Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-30
LUCAS MAKES PLEA
OF NOT GUILTY TO
LARCENY OF $4,000
Star Photographer Attacked
by Compliments Lawyer.
Camera Smashed.
ORGANISE is FREED
ON BOND OF SIS, 900
Statement Says He Was Business
Partner of Complainant in
Real Estate Deal.

Immediately after T. Guy Lucas, AZ
year-old organist and choirmaster OF
st. Johns Church, Sixteenth and H
streets. had waived Police Court hear
ing and had been remanded to the
grand jury on charge of larceny OF
$4,000 from Mrs. Edith L. Townshend,
Harry F. Kennedy, her attorney, with
Offices in the Columbian Building, at
tackled Gustave L. Chinn, photog-
rapher for The Star and smashed his
camera.
Chinn was maneuvering to get pic
ture of Mrs. Townshend near the Court
House when Kennedy walked up,
snatched the camera from his nanos
and broke it. Chinn was violently
showed into q parked automobile ana
his hand injured by the impact:
Policeman w. G. Grooms, who W.T.
messed the affair, took Kennedy into
custody and escorted him before John
r. Fitzpatrick, assistant district attor-
ney. The prosecutor refused 10 issue
a warrant against the attorney Inc
photographer had taken pictures ana
was preparing to ask MIS- ,rst0r IownSnenu
Lucas, who pleaded not guilty before
Judge Ralph Given, was released under
5000 bond. The case was Immediately
taken to the grand jury, but the lnVesu-
cation by the inquisitorial body was
postponed to January 6, when new
jury will be impaneled.
Lucas Arrested Yesterday.
Lucas was arrested yesterday on q
warrant charging him with larceny OF
$500. after it had been intrusted to
him by Mrs. Townshend, who lives In
the Presidential apartments, Sixteenth
street near L. -.
Mrs. Townshend complained to Assist
ant District Attorney Michael Keogh
that Lucas had kept $4,000 OF $4,000
which she had given him TO bank IN
his account. She said that she received
the money as commission for sale OF
real estate. and, fearing that it might
be taken from her through suit, she
placed it in the keeping OF Lucas,
close friend.
Mrs. Townshend sued Lucas for the
money, the suit being filed in the Dis
trict Supreme Court on Christmas eve:
Two DAYS later, she obtained writ OF
replevin, and the United States mar
ghal's ONCE took every movable object
from the Lucas apartment in serving
the writ.
Defendant Issues Statement.
Lucas issued the following statement
through his attorney last night:
Mrs. TownShend and ! have been
friends for about year. During the
past Summer she had an opportunity
of making a real estate deal ana sougnI
my assistance in the matter and agreed
that we would share whatever net COM
mission came from it. The commission
to purchase the real estate was from
rarties in New York City. The prop
erty was purchased by the joint EFFORTS
of myself and Mrs. TownShend from
parties in Maryland and consisted OF
farm and timber land. The conmls.
sion resulting from the sale aggregated
$9,300-lesS certain deductions Tor ex-
penseS-one-half of which I was en-
titled to and one-hah of which Mrs.
TownShend was entitled to. At her re-
Quest all Of the money was deposited
in my account, and from time TO time
] paid out to her sundry sums OF money.
"a correct and accurate statement
of the account was kept in my books
and from time to time the state OF the
account was gone over by me with Mrs.
ToWnshend and she was furnished
full statement of all items and copy
of the account on her request. Several
weeks ago demand was made upon me
by her for return of all the money. She
now claims that had no right TO any
part Of the commission on the real
estate deal insisted that Mrs. Town
shend carry out the agreement. She
became very angry and indignant and
last week attached the furniture in my
apartment and filed suit, in which she
Issued several garnishments and tried
in every way to embarraSS me, and I'm
ally had me arrested on the charge Of
larceny after trust.
81 am prepared to meet Mrs. Town
shend's charges against me with ample
proof and, while I am deeply Inundated
and distressed at the turn things have
taken, I feel sure I can establish my
innocence and also that my dealings
with Mrs. Townshend have been fair
and Just in all respects"