Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-02
.BURL|NGAME GETS
RIGHT TO ANSWER
|. PALM|ST'S CHARGE
District Commissioners Will
Offer Captain List OF
Questions on Case.
NO FORMAL HEARING
PLANNED, However
Final Disposition Of Case to Be
Delayed Until officer
Can Reply.

Capt. Guy E. Burlingame of the sec.
ond precinct will be given an oppor-
tunity to answer the sensational charges
of Mrs. Helen r. Blalock before any
definite action is taken by the Dis
trict Commissioners to dispose Of the
case which has been thrust upon them
by Representative Blanton of Texas.
The decision to give Capt. Burlingame
a chance to reply was reached by the
Commissioners at special meeting TO-
day.
Capt. Burlingame will not be called
before the Commissioners, however, but
will be requested to put his answers IN
a written report. The Commissioners
do not intend for the accused captain
to 20 into all of the details Of the case,
but want only replies to certain specific
questions which they outlined In q
communication to him.
Bride Frames Questions.
These questions are understood to
have been framed by Corporation Coun-
sci william w. Bride, who yesterday
afternoon made study of the original
affidayit of Mrs. Blalock and other data
connected with the case in the office
of Mr.. Bianton. The Commissioners
had a COPY of this affidavit and the
alleged love letters which the palmist
turned over to the Texan, but they
were not in photostatic form, and for
this reason Mr.. Bride, made q search
of the original documents.
The questions asked Capt. Burlingame
are contained in letter which the
Commissioners directed Maj. Edwin B.
Hesse, superintendent of police, to send
to the accused officer. Burlingame is
given until noon Tuesday to make a
reply.
The text of the letter follows:
Enclosed you will find typewriter
copy of an original afidivit made by
Mrs. Helen F. Blalock, dated Abilene,
Tex, January 10, 1929. Your attention
is also called to certain inclosed photo
static copies of personal letters alleged
to have been written by you to the
above named person, bearing the fol-
lowing dates:
February u. 1877. addressed TO Baby
Girl
sFebruary ls. 1927. addressed to MY
Dear Miss Helen
April 3, 1927, addressed to Helen
September 26. 1927, addressed to MY
Dear Helen
November 20, 1927, addressed to MY
Dear Helen
Undated, addressed to Helen
1.-THE Board Of Commissioners directed
you to submit to me such explanation
or statement In writing as you may
wish to make in connection with the
foregoing c., or before Tuesday, Feb
ruary 5, 1929, at noon; together with
the return Of the inclosed photostatic
papers," ~.
The Commissioners convened in spe-
cial executive session to resume consid-
Grafton Of the Burlingame case at 1880
o'clock. Commissioner Proctor l.
Dougherty, who has administrative
supervision over the Police Department
spent most Of the morning prior to this
meeting in conference with Daniel T.
Garges, secretary to the Board of Com
missioners, preparing for the meeting.
Prosecution Handicapped.
The absence Of Mrs. Blalock, 1t was
pointed out, has seriously handicapped
prosecution Of the case by the Commits
sioners, as well as the Office of the
0AAAtC4 0tdtCo dOtuIItCys WkkCIC IL WdS
referred for investigation by the Gibson
subcommittee Of the House. The Com
missioners, 1t was indicated. are reluc-
tant to proceed any further with view
to taking disciplinary action unless
witnesses are produced to corroborate
the charges contained In the affidavit
which the palmist gave to Blanton at
his home in Abilene, Tex
For this reason, the Commissioners
decided to give the accused captain a
chance to answer the allegations. A
written reply to specific questions, the
Commissioners thought, would be more
satisfactory for their purpose than a
hearing.
Ever since Blanton dragged the case
into the public limelight Burlingame
has steadfastly refused to discuss it.
and the only statement he has made is
that his relations with Mrs. Blalock
were 'open and above board" and that
he has answers and explanations to all
Of her accusations.
Even when before the Gibson COM
mittee the police captain made no COM
ment at Blanton read the palmist's lone
affidavit and referred to certain letters
in his possession which contained such
sentimental signatures as "Your Broken
hearted Daddy" "Your Loving Daddy
and "HeartSore."
Burlingame's answers to the Commits
sioner's questionnaire, it was explained
at the District Building, will govern the
course of the action. A reply is not
expected before Monday, so the case Is
destined to drag over the week end.
A search is still in progress for Mrs
Blalock, who was last seen by Mr.
Blanton at his home in Texas. There
have been numerous divergent report.
to the effect that she is in hiding neal
Washington, while other rumors have
had her across the border in Mexico