The Washington times., 1930-03-22
SENSAT ION.
PROMISED
|NCASE

New light is promised on the
shooting of James Crotts, Of the
1900 block K st. N. W., by De-
tective s. F. Gravely, of the Third
precinct. early Wednesday morn.
ing in the 1900 block First st.
N. W., by Attorney Crandal
Mackey, representing Policeman
Ardie w. Swortzel, of the Fourth
precinct, and Charles Elgin, now
on bond on charges of con-
spiracy.
Although Attorney Mackey was
gates of France and Italy and
course of action will be he stated
that certain startling revelations
will be made and that "a lot
of dirty linen will be washed be-
fore this case is over"
Swortzel has been charged with
an attempt to extort $50 from
Marie Foster, who resided in an
alleged house of ill fame at the
First Street address.
Elgin and Crotts have neen
accused of conspiring with the
policeman in the alleged attempt
to shake down" the house.
Gravely has been suspended on
charges of misuse of his service
pistol. and is being detained at
the Third precinct station pend
ing the outcome Of Crotts' in
jurieS.
Burke Still On Duty
Detective w. F. Burke, also of
the Third precinct, who was with
Gravely at the time of the shoot
ing, is still on duty. Both of
the detectives were out of their
precinct, working on case of
which their commanding officer
is said to have had no knowledge.
According to the story, told by
police, Burke had been detailed
to watch the First Street house
and trail a woman who was sup
posed to be the sweetheart of an
out-oftow racketeer who was be-
lieved to have held up the estab-
lishment early Sunday morning.
Burke claimed that he had been
directed to watch the place by
Lieut.. Edward j. Kelly, chief of
the homicide squad at head
quarters. He said that he had
taken Gravely with him rather
than call on headquarters or the
Eighth precinct for assistance.
Burke's Record Withheld
An effort to obtain the police
record of Detective Burke, who
has been involved in a number
of cases which carried him before
the trial board, failed when Major
Henry G. Pratt, superintendent
of police, refused to make the
record public. He said Burke
was charged with nothing at this
time, and that what he had done
in the past had no bearing on
the present case.
The record Of Gravely and
Swortzel are available, however.
GraVely's record as a policeman
shows that he was before the
trial board on a number of occa-
sions for alleged brutal conduct
towards prisoners, and that he
had been injured a number of
times in attempting to maintain
arrest of prisoners.
SWortzel, who has been on the
force for about four years, has
only one complaint on record
against him, and that being a
charge of having stayed IS min
utes in a grocery store while on
duty. This case, however. was
not taken before the trial board,
Swortzel being warned by the
major and superintendent of po-
lice not to repeat the offenSe.
Investigation Still On
The investigation of Burke's
conduct on the night that Crotts
was wounded. probably fatally, is
still being conducted by Inspector
ThaddellS Bean, who today said
as far as he is concerned, there
is no likelihood that Burke will
be suspended.
Swortzel and Elgin were held
Continued on Page 2. Col. 81
-aRRUVn nAnn-0nna