Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-04
Commissioners Action Is
Same as That Taken in
Case of Allen.
RIGHT TO CHALLENGE
is HOPE OF ACCUSED
Trial Body Itself Will Decide on
"Reasonableness" of Defense
Objections to Members.

The District Commissioners at a spe-
cisl board meeting today denied the
request of Capt. Robert E. Doyle of the
eighth precinct for civilian trial board
to pass upon the charges preferred
wrote to Supt. Henry G. Pratt support
ing Pvt. Robert J. Allen in his contro-
versy with the Police Department.
The action was the only one taken
at the board meeting, which was con-
vened early today before the Commits
sioners left the District Building to
attend the daily sessions of the Bureau
of the Budget where the Districts esti-
mates for the 1881 fiscal year are under
consideration. Both Allen and Doyle,
who are suspended, now have been re-
fused civilian trials and both must an
Swer before the regularly constituted
board, consisting of captains and in
spectors in the Police Department.
Challenges Are Unlimited.
Each oficer, however, still has the
right to challenge any individual on
the board and If the board finds the
challenge reasonable" some other in
spector or captain will be substituted
There is no limit to the number OF
challenges under the police manual.
The text of the letter sent to r
Morris Wampler and Chapman w
Fowler, Doyle's attorneys, follows close
ly the wording of the Commissioners
letter to the counsel for Private Allen
1t follows:
Gentlemen:
II am directed by the Commissioners
of the District of Columbia to acknowl-
edge the receipt of your letter of No
vember 8, as attorneys for Capt. Robert
q vw,b.o -,
pending, requesting in his behalf that
special trial board be constituted tc
try said charges.
THE Commissioners have carefully
read your letter and fail to find therein
any reason stated why the charges pend
ing against Capt. Doyle cannot be tried
by the duly constituted trial board ap-
pointed by them under the law and
regulations governing the personnel Of
the Metropolitan Police Department OF
the District of Columbia.
THE law and regulations provide that
the Commissioners may appoint a trial
board or boards to try charges affect
ing the members of the Police Depart
ment of the District of Columbia, and
give the right to the accused to be
represented by counsel and to bring
witnesses before such trial board. The
members Of a trial board may be chal-
lenged by the accused for reasonable
cause. In such event, the Commissioners
designate alternates, who may be sub
stituted by the chairman of the trial
board for those members of the trial
board who may be relieved from service.
A reason must be given for any ctal-
lenge made, and these reasons are
passed upon by the trial board at the
initial hearing Of the case.
Fail to Assign Reason.
"As previously stated, your letter as
signs no reason, and the Commissioners
know OF no reason why the charges
pending against Capt. Doyle cannot be
properly tried by the duly constituted
police trial board, and the Commission
ers direct me to inform you that your
request for the appointment of a spe-
cial trial board is denied.
Very truly yours.
"(SigneO DANIEL E. GARGES.
Secretary, Board of Commissioners
District of Columbia"
Capt Doyle's request to the Commits
sionerS for an extraordinary trial board
was similar in text to that filed last
week with Maj. Pratt, which was ig-
nored because he had no authority to
appoint police trial boards. 1t read as
follows:
AS attorneys Tor Capt. Robert E.
Doyle, against whom charges are now
pending, We request on his behalf that
a special board be constituted to trv
said charges now pending against Capt.
Doyle. and we request that the per-
sonnel OF the special board thus con-
stituted shall not contain within its
membership any member of the Police
Department Of the District of Column
ola government, or any officer or en-
Continued on Page 2, Column a.