Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-28
Maj. Pratt Requests Detailed
Statement on Visit to Al
legged Speakeasy.
COULD HAVE OBTAINED
PAPERS, HART DECLARES
Plans to Prosecute Arrested Man.
"Going on Mat" With Attorneys
Office, Precinct Chief Says.

Maj Henry G. Pratt, superintendent
OF police, today instructed Inspector
Thaddeus Bean to obtain from Capt.
William G.. Stott, commanding the third
precinct. detailed statement describ-
ing Stott's raid of an alleged speakeasy
on Eighteenth street yesterday without
a search warrant.
Following the raid early yesterday
afternoon, Capt Stott, complained about
the difficulty of obtaining search war
rants In cases where the police had
only reasonable cause" of suspecting
violation and said he was going on the
mat" with the United States attorneys
ofiice in an effort to clear up the whole
matter.
Meanwhile the United States attor-
ney's Office today planned to prosecute
Frank j. Smith, whom Capt. Stott
placed under arrest, and at the same
time David A. Hart, assistant District
attorney, stated that Stott could have
obtained a search warrant on evidence
in his possession.
Hart said he would subpoena every
resident on both sides of Eighteenth
street in the 100 block-the raid hav-
1116-and learn whether any one of
them had purchased whisky on the
premises raided or had knowledge that
liquor was being sold there.
Plans Vigorous Prosecution.
On behalf of the United States at
torney's office it was said that the case
against Smith, who was charged with
possession and two other counts, would
be prosecuted vigorously, but that it
was expected that 1t would be thrown
out Of court.
Apparently perturbed by reports of
the raid, Mai. Pratt requested Inspector
Bean to interview Capt. Stott with spe-
cial reference to the precinct COM
mander's announced intention to force
the issue with the United States at
torney's office.
Citing the District code, Maj. Pratt
fntimated that in entering the premises
without search warrant Capt. Stott
might have made himself liable to the
charge of illegal entry.
Stott said after the raid that he had
known whisky was sold at the place
since March, but had been unable to
make buy because Of unusual precau-
tons taken on the premises. he said
he had not asked for q search warrant
because requests in similar cases be-
fore had been denied.
Capt. Stott called q conference Of his
assistants as soon as Smith was re-
turned to the precinct station and In
structed one Of the detectives to call
on Hart today and ind out why war
rants could not be obtained when evil
dence was as conclusive as that involv-
ing the 1116 Eighteenth street address.
Precedent Sought by Hart.
Hart said today. however, that rec
ords that the same place was raided
on March and the same man, Smith,
was arrested, together with his knowl-
edge that the place was barricaded,
were sufficient grounds for issuing the
warrant.
The opinion of the United States at
torney's ONCE that the case against
Smith would be thrown out of court
was based on similar cases brought TO
trial before, but Hart planned to prose-
cute the case against Smith in order
that the court might rule finally on the
matter and set precedent for guild
ance in future.
Capt. Stott conducted the raid short
ly before o'clock yesterday afternoon.
With three policemen and himself on
the end of a battering ram, they broke
down heavily guarded door on the
second floor. Capt. Stott said Smith
was In the act of breaking fve-gallon
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