Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-02


originally had been scheduled for to-
morrow.
Rover Won't Talk.
District Attorney Rover today re-
fused any comment on the report that
he was considering asking the Depart
ment OF Justice to assign a special
prosecutor in the Mcpherson case.
At the same time, Senator Overman,
request the grand jury took up the
case. said today that he and another
Senator are considering having a con-
ference with the Attorney General to
talk over the future handling of the
case.
Senator Overman indicated that he
thought 1t might be advisable for the
Department of Justice to investigate
the matter with view to having fair
trial to bring out the truth.
The transfer of Shelby and Kelly
from the Detective Bureau came as a
climax to an all-day discussion by the
Commissioners yesterday of the grand
jury's report in the Mcpherson case and
its singing criticism Of the two officers
Shelby's New Post.
Shelby, who had been chief of the
Detective Bureau since April /, is now
supervising inspector of the uniformed
office, position which has not been
filled since the death several years ago
of Inspector Charles A. Evans. In this
position he will function as a liaison
officer between the police inspectors
and the superintendent
Although detailed to the command of
the uniformed forces, it is likely, accord
ing to reports at the District Building,
that Inspector Shelby will be given an
other assignment within the next few
days. to draft new and comprehensive
course of study for the police school,
AS father" of the police school,
inspector Shelby prepared its first cur
riculum and he is vitality interested in
its welfare and has kept in close touch
wiz. its development. Since it Is
planned to enlarge the school and ex-
tend the course of study next July !,
to give recruits more thorough train
ing in police work before sending them
on beat. it is thought at the depart
ment that Inspector Shelby's peculiar
fitness to frame the curriculum will
result IN his selection for the work.
which at the same time will relieve him
Of command of the uniformed forces.
Kelly was designated as the complaint
offlcer OF the Police Department, sue
ceedlng Lieut.. Joseph c. Morgan, who
in turn succeeded Kelly as head Of the
homicide squad. The officers, however
did not lose their rank by the change
Capt. Walter E. Emerson, assistant
chief Of the detective bureau, was put
in charge as Shelby's successor with
the title of acting chief of detectives.
simultaneously with the transfer of
Shelby and Kelly, the Commissioners,
on recommendation Of Maj Pratt, Gre
ated the investigation board to sift
"a he
two officers.
The Commissioners directed the board
to inquire into all of the facts OBJ
tainable as to the conduct of the two
officers whose action have been held
reprehensible by the grand jury for the
purpose of determining what, If any
charges, should be lodged against them
as under the law they are entitled TO
trial on sworn charges; to be represent
ed by counsel, and to have witnesses
summoned in their behalf"
Remembered Records.
In making the recommendations, Pratt
told the Commissioners he had in mind
the long and faithful services of Shelby
and Kelly and Tin whom the depart
ment must continue to have confidence
until the facts are presented indicating
that such confidence has been for
feited."
He also expressed the belief that the
recommendation would meet all sug-
gestions contained in the report of the
grand jury.
Lieut.. Kelly announced today he
would demand his right, as an Ameri-
can citizen, to "a fair trial before any
impartial tribunal" Inspector Shelby
agrees with Kelly that only in this
way can justics be served.
Both Shelby and Kelly have been
flooded with offers of legal advice and
friendly counsel. Prominent attorneys,
one OF them said to be of Nationwide
prominence, have asked for permission
to defend them against the charges.
Will Make Report.
Upon completion of the investigation
the board Of inquiry will submit its
findings to the Commissioners, together
nor Dawson would predict, however,
when the investigation would end.
BY strange coincidence, the investi-
CATION will bring together two Of the
men who figured prominently in the
extraordinary trial of Capt. Guy E.
Burlingame, who retired as commander
OF the second precinct April /, after ex-
OHeIdIion on the sensational charges OF
Mrs. Helen F. Blalock Bride served as
prosecutor 1T the Burlingame trial and
Maj. Dawson was chairman of the Spe-
cial trial board which heard the charges
and found the veteran police officer not
guilty.
The Burlingame case, incidentally.
came as climax to repeated attacks
in Congress on the Police Department,
which have again been renewed as q
result of the Mcpherson case. Mai.
Edwin B. HeSse. former superintendent
of police, weathered several of these
congressional storms and finally retired
at his own request for physical disabil-
ity April l, the same day Capt. Bur-
lingame left the service on q retired
status.
Executive and legislative interest in
the rapid-fire developments growing
out of the grand jury probe continued
undated today.
The White House is keeping close tab
on the police situation, with special at
tention to the charges of the grand
jury that the authorities were lax in
their investigation of the death. There
is reason to know that the progress of
tho iy1N,.irv iv.fa tho S0ac Iauo1aA