Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-21
Files Show 200 of 900 Dry
Charges Since March |
Were Thrown Out.
PRATT WARNS OFFICERS
TO BE MORE CAREFUL
Prosecutor Declares Nominal Bond
Suggestion Was Made to Court
and Not Police.

Assistant United States Attorney
David A. Hart issued an appeal today
for fewer, but better liquor cases. after
q search Of the records of his office dis
closed that since March approximately
40 per cent Of the cases submitted to
him by members of the Police Depart
ment have been thrown out for want
Of sufficient evidence or because the
persons. accused we're arrested without
warrant.
On the heels Of Mr.. Harris announce
ment, Maj. Henry G. Pratt, superin-
tendent of police, issued a statement
warning the members of the Police De-
partment to take greater pains in the
future when preparing liquor cases for
court.
ITO take liquor cases to court which
have been illegally or improperly pre-
pared Is a waste of time for all con-
cerned," the police chiefs statement de-
clared. THE attention of all policemen
Is called to the instructions which have
been issued in the past by this Office
regarding the proper method Of pre-
pairing a case involving a violation of
the prohibition laws"
200 Of 1000 Cases Dropped.
A search of the files in Mr.. Harris
| office revealed that the assistant United
| States attorney has refused to issue
papers in nearly 200 Of the approx
| mately 1000 cases presented to his Of
| fee since March /.
"AIl the papers I have refused TO
issue have been either because OF In
suflcient evidence against the person
accused, or that they were arrested
without o warrant" the prosecutor
said.
The figures revealed by Harris files
! do not include cases where papers
were made out against persons who
were jointly charged with another per-
son, who assumed the responsibility,
thus invalidating the case against their
co-defendantS.
"My idea behind the refusal of papers
in numerous liquor cases recently can
be put in nutshell by merely saying
I want fewer but better cases." Hart
said. He poiffted out that If the liquor
traffic was TO be Stemmed In the Capt.
4 tat no progress would be made by
prosecuting man who has q few gills
of liquor for his own use.
1.-THE man who has a few gills Of
| liquor for his own use is not engaged
| in liquor traffic" said the prosecutor.
His arrest will not help stop the sale
of illegal beverages. There must be
an aspect of commercialism before the
case is worth while. The conviction
of one notorious bootlegger goes more
! toward stopping liquor traffic than the
conviction of dozen persons on small
! liquor offenses."
| Critics Are Answered.
Answering the criticism voiced yes
/ terday by Mai Pratt that the United
States attorneys ONCE has assailed the
Police Department for setting high
bonds in liquor cases, Mr.. Hart declared
today that his suggestion for nominal
bond was made to the court and not
to the police.
He admitted that Pratt's recent
statement that bonds are set according
to scales determined by the Police
Court judges and not by the police was
entirely correct.
II repeat my suggestion was to the
courts and not to the Police Depart
ment," Hart said.
The attorney said 1t was his opinion
that liquor law violators could be. held
under low bond and that the bend
could be raised when the offender was
arraigned in court If necessary. He
pointed out that letter in which bond
scale was set forth for various prohibi-
ton offenses had been sent to the
that court.
The prosecutor also, said that his
only criticism of the Police Depart
ment in the matter of bonds was the
placing of charges against persons by
police when the charges cannot be
subStantiated. He explained that when
a man is charged with both Transport
tation and possession, or with sale and
possession, and when only the possess
sion charge can be pressed, the result
Is that bond of $4,000 or $4,000 is
set. He pointed out if only the pos
session charge was pressed the result
would be low bond of $500.
1T may seem strange" Hart said,
but the bondsmen themselves tell me
they are in favor of low bond. They
say they very seldom get paid for ex-
ceSively high bonds, while collecting low
bonds Is done with facility"
Two Policemen Reprimanded.
Two policemen today were repri-
manded and four others, including a
lieutenant, warned in connection with
the raids.
Maj. Pratt, who also issued stern
warning to the four precincts involved
in the cases, cautioned the commands
not to violate laws in order to enforce
other laws, and pointed out that it is
a waste OF time. and contrary to the
orders from police headquarters to
do So
The two officers reprimanded are
Pvts. j. L. Mason and A. R. G. Houch
of the sixth precinct, and the men who
were warned are Lieut. John Fowler.
Precinct Detective Jones and Pvt. r.
Pvt. e. e. Thompson of the sixth pre-
cinct The action Of other Officers who
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