Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-24
D. c. GRAND Jury
TO PROBE AFFAIRS
OF ENGINEER UNION
Officials Who Escaped Gun
mans Bullets to Expose
Alleged ENLIGHTENMENT.
rHORSEWHIPPING EPISODE
is BEING INVESTIGATED
Rover Learns Attack by Woman
Was Part of Lottery
Scheme.

Scheme.
The District grand jury this week
will inquire into an alleged embezzle-
ment of benefit funds of the Inter
national Union of Operating Engineers
an investigation of which by union Off
cials Immediately preceded daring gun
attack on three of the officers in a
lunch room last Wednesday.
Arthur NJ Huddell, president of the
union, and John Possehl, general secre-
tsry, who were preparing to expose the
alleged populations of former union
Official, escaped injury in the gunman's
fusillade. but Frank Langdon, 72-year-
old editor, was wounded critically in the
eye by bullet.
The former officer involved in the
fund accusations was in Chicago ct the
time of the shooting and is stu there,
it is said. He may be brought here to
face the grand jury
To Probe Lottery Scheme.
United States Attorney Rover said
that in addition to presenting the en-
bezzlement charges TO the grand jury
his Office is investigating a report that
the recent horsewhipping of another
union official was part Of lottery
scheme, the grand prize in which was
10 be the horsewhip used in the fracas.
While the district attorney will pre-
sent to the grand jury only evidence
bearing directly on the fund charges, 1t
is considered likely the jury may de-
eide to delve into the maze of ramifica-
items marking tangled affairs Of the
union. Disturbances which began when
international officers assumed control Of
the local union some months ago first
came to public notice when Charles
HAIRY, union supervisor, was horse
whipped on the street by woman last
April and reached climax In the
shooting last week.
Jury to Be shown Copies of Checks.
Rover has directed Assistant District
Attorney Fitzpatrick to present to the
grand jury a bundle of photostatic
copies of checks involving a sum total
ing slightly more than $4,000. The
local authorities have no jurisdiction
over an additional fund of approx
n1ately $4,000 involved in securities
held TO the credit OF the International
union in Chicago. The securities, how
ever, also are the subject of accusations
against the former union officer.
The checks to be brought to the
grand jurys attention are alleged to
indicate that the ousted official con-
verted to his own use $4,000 which
should have gone TO the unions bene-
fit fund. Officers of local bank prob
ably will be summoned to testify re-
garding the checks.
The securities in a Chicago safe de-
post box were found on investigation
by union officials to have been pur-
chased without authority. it is alleged
Union investigators are said to fear they
are worth but fraction OF the sum
invested in them.
The "horsewhip lottery story brought
to Rover's attention by international
officers of the union Is a strange one
The claim is made that lottery tickets
were sold to members of the local union
presumed to be opposed TO the action of
Huddell and Possehl in suspending local
officers and installing Haury as super
visor Of the unions affairs.
On the face of the tickets was the
likeness Of Haury. and on the reverse
a picture OF horsewhip Such ticket,
said to have been sold by former local
official, is in the possession of the dis
trict attorney. 1t bears also a number
The tickets, it is declared by friends
Of Haury, were to be shaken in a hat
and the lucky number" drawn from
the hat was to entitle its holder TO the
horsewhip that whipped HAIRY"
In accordance with the scheme, it is
alleged, Haury was attacked in front
of union headquarters at Tenth and K
.E,a f. 10 I,.rl ~.
savagely with the whip. Several men
are said to have assisted her. The wom-
an was reported to be the wife of a
suspended member of the local union.
Photographer on Hand.
The claim is made, further. that the
whipping was so carefully arranged that
even a photographer was on hand to
photograph the event" for edification
of Haury'S enemies. Whether or not
the whip actually was awarded as a
prize is unknown.
Although Haurys assailantS were ar
rested, the United States attorneys Office
finally declined to act at that time, in
accordance with a decision not to inter
fere in troubles of the union. 1t was
revealed that Mr.. Rover previously had
refused to issue a warrant against
Haury and other international officers
Tor an olieBeu ASSAULT OH TIE QepOSeQ
local officials.
If Mr.. Rovers investigation of the
horsewhipping incident should justify
him in abandoning his aloofness. it is
considered probable he may grant the
original request for a warrant against
the international group.
Col Easby-Smith has asserted that
Rover's Office attributed its hands off"
policy to a reluctance to air labor
troubles in court.
BY refusing to act in the horsewhip-
ping case, the union attorney declared,
Rover invited" further violence, cli-
NAKED by the shooting.
Langdon is believed to have gotten
into the line of fire intended for Hud-
dell and Possehl. The assailant, a
stranger dressed in a pair of new over
ais. emptied two revolvers before fee
ing in a waiting automobile. One bullet
hit Huddell over the heart. but was
fiattened against notebook in his
pocket. PosSells face was scorched by
two shots. Langdon is at Emergency
Hospital in serious condition from a