Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-21
JUDGE ACCUSED
OF INTIMIDATION
Disbarred Washington Law
yer Makes Charge in Con-
tempt Case Hearing.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
BALTIMORE, Md, December 90
Charges that Judge William c. Cole
man of the United States District
Court, attempted by intimidation to
prevent Norman S. Bowles from Sc
curing a lawyer to defend him, were
barred here today in the contempt pro-
ceedings brought against Bowles by the
accused jurist.
Judge Coleman made no comment
on the charges in court and, in over
ruling motions by John Philip Hill, de-
tense counsel, for a continuance and
for a Jury trial for the second time this
year sentenced Bowles to rs days in
the city Jail for contempt of court. An
appeal was filed and granted, and
Bowles was released in $4,000 bail.
At his home tonight Judge Coleman
also refused to comment on the case.
Prejudice Is Charged.
In an affidavit of prejudice, filed for
him by Mr.. Hill, Bowles, a disbarred
Washington lawyer, who in 1921 was
sentenced to pay a $4,000 fine and
serve two years in Atlanta penitentiary
for receiving bonds stolen by Nicky
Arnstein, declared, in part:
1.-The respondent (BowleS) says that
he is informed and believes that the
tempted to influence members of the
bar of Maryland and of the District of
Columbia not to represent the respon-
dent in the previous proceeding. Par
ticularly did he inform one Joseph G.
Turco an associate to T. Morris Wamp-
Ter, both members of the bar of the
Supreme Court of the District Of Co.
lumbia, that if they represented said
respondent, Norman S. Bowles, he would
he told them that he would have in
vestigated any attorney who represented
said respondent, such statements being
made to the end that said respondent,
Norman S. Bowles, would be unable to
secure proper legal representation.
A motion to turn the case over to
some judge other than Judge Coleman
was attached to the affidavit. Judge
Coleman held that the motion had been
filed too late. Questioned by Mr.. Hill
as to. the allegations in the affidavit,
Judge Coleman dismissed them without
comment on the ground that the mo-
ton which they supported had been
overruled.
Beginning Of Case.
Bowles, who, after serving his term
ut Atlanta, was pardoned and restored
to citizenship by President Coolidge,
November 26, 1929, appeared before
Judge Coleman as counsel for Thomas
Knott of washington, charged with
Illegal possession of liquor. Knott en-
tered a plea of guilty and was fined
5000.
Judge Coleman alleges that he ques-
toned Bowles after disposition of the
case. and that Bowles' statements had
led him to investigate his past record,
and that he found Bowles had been
disbarred.
Holding that Bowles was in contempt
of court because he had practiced a
deception by representing that he was
a practicing attorney of the District of
Columbia, Judge Coleman issued
bench warrant for BowleS' arrest. The
accused fought removal from Wash
ington, was ordered removed, appealed
the order, and then, while the appeal
was pending, came to Baltimore. where
he was arrested by three deputy mar
shals and brought before Judge Cole
man.
Ruled for BOwIes.
In his sffidayit of prejudice, Bowles |
held the manner of his arrest was "un-
assailed." He charged that he was held
incommunicado by Judge Colemans
without due process of law"
Bowles was sentenced to serve rs
days in jail He served notice of an
appeal, which was granted, and. after
serving IL days Of his sentence, Bowles
was released in $4,000 bail. On June
2, his appeal came up before the United
States Court of Appeals. On October
81, Judge John j. Parker handed down
q verdict in favor of Bowles in which
he held that Judge Coleman had erred
in handling the case as If it were one
that was subject to summary dispose
ton.
One month later Judge Coleman Is
sued an order of court commanding
Bowles to appear before him and
answer to contempt charges. In effect,
he inaugurated second contempt pro-
ceedings against Bowles designed to
correct the error which the Court of
Appeals had detected in the first.