Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-04
CAUTION TO MARK
NEW JURY PICKING
Extra Care to Be Taken to
Test Qualifications in 3d.
Degree Probe.

With subpoenas ready for ECO Wit
nesses who are to appear october IL
in the duplicated grand jury investiga-
ton Of third-degree methods of police,
court oficials will take extraordinary
precautions to test the qualifications OF
the grand jury to be sworn in Tuesday.
In order to prevent another such
frisco as that which disrupted the third
degree inquiry more than a week ago,
every prospective juror will be required
to answer in writing a set of questions
regarding his eligibility, with particular
reference to pensions and other Federal
, or District connections.
A Spanish War veteran, who said ne
did not hear the pension question pro-
pounded by the court clerk last July,
served nearly three months before 1t
was discovered he was receiving $50 a
month for his war services. The be-
lated disclosure invalidated l79 indict-
mentS.
Cannon Inquiry First.
TIE Government intends to swear ir
a grand jury whose qualifications have
been established in advance, beyond
doubt. In addition to the written
QUESTIONABLE, each Juror will be eX-
amined with meticulous care.
The third degree cases will not be re-
presented until the Bishop Cannon in
Quiry has been completed. The Cannon
case was showed ahead of the police
cases because the statute Of limitations
would have operated to invalidate the
election charges at a later date.
In addition to repetition Of teSti-
mony by witnesses in II brutality cases,
involving more than a score of police
men, new witnesses will be summoned
to tell of the alleged intimidation at
tempt on George B. Baber. an impor-
tant Government witness against sew
eral headquarters detectives.
The name of one of these detectives
was brought into the intimidation case
through issuance of warrant charging
that two men made an effort to in
f1uence testimony lin the case of the
United States versus Robert Barrett
and others" Barrett, a headquarters
detective, is understood to have been
involved in the brutality allegations
made to the grand jury by Baber. who
was arrested and cleared in the Jaynes
murder case.
II is expected the intimidation case.
in which Cecil Mason and Maurice
O'Connor are under $500 bond each,
will be given to the jury at the time Of
presentation Of the Baber assault
charges.
Mason is to be sentenced in Police
Court next Friday on charges of illegal
possession Of liquor and driving an
automobile without a permit. He has
pleaded guilty TO both charges and he
also entered a guilty plea to the charge
Of obstructing justice. Since the latter
plea was made before a United States
Commissioner, 1t is not regarded as
legally binding in the courts, and Ma
son may reverse the plea If indicted by
the grand jury.
Agents Working on Case.
O'Connor will be given hearing be-
fore Commissioner Needham c. Turnage
next Friday. He has pleaded not
guilty to a formal charge of cbstruct-
ing justice in the third degree investi-
cation.
Department Of Justice agents have
been investigating the intimidation in
cldent with a view to learning il the
offense allegedly committed by Mason
and OConnor was inspired by the po-
lice. They are said to have uncovered
some important information in this
connection. Whether the information
will warrant the Government in asking
indictment of any one other than Ma
son and O'Connor could not be learned.
Justice agents have not been idle
since the blowing up Of the original
grand jury probe They had completed
investigation at that time of 20 COM
plants against the police, but since
then number of other cases have been
received and investigated. 1t is possible
several Of these additional cases will be
called to the attention of the new jury.
In the meantime J. Edgar Hoover,
director of the Bureau Of Investigation.
is holding in allegiance his report of
the bureaus findings. This report will
be revised to include additional cases
investigated and to cover final action
Of the grand jury.
Remarks by Attorney General
Mitchell in speech yesterday at Yale
University were construed here as an
indication the Department Of Justice
will include in the report definite rec
concentrations for improvement of law
enforcement machinery in Washington.
The speech decried researches into law
laxity without subsequent suggestions
for remedying conditions.