Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-29
Hart Orders Couple, Arrested
Without Warrant, Freed
After Reading Report.
RAID ON APARTMENT
MADE BY VICE SQUAD
Letterman Ayers He Acted When
He Saw Liquor While Searching
for Another Man,

Indicating he believed the raid had
been illegal. David A. Hart, assistant
United States attorney, today refused to
issue papers against Eleck Harmon and
his wife, Mrs. Dora Harmon, arrested
last night on charges of possessing
liquor by the Letterman vice squad in
their apartment at 1851 S street.
This statement of facts doesn't
justify the issuance of papers," Hart de-
clared after reading report sent to him
by Sergt. o. j. Letterman. Hart prompt
ly ordered the release of Mr.. and Mrs.
Harmon. The assistant United States
attorney refused to make any further
comment.
Upon being advised of the action of
the Office Of the district attorney, Mai.
Henry G. Pratt, superintendent of
police, ordered Inspector Thaddeus A.
Bean to investigate.
Sought Eddie Croghan.
Letterman's formal statement ex-
planned he had gone to the Harmon
apartment in search of an Eddie Crog-
han, for whom he has a warrant charg-
ing the sale of liquor. The statement
added the detectives noticed 10 quarts
of alleged liquor in a kitchenette while
inquiring about Croghan. The raiders
said several hundred quarts of beer
were found In the apartment. The
liquor was seized, but the beer was not
disturbed.
Sergt. Letterman told reporters he
obtained a warrant some time ago for
Croghan, who formerly lived in the 14O0
block of Meridian place. Letterman
said he went to the Meridian street adj
dress several days ago, but was unable
to locate the man.
II received information yesterday"
Letterman explained, that this man
was living in apartment TOT, 1881 S
street. So went there for him.
Though he wasn't there, observed liquor
In the apartment so I arrested Mr..
and Mrs. Harmon. It is for the courts
to decide whether I have a good case
against them"
Member OF Grand Jury Enters.
While the raid was in progress, Mrs.
Harry Given, a member Of the grand
jury and next-door neighbor of Mr..
and Mrs. Harmon, entered and asked
Letterman whether he had . search
warrant.
II never had heard of Mrs. Given,
but I told her / had an arrest war
rant" Letterman declared. "She then
left the apartment"
Letterman asserted from 800 to 500
bottles of alleged beer were in the Har-
mon apartment. He said it was not
seized.
Mrs. Harmon told reporters Letter
man raised the top Of her photograph,
closets in searching her apartment.
She added he failed to permit her to
read any warrant.
Letterman reported no one was i'll
the apartment except Mrs. Harmon
when he first arrived. He said eight or
ten men called at the apartment dur
ing the few minutes that elapsed be-
tween the time he entered and the ar
rival OF Harmon. He charged Mrs. Har-
mon warned each of the callers to
answer no questions and shouted to
them that she was in trouble.
Mr.. and Mrs. Harmon were taken to
the eighth precinct. They later were
under bond of $500 each.
In directing Inspector Bean to probe
the matter, Maj. Pratt said that if those
aggr1eved by Letterman's action made
complaint to headquarters and sub
stantiated any charges that might be
placed against Letterman before the
trial board, that the officer would then
De brought to trial before the board and
the aggrieved parties given an opporI
tunity to testify.
II the facts show that Letterman did
not have a warrant for the premises
raided and that he made his way in
oy force and made a search and then
secured the alleged liquor, Mai. Pratt
said, 1t would be clear that he had VIC.
lated the police manual and that he
would be liable to trial before the Police
Trial Board for this violation. He said
further that should the aggrieved per-
sons secure warrants against any Of
the officers for illegal entry or any
other oHenSe he would see to it that
they were arrested and brought to
trial.
The Letterman raid was the second
without warrant made by the metro
politan police in "a hours, but in the
case of the foray conducted by Capt.
William G. Stott of the third precinct.
IN which a reputed Speakeasy was
broken up, 1t was said that, whatever
apparent violation of the police manual
he might have committed, that it was
legalized when the United
States attorneys Office issued papers in
the case.
Report Satisfies Pratt.
A controversy in the Police Depart
ment which seemed imminent for a
while yesterday after the Stott raid.
was smoothed over late in the after
noon when Maj. Pratt declared himself
satisfied with the captains report on
the affair
The raid, conducted by Capt. Stott
n person, was made Thursday after
noon on Eighteenth street near L
street.
A morning newspaper account of the
affair quoted Stott as attacking the
district attorneys Office allegedly for
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