Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-17
DOUGHERTY CALLS
ONPRATT TOPRODE
ALIENS ACTIVITY
Officer Is Quoted as Saying
He Would Investigate Dis
trict Attorneys Office.
ARREST OF M0FFATT
CAUSES LATEST MOVE
Chief Says Precinct Captain Should
Have Turned Case Over
to Detectives.

Commissioner Proctor L. Dougherty
today called on Mai. Henry G. Pratt,
superintendent of police, for an investi-
gation and report of the latest activity
of Policeman Robert j. Allen, who was
quoted in a morning paper rs saying
that he was about to investigate the
district attorneys ofice.
In making the order, however, Mr..
Dougherty said that he had repeatedly
ordered statements of Allen appearing
in the press to be Investigated, and that
in each case Allen had denied making
the statements.
Aliens latest move came in connec-
ton with the arrest of William Lee
Moffatt last night on charge of lar
cency after trust. According to Allen.
he received a complaint from Harrison
Orndorff Of 1921 Fairfnont street, that
Moffatt misused certain money in
trusted to him.
Allen Goes to Capt. Doyle.
Allen took the complaint to Capt
Robert E. Doyle of the eighth precinct,
to which Allen is now assigned, and
asked permission to investigate 1t. Ac-
cording to the police regulations q cap
tain may put a private in plain clothes
at any time for special investigations
for periods not to exceed three days.
Acting on this regulation. Doyle granted
Allen the permission and Moffatt's
arrest followed.
Mai. Pratt said today that the normal
course to have followed would have been
for Capt. Doyle to report the matter to
the Detective Bureau, where the case
would have, been put in the hands OF
one of the detectives detailed to deal
with such matters.
Aliens quoted remarks are based on
the fact that Moffatt is said to have
been twice indicted in the past for SINH
lar alleged offenses. and never brought
to trial .
Pratt Says His Hands Tied.
Mai. Pratt said today that obviously
no policeman had any business saying
he was going to investigate the district
attorneys once, but that 30 far as Allen
was concerned his hands had been tied
by the Commissioners. who hzd IN
structed him to leave Allen undistllrbed
until the Mcpherson miirder case Is
settled.
one added piece Of confusion to an
already much tangled situation Is That
Inspector William S. Shelby who was
transferred from the Detective Bureau
to command of the uniform forces larEe-
ly as q result Of Aliens activities. Is the
officer who would prefer charges against
Allen. should any be made, before the
trial board.
The ONCE Of the United States at
torney has information that leads it to
believe that the charge Of larceny after
trust of SIS ,023 against Moffatt. invest
ment broker, is an attempt to use .
criminal process TO collect q private
debt, Assistant United States Attorney
John Fitzpatrick declared in Police
Court this morning, when the broker
was arraigned.
Moffatt Wins Continuance.
Moffatt pleaded not guilty and
through James r. Reilly, an attorney.
asked for continuance of the case
until Saturday morning. The request
was granted by Judge John p. Nc
Mahon. Reilly said that william B.
Leahy. now actively engaged In trying
the Fall case. has been retained by Mr.
Moffatt rs his attorney, and viii not be
able to appear until then. Reilly is
employed in Leahy's ONCE
Moffatt was arrested in his luxurious
downtown suite, where he conducts q
stock brokerage business, yesterday af-
ternoon about 2:30 o'clock by Police
man Allen Of the eighth precinct.
This morning in court Fitzpatrick
objected to the continuance He said:
The Government is inclined to believe
that an attempt is being made to use
criminal prosecution to collect
private debt. There Is information in
the possession of the Government which
leads 1t to insist that the witnesses be
NIT on the stand at this time a nj vfvaS1
an opportunity to make q prima facie
case against the defendant"
Monatt arrived at Police Court with
Reilly in large, splendidly appointed
limousine. driven by a liveried cEauf-
feur who waited outside while the hear
ing was In progress, and then, by man
euvering to the back door of the court,
enabled his employer 10 escape waiting
photographers
Allen Hints at More Cases.
'I know of two other cases against
Moffatt." Policeman Allen said this
morning. 'In one of them EXPECT
to be able to obtain papers within three
days. The other one, woman, says
she is going to give Moffatt one more
chance to make restitution before prose-
cutting"
Allen said that one Of the other cases
involved $4,000, and that Jonas A.
Rudolph of 666 e street southeast is q
complainant. Thirty-two thousand
dollars Is involved in the other case, he
said.
Yesterday afternoon Allen said: Il
intend to investigate Immediately why
Continued on Page 2, Column A.
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