Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-12
Henry P. Blair, Col. W. c.
CIephane, Col. J. M. Ken
yon, D. w. O'Donoghue and
S. C. PeeIIe Accept.
GROUP is SUGGESTED
BY BAR PRESIDENT
Findings of Inquisitorial Body
Will Be Basis to Determine Ne
cessity for Appointment Of Pro
posed Civilian Group by District
Commissioners.

A special board. composed of
five prominent Washington law
yers, was appointed today by the
District Commissioners to inves-
Ggate the charges against the Po-
lice Department contained in the
recent grand jury report and to
<,ctermine whether steps should
be taken to punish any members
CT the Police Department who
are alleged to have been involved
in the framing of former Pc.
liceman Orville Staples.
The findings of the Investigate
ing board, the Commissioners an
nounced, will be the basis for de-
termining whether it will be nee
essary to create the proposed eX-
traordinary civilian trial board.
Members of the bar appointed to the
investigating board are:
Henry P Blair. Col. Walter C.
Clephane. Col j. Miller Kenyon, Daniel
w. ODonoghue and Stanton c. Peelle.
The names of these men were sug-
gested to the Commissioners by George
B. Hoover. president of the District Bar
Association. and all of them have con-
sented to serve.
Serve As Civic Duty.
Announcement CT the appointment of
the investigating board followed dis
closure earlier in the Gay that the Com
missioners had appealed to the preSi-
dents of the five major civic and trade
organizations of Washington to ala
them in selecting the personnel OF the
proposed civilian trial board.
Creation of the investigating board
of lawyers was kept secret at the Dis
trict Building until the Commissioners
had received word that the five lawyers
had agreed to serve on such board,
purely as civic duty No compensa-
ton will be paid for their service.
statement issued by the Commits
sioners announcing the appointment OF
the board revealed that the plan was
suggested by Corporation Counsel Will
, liam w. Bride, who asked that his Of
fee be excused from making recon-
. nnendations in connection with the
, findings of the grand jury. which
Z urged the reinstatement of Staples and
punishment of those responsible for his
dismissal.
;. Statement by Bride.
The statement follows: The cor
poration counsel has asked the Commits
sicners to excuse his Office from max
. ing recommendations with reference 70
their action upon the recent statement
Of the members of the present grand
, Jury. His request is based upon the
fact that the prosecution of the Ste pies
case was conducted by his office and he
desires that such recommendations as
are made shall be free from any pre-
vicus association with the case. He
suggested that the Commissioners re-
quest that the president Of the Bar
Associa ton be urged to submit list
of Is members of the local bar whose
position in the community commands
complete respect. who are men CT un-
questioned high character and who
could make such recommendations.
such a list was submitted. and the
Commissioners are pleased to announce
that from this list they have selected
the following: Henry P. Blair, Col.
Walter c. Clephane, Col j. Miller Ken
yon. Daniel w. ODOnoghue and Stanton
c. Reclle All of these gentlemen have
accepted the Commissioners request
solely upon the grounds OF civic duty.
They will organize at an early date, fix
their own procedure and report to the
Commissioners. Their field is limited
to the allegations contained in the
report of the grand jury
Aside from considering the grand
tury's recommendations that Staples be
reinstated and those responsible for his
dismissal severely reprimande5, the IN
vestigating board also, it was said, VIII
determine if there was any basis Tor
the charge in the grand jury report that
trere exists in the Police Department
false sense of loyalty. supplemented by
a vicious system Of reprisals for those
who tell the truth"
Aid of Civic Heads Sought.
Earlier in the Gay presidents of the five
major civic and trade organizations oil
Washington were Invited by the Com
missioners to aid them in selecting
the personnel of the extraordinary
civilian board to be created to consider
en- act on the grand jury report recon-
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