The Washington times., 1931-09-30
SCHENCK BANS
SECRET TALK
TOLAWYERS
Attorneys Fail to Elicit Any
Facts From Prisoner Anent
Framing of 0rviIIe Staples

Framing of OrviIIe Staples
The Commissioners committee
of five lawyers appointed to in
vestigate the Grand Jury's report
excoriating the police department
for its handling of the Staples
case ran into stone wall this
afternoon when former Police
man Frederick A. Schenck re.
fused to testify behind closed
doors.
! Schenck, who claims that he
was ordered by superior police of.
ficers to frame Staples, is the key
witness of the investigation and
his refusal to tell his story to the
investigating committee may
sound the death knell of the
probe. =
Session FruitleSs
For an hour Schenck was
closeted with five weIl.known
lawyers, who comprise the board,
at the District Jail. According to
his story told after the session,
the meeting was spirited but bar.
rem Of result SO far as shedding
light on the Vaccinations by
which the Grand Jury charges
that Staples was thrown off the
force, s. 2s
Schenck told the committee
that he would not testify before
them unless witnesses were pres
ent. He asked that newspaper.
men, sitting in nearby room, be
admitted. The committee refused
this and suggested that instead
they admit Lieut.. Col. William
Peak, superintendent of the Jail.
Fears a Whitewash
Schenck however, held out for
the newspaper men, explaining
that their presence would have
assured him of square deal,
and would have prevented any
WhiteWaSh.
Daniel w. O'Donoghue, a
member of the board, demanded
to know if Schenck felt any
doubt as to the integrity or
character of the board.
To this Schenck replied that
he did not, but that he did not
feel that the scandal was one to
be gone into behind closed doors.
Blames the Jury
He later explained that he felt
the Grand Jury had done wrong
in blaming Policeman Joseph
Hunt for the attempt to frame
Staples while not mentioning
higher police officials, who were
involved in the testimony he
gave before that body.
After trying for an hour to
persuade Schenck to talk, the
committeeman asked him to think
it over again and let them know
within the next day or two If he
changed his mind.
Blair Keeps Mum
Henry P. Blair, chairman of
the committee, said upon leaving
the Jail that he expected the
board to conclude its inquiry
within two weeks. He refused to
say anything about the confer
ence with Schenck.
In addition to Blair and O'Don-
oghue the board includes Walter
C. Clephane, Col. ]. Miller Ken
yon and Stanton Peelle.
Schenck, sitting in the rotunda
of the District Jail, told a re-
porter for The Times:
THAT board of lawyers ap.
pointed by the Commissioners
needn't come down here think
ing that / will tell them my
story in secret. / won't tell
them a thing behind closed
doors.
Why the Secrecy?
"Why do the Commissioners
and the lawyers want this
thing kept secret? 1t must
come out into the open now,
and, so far as / am able to
bring it out. ] intend to.
STAPLES wasn't given all
these secret boards and commit
tees when he was thrown off
the force. Neither was I.
"NOw. somebody else is ON
trial and they want US to talk
behind locked doors. Not a
chance. Either they make
those hearings open and let
me tell my story in front Of
newspapermen, or I don't talk.
81 have shown that I have
nothing to conceal. I am ready
and willing to give the Com.
misSiOnerS or anyone else all
the evidence / have. But /
won't go behind the door to