The Washington times., 1931-09-25
COLLAPSE
SPURS PROBE
Of POLICE
One New Case Found, Others
Strengthened as Justice
Agents Start Work Anew

Agents Start Work Anew
Action of United States Attor.
ney Leo A. Rover in halting the
Grand Jury's part in the police
third-degree probe was dumped the
matter back on the Bureau of
Investigation of the Department
of Justice, and restored it to an
active status.
Since Mr.. Rover's decision to
postpone Grand Jury action until
after the new inquisitOrial body
goes into office on October 6,
Justice agents have begun an in
vestigation of a brand new case
growing out of alleged police
tactics in beating confessions out
of prisoners.
Cases Strengthened
The justice agents also have
received several bits Of additional
information in cases already in
vestigated which are said to
materially strengthen these.
Approximately so cases were
handed to the July term Grand
Jury, and all of these and any
new ones which develop before
the Grand Jury starts it's grind
will be presented to that body.
Some of the cases undoubtedly
will not merit indictment and
will be ignored by the Grand
Jury.
Policemen involved in such
cases, however, will not escape
prosecution entirely, since the
District Commissioners plan to
study the evidence and, where
circumstances warrant, hale the
officers before the Police Trial
Board.
Announcement of this plan
was made today by Corporation
Counsel William w. Bride.
Report Is Awaited
should step in and present the
of the grand jury's delay they
Suggestions have been made
to the Commissioners that in view
cases to the trial board.
The Commissioners feel, how
ever, that the Grand Jury should
consider the matter first and
indict where the circumstances
warrant.
The Commissioners also are
motivated by the fact that the
of Justices report of
its investigation will not be
handed to them until after the
Grand Jury acts. 1t is this re-
port which the Commissioners
will scan and from it pick the
cases ignored by the Grand Jury
which they believe merit trial
board action.
Mr.. Rover today was laying
plans for representing the bru.
tality cases to the October Grand
Jury, but was not prepared to
name a definite date when the
inquiry VIII Deg1n.
Halted Wednesday
The July Grand Jury's part in
the investigation was halted
Wednesday when it was discov.
cred that one of the jurors was
ineligible because he received a
pension from the United States.
The Grand Jury was reorganized
and Mr.. Rover considered repre-
Senting the police cases next
week. That plan, however, was
abandoned yesterday when It
developed that the representation
to this Grand Jury might result
in legal complications.
The advisory committee Of at
torneys named by the Commits
sioners to investigate the July
Grand Jury's report in the case
of Orville A. Staples planned to-
day to again visit the jail and
question Frederick A. Schneck,
former policeman.
Report Next Week
Schenck's testimony before the
Grand Jury resulted in the report
that Staples had been ousted from
the police force as the result OF
a frame-up. The committee is
investigating the report to ascer.
tain whether anyone should be
prosecuted on the charges, and had
Schenck brought back from Leav-
where he is serving a 20
year term.
The committee, it was said at
the District Building today, hopes
to render a report to the Commis-
sioners before the end of next
week.