to Have
Made False Oath.
WAS TESTIFYING ABOUT
HAMILTON HOTEL DEAL
Four Counts in Grand Jury's Spe.
cial Bill-Question of Profit
Is Raised.

G. BRYAN Pitts. chairman of the
board Of the F. H. Smith Co..
real estate and financial corporation.
was indicted today in a special report
by the grand jury on a charge Of
making a false oath before Ralph D.
Quinter, former referee in bankruptcy.
in connection with proceedings con-
cerning the bankruptcy of the Hamil-
ton Hotel Corporation. which formerly
conducted the Hamilton Hotel at Four
teenth and K streets. which went into
bankruptcy early in 1925.
Pitts is alleged to have committed
the crime Of perjury by making answer
to questions and declaring that the
Smith Co., had no connection with the
purchase of the property and that it
made no profit out of the transaction.
The alleged false statements are al
legged TO have been made May 10. 1926,
and would have been outlawed to-
morrow.
Indictment in Four Counts.
The indictment alleges the facts to be
ti1at the Hamilton Hotel Co. was sub
sidiary of the F. H. Smith Co., and that
in floating a loan on the property the
F. H Smith Co. was paid q bonus Of
$4,000 The indictment is in four
counts. the first charging that the hotel
company was part of the Smith Co.,
and that the latter company took active
part in the purchase Of the land and
the building of the hotel, and that Pitts
denied this in his testimony.
The second count deals with the
hotel company as a separate corpora
ton but asserts that the Smith Co.
it1fp in he hui I46
floating of the loans on which it was
paid the bonus The third count deals
with the alleged declaration by Pitts
that the company made no profits out
of the hotel transaction. when it is
claimed the fact is that it made $144,-
600.
The fourth count refers back to the
first question propounded to the wit
ness regarding the starting of the
hotel project and to which he is said
to have answered that the company
was in no way connected with it. The
indictment charges that Pitts knew
the answers were false and untrue be-
cause the Smith Co. had been actively
concerned and took prominent part in
the originating of the venture.
Inquiry on for Weeks.
Investigation has been in progress
for several weeks by the Department of
Justice, by United States Attorney Leo
A. Rover, which resulted in the indict-
ment The witnesses appearing before
the grand jury were Ralph D. Quinter,
Louis Loebl. Jesse c. Adkins, Felix Lake,
George r. Sheriff. william J. Brennan.
Henry E. Tudor. Charles T. Malone and
Samuel j. Henry
At the time of the alleged false testi-
n1ony, the indictment recites. Pitts was
a vice president and director of the F. H.
Smith Co.
The first count of the indictment
reads:
States of America, empaneled and
sworn in the Supreme Court of the Dis
trict of Columbia, holding a criminal
term at the April term of said court in
the year 1929, and inquiring foresaid
District of Columbia upon their oath
present, that on May 10, 1925, in the
city of Washington, in said District of
Columbia, hearing was held before
Ralph D. Quinter who then and there
was the referee in bankruptcy, in the
bankruptcy proceeding and matter of
the Hamilton Hotel Corporation, bank
rupt, it being case No. 1891 in bank
ruptcy in said Supreme Court OF
the District OF Columbia and said
matter being then and there matter
referred by said court to said Ralph D.
Quinter as such referee: that at said
hearing, c. Bryan Pitts appeared as
a witness before said Ralph D. Quinter,
referee as aforesaid, to wit. at Wash
ington aforesaid, in said District Of
Columbia, to be examined concerning
the acts, conduct and property of said
bankrupt the estate of which was
then and there in process of admins
N~Af in coiI i. nj
bankruptcy laws of the United States,
and then and there and on that oc-
casion was duly sworn by and took
his oath before said Ralph D. Quinter
as such referee in case in which law
of the United States then authorized
an oath to be administered. to wit, in
said bankruptcy hearing before said
Ralph D. Quinter as such referee that
he. the said G. Bryan Pitts. would
testify, declare and depose truly con-
cerning the matter so then and there
under hearing.
Charge of MisStatement
"That said Ralph D. Quinter then
and there as such referee in bank
ruptcy in said proceeding and matter
was a competent tribunal, officer and
person to administer said oath to said
G. Bryan Pitts, therein: and that said
G. Bryan Pitts then and there, so hav-
ing been sworn and taken his oath
then and there unlawfully and felon-
iously did wilfulIy and contrary to his
said oath state certain material mat
ter which he then and there did not
believe to be true: that is to say:
In said hearing before said Ralph
y. 0uinter. referee as aforesaid, it be-
came and was material inquiry and
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