Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-05
BLEASE'S REFUSAL
OF SUBPOENA is
REPORTED BY JURY

Continued From First Page.)
subpoena in the case of the United
States against John Doe. I told the
young man to tell whoever sent him
that would not be there"
Subpoena Follows Letter.
The subpoena came two days after
District Attorney Rover had written a
letter to the South Carolina Senator,
inviting him to send to the District
Attorneys Office any information he
might have that would be helpful in
clearing up the Scrivener death mystery.
Mr.. Rover stated in that letter he had
been advised the Senator might have
some helpful information.
In reply to that letter, Senator BleaSe
wrote to Mr. Rover Tuesday, saying that
in view of the outcome of the present
grand jury'S inquiry in the Mcpherson
case, he thought it would be NONSENSE
cal' to submit any matter to them for
consideration where IAN unbiased and
unprejudiced result would be expected"
After telling the Senate today that he
would not comply with the subpoena,
Senator BleaSe told his colleagues that
the senatorial subcommittee designated
to investigate local police affairs decided
unanimously at meeting on November
13 that it would be "unwise and likely
to defeat the purposes Of the investiga-
ton to give out the names of any wit
nesseS or to disclose any facts which
have been presented to the subcom-
mittee." He said the subcommittee has
not met since that time.
Senator Blease also included in his
remarks a quotation from section of
article of the Constitution, which
reads as follows:
1.-The Senators and Representatives
shall receive a compensation for their
services. to be ascertained by law, and
paid out of the Treasury of the United
States. They shall in all cases, except
treason, felony, and breach of the peace,
be privileged from arrest during their
attendance at the sessions of their re-
Spective houses, and in going to and re-
turning from the same; and for any
speech or debate in either house, they
shall not be questioned in any other
place."
Puts Clippings In Record.
Senator Blease also placed in the
Congressional Record another stack of
clippings from local newspapers telling
OF various police happenings of recent
weeks, including raids. robberies and
other Investigations. He called atten-
ton to one editorial which stated that
members of the District committees in
Congress are not chosen because of
any qualifications for handling problems
Of the District.
"I want to show them the nice COM
pl1ment that Is paid to them," Senator
Blease added.
Senator Sackett, Republican, of Ken
lucky, chairman of the subcommittee
appointed to handle the local investiga-
ton sponsored by Senator BleaSe, said
today that the subcommittee would re-
sumo its work as soon as possible, con-
sidering the other duties of the
members.
Chairman Sackett said the subcom-
mittee was instructed to inquire whether
there is any corruption in the District
government, and that the aim would be
to carry on the investigation in a con-
Structtve rather than sensational way.
If there Is anything we can do in
a constructive manner to improve con-
d1ticns in the District, we want to find
out what it Is and do it."
BurIingame Questioned.
Capt. Guy E. Burlingame, the first
witness before the grand jury today, was
questioned about Is minutes. II know
absolutely nothing about the Scrivener
case" the former commander of the
second police precinct told newspaper
reporters after being excused.
Prior to- the opening of the investi-
CATION, United States Attorney Leo A.
Rover announced that Burlingame and
other present and former officials of the
Police Department would be questioned
in connection with rumorS that Scriv-
ener was investigating an alleged
liquor ring at the time of his death.
Burlingame declined, however, to dis
cuSS this phase Of the situation today.
Another reluctant witness was Mrs.
George w. Dow of the Episcopal CITY
Mission. She said she knew nothing
which had any bearing on the detec-
tive'S death.
Pratt Refuses to Talk.
you're just wasting your breath"
Maj. Henry G. Pratt, chief of police,
told newspaper men after spending
nearly an hour in the grand jury room.
tive Bureau when Scrivener met his
death and directed the investigation
which followed.
Miss Katherine Kendrick, OF 1861
Harvard street, the fourth witness of
the morning, declined to discuss the
case other than to say that she had
known Scrivener since childhood.
Thomas Sweeney, veteran headouar-
tiers detective and former friend of
Scrivener. also was a witness. Before
entering the grand jury room, Sweeney
explained he participated in the in
veStigation which followed the finding
Of the detectives body.
Peak Will Testify.
Another witness, Col. William L.
Peak, superintendent of the District
Jail, said he expected to tell the grand
jury that Henry Miller Moore, Leaven-
worth convict, a witness of yesterday,
was unable to identify the pistol with
which Scrivener was killed as his own
shortly after the murder.
Joseph Waldron, a headquarters de-
tective, Is believed to have told the
grand jury of his participation In the
investigation which followed Scriveners
death.
Another detective, George Darnall,
was understood to have planned to tell
the grand jury the pistol found be-
tween Scrivener'S feet was similar to
one he gave Scrivener shortly before
his death.
Other witnesses included C. p. Cox, a
headquarters detective Capt. Maurice
Collins of the seventh precinct, Henry
Jett, q headquarters detective; Lieut..
Walter Embrey of the Detective Blu
reau, and F. M, Alligood, a headquar-
tiers detective.