Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-25
Jury Investigation of Charge
to Depend on Outcome of
Conference Today.
MAY CLAIM IMMUNITY
ON EQUAL GUILT GROUND
Kramer, Aroused, Calls on Merger
Hearing Witness to Make
Good His Charges.

United States Attorney Leo A. Rover
today announced that he would sum-
mon Henry w. Lynn, 316 Sixteenth
street southeast, who last night testified
before a subcommittee Of the House
District committee at q merger hearing
that whisky Is sold to high school boys
and girls In the vicinity Of Eastern
High School. Lynn will be requested to
appear at Rover's ONCE at 4 o'clock
this afternoon for preliminary inquiry
into what information he has as to the
illegal sale of whisky near the high
school.
On the result Of this inquiry will de-
pend whether or not the matter is
called to the attention of the grand
jury. Lynn may be unwilling to 60 be-
fore the inquisitorial body because in
his statement he said he was in the
place ito get q shot" for himself and
since the question of the equal guilt be-
tween seller and buyer Of whisky Is
pending before the United States Su-
preme Court he may claim immunity
from being required to testify against
himself.
When this was called to Rover's at
tention, the prosecutor replied: II will
put it up to him."
Clipping Sent TO Rover.
Rover's decision to summon Lynn fol-
lowed the receipt of a letter sent by
messenger from Maj. Henry G. Pratt,
superintendent Of police, inclosing
clipping from a morning paper of the
testimony OF Lynn before the subcom-
mittee.
stephen z. Kramer, first assistant SUI
perintendent In charge of high schools.
also today wrote letter to Lynn, calling
upon him In effect to put up or shut
up" concerning his testimony before the
House District subcommittee last night
that he had seen Eastern High School
students drinking liquor In Southeast
washington speakeasy.
Mr.. Kramer requested Lynn, "as q
cooperative citizen of the District" to
submit any evidence Of facts concerning
the operation Of a Speakeasy and its
sale Of intoxicantS TO high school pupils
10 the school officials, and he promises
the fullest cooperation Of the school
people In prosecuting such an eStab-
iishment. He explained that if such q
condition exists, it has not been brought
to his attention, although normally q
report on such thing would be made
to him by the school principal imme-
diately.
Bound to Find DeIinquents."
''T1lis is the sort of thing that gets
my goat" Mr.. Kramer said. There
are 2,064 boys and girls in Eastern
High School. This man says he saw
two drinking liquor. Does that color
the whole school? Does that overcome
the fact that there are 2,062 children
who are pretty good sorts? In any
community Of 1000 persons it seems to
me we are bound to find some delin-
quentS, and it Is entirely believable
that some two or three people out of
q crowd Of boys and girls between the
ages Of IA and IL who go to any one
Of our high schools are delinquent. If
evidence Is submitted to us by Mr..
Lynn, we win go after this speakeasy
with all the vigor we have, but without
that think 1t Is time that talk detri-
mental to our Young people Is stopped"
After John j. Noonan, indomitable
campaigner for free care rides for
school children, had argued before the
subcommittee last night that anemic
school children would be able to supply
better nourishment with their savings
from free street car fares. Lynn, self
styled traction expert, startled the COM
mittee with the charge that the savings
would be used to purchase whisky In
stead of soup.
Lynn, a delegate to the Federation
Of Citizens Associations from the
Southeast Citizens Association and a
familiar figure at utilities hearings at
the Capitol and the District Building,
declared that Eastern High students
frequent a speakeaSy near the school.
Lynn testifed that there IS place
right down by the Eastern High
School" where they sell "lunches-any-
thing from sandwiches to pigsfeet-in
the front room" and that liquor is dis
pensed in the back room.
He said he had seen two high school
boys and two girls purchase a half
pint" and drink it there. and that
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