Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-27
CARTER PLANS TO TELL CONGRESS
OF HIS DIFFICULTIES WITH POLICE

AASC WOuA0 liOL bdhS any VI bAACAl W SAAs
station. Witnesses also arrested stated
that the police did not question them to
any extent about what had been going
on in the place at the time OF the raid
and that the police made little or no
effort to obtain evidence for proper
prosecution Of the case"
Maj. Pratt Replies,
Mai Pratt's reply to the above let
ter follows in part:
I'm reply you are advised that, like
you, I am at loss to understand why
this case should have been lost by the
department as from the evidence set
forth in the four affldavitS-even II no
other were available-there should nave
been sufficient to secure conviction.
Il am forwarding the correspondence
with the aff1davitS TO Inspector I. n.
Dean Of this department, with tnstruc-
tions to conduct a thorough 1nvestiga-
ton as to the manner in which the case
was handled and to submit his findings
with the affidavits to the United states
district attorney, with the request that
the case be reopened and submitted 70
the United States grand jury.
These headquarters have from time
to time received numerous complaints
of gambling in the vicinity of the print
ing office and have repeatedly directed
not only the commanding off1cef OF the
sixth precinct but the special squad
commanded by Sergt. Letterman TO put
forth every effort for the purpose OF
suppressing same and securing prosecl-
lions of those responsible for conduct
ing such places"
The next communication from Carter
to the police superintendent, dated Feb
ruary 4, follows. in part:
Frankly, 1 am not satisfied with the
e YN@&n T9rNxzv yal1 IN VI
one of the policemen that made the
raid. Detective BoxweI was present
when I examined several of the wit
neSseS on January 81, and was advised
Of the facts as presented in the afnoaVltS
that were subsequently prepared Tor
your consideration. l felt at the time
of the examination OF these witnesses
that Detective Boxwell appeared more
interested in convincing me OF the lack
of evidence against - and -
than he did in obtaining evidence
to convict them. At the conclusion OF
the hearing, I told him that the case
ought to be reopened, and he promised
me to take the matter up with the
proper authorities to ascertain whether
further proceedings could be undertaken
in the case. That was on Friday morn
ing, January 81, and have heard MOTH
ing further from him since then. would
respectfully suggest, therefore, that some
inquiry be made as to his activities in
this case"
Expresses Surprise.
After Mai. Pratt had assigned In
spector Bean to investigate Carter'S
complaint and Reilly and Boxwell had
called on the Public Printer, Carter on
February 10 wrote the police superin-
tendent expressing surprise that Capt.
Reilly and Detective Boxwell be called
upon to make an investigation OF their
own conduct"
The letter in which this statement
was contained follows in part:
In your letter of February 8 you
stated that my communication and the
accompanying affidayitS were being for
warded by you to Inspector T. r. Bean,
with instructions to conduct thorough
investigation as to the manner in which
the case. was handled, and submit his
findings, with the affidayits, to the
United States district attorney, with a
request that the case be reopened and
submitted TO the United States grand
jury.
In view of your statement, I was
surprised when Capt. Reilly and De-
tective Boxwell came to my Office on
February 4, having in their possession
you advised me had been referred to
Inspector Bean. 1t strikes me as an
unusual proceeding for Capt. Reilly and
Detective Boxwell to be called upon to
make an investigation of their own con-
dust as regards the raid which was the
basis of my complaint to you.
I'm his conversation with me Capt.
Reilly said that the afidavits sounded
'fiShy' to him. resent that statement.
The affidavitS were prepared as the re-
suit of my personal investigation Of the
matter. l believe them to be true, and
SO far as know there is no evidence
contradicting any statement in them.
Therefore, it seems wholly out of place
for Capt. Reilly to denounce the ain
davits as 'fishy.'
During the conference, Detective
Boxwell expressed the opinion that the
description of the man who is said to
have escaped during the raid, as given
in the affldaVitS, was frame-up on the
part of the witnesses I examined and
that they had evidently agreed in adj
vance to miSrepreSent this incident to
me. have good reason to believe that
the witnesses were telling the truth and
that, in fact, one of the principal en-
ployes of the gambling house did es-
cape from the room while the police
were trying to break down the doors.
IF the opinion of Assistant United
States Attorney Adams is to be &C
cepted as the view Of the Police Depart
ment, shall proceed further with the
investigation and call it to the atten-
ton of those in authority who may be
disposed to take proper action"
Again Directs Inquiry.
Pratt replied the following day that
he was very much surprised to learn
that Inspector T. r. Bean had turned
the correspondence from you over to
Capt. Reilly, and agree with you that
it was certainly not the proper man
ner in which an Investigation Of that
kind should have been handled.
Inspector Bean this date states that
he left the papers at the station for
the captain and the precinct detective
to make reports to him on and that
he had no idea that they would visit
you with same.
However, am again directing him
to go personally into the matter and
submit his findings to the Mr.. Leo
A. Rover, United States attorney for
!! the District of Columbia.
I'm the meantime, the complaint has
been referred to Sergt. Letterman'S
squad with instructions to make every
effort to abate the nuiSanceS in the
vicinity Of the Government Printing
once caused by the establishment of
such places"
Protection" Is Charged.
In letter written February 13, Carter
charged that an individual was enjoy
ing the police protection that other
places in the vicinity of the Govern
ment Printing once have had for a
| long time" Carter again demanded
Pratt to inform him what action he
| intended to take.
Carter wrote Pratt February IA that