Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-17
S|NCLA|R'S TRIAL
ENDS IN ACQU|TTAL
ON DRUNK CHARGE
Sergt. Carroll Testifies Po-
liceman Was "Not Intoxi-
Gated" at Party.
CHAMPION ARRESTER'S
JOB SAVED BY VERDICT
Testimony That Accused Feared
Wife Would Shoot Him.
Laid Before Board.

Policeman Raymond " Sinclair was
acquitted this afternoon by the Police
Trial Board of charges of being intoxi-
Gated and conduct unbecoming an OFF,
Ger ct a party at his home, 5218 Illi-
nois avenue, last Friday night.
The acquittal followed testimony from
Sergt. r. B. Carroll, acting lieutenant
of the thirteenth precinct, who called
at Sinclair's home to quell disturb
ance, that the policeman was not in
toxicated"
The trial board recessed for lunch and
to deliberate the Sinclair case at abotit
1890 o'clock, returning an hour later
to render the verdict, mot guilty"
Verdict Saves Job.
The verdict saved Sinclair's job and
means continuation of his career as
the TRAFFIC Bureaus champion arrester.
In one year alone 1929, he arrested
nearly $500 persons for traffic Tiola-
tions, securing convictions in almost
all cases. Under suspension pending
trial. Sinclair automatically was re-
stored to active duty with the render
ing of the not-guilty verdict.
Testimony regarding Sinclairs So
briefly at the party was conflicting,
Policeman R. A. Cheney of No. 49, an
acting sergeant at the time, and Rob-
bert D. Talbot, who, with Carroll, visited
Sinclair'S home in answer to call
from the officer to settle an argument
between his wife and a woman guest.
asserting they thought" he had been
drinking from his actions.
Feared His wife Would Shoot Him.
Testimony that Sinclair was afraid
his wife would shoot him for paying
too much attention to woman guest
at the party" was laid before the Trial
Board.
Sergt. Carroll, who visited Sinclair's
home ip the early hours of Satur-
day in response to a call from the
policeman to quiet a disturbance, testi-
fed that Mrs. Sinclair told him her
husband had waved a gun in her face
In a threatening manner.
He said Sinclair had asked him to
demand Mrs. Sinclair return his gun,
which he said she had taken atd hid
den.
Mrs. Sinclair was denouncing Sin
clair for his attentions to a woman
guest when entered their home Car
roll testified.
After questioning Sinclair about the
disturbance told him to go upstairs
and put Mrs Sinclair to bed. He said
he was afraid to 60 to bed. He said
Mrs Sinclair would shoot him, that she
had his gun and would not return 1t.
Il told Mrs. Sinclair to give him
back his gun, but she said she was
afraid to, that he would shoot her"
Carroll said he then advised Sinclair
to go down town for the night to avoid
any further argument with his wife.
They decided to go to bed, however,
Carroll said, so he left the house. order
ing Acting Sergt. r, A. Cheney Of No.
13 to remain few moments outside to
see that there was no further dis
tIlrbance.
Carroll. who suspended Sinclair the
following Sunday upon orders of In
spector Albert j. Headley, in charge of
the second police inspection district,
gave conflicting testimony. about the
officers condition with respect to So
briefly Asked by James A. O'Shea,
Sinclair's attorney. why he had not
suspended Sinclair then and there, J"
Carroll replied:
Because he was not intoxicated"
Carroll previously had testified Sin
clair was under the influence OF liquor
and talked in "an irregular manner"
Because he had not suspended Sinclair
Friday night. Carroll said, he under
stood he was going to get an oficial
reprimand.
The acting lieutenant told the board
that when he went to Sinclairs home
Sunday night to suspend him the
policeman. champion arrester of the
Traffic Bureau, said:
What is it all about?" Carroll said
he told him it was ION account of that
party the other night" Sinclair then
drunk three bottles of home brew, but
said, 81 wasn't drunk, was ~"
Might Have Been Sunday.
O'Shea cross-examining Carroll gained
an admission from the acting lieutenant
nI1s,s ID v.nkr tG1nI l.t -t1Xn
be had drunk the home brew Friday
night and that it might have been
Sunday, the day he was suspended.
Sinclair. testifying later, denied he
waved the gun in Mrs. SinclairS face
and said his wife hid his coat. badge
and gun after he threatened to leave
the house because of the disturbance
going on at the party.
Sinclair explained that he called the
thirteenth precinct to send around
policeman to quiet an argument between
Mrs. Sinclair and Mrs. Patterson. He was
afraid some one would report the case
TO police and that it would get him in
trouble with officials. he said. Because
of this he had threatened to leave the
house and had demanded tina: Mrs.
Sinclair return his gun, badge and coat.
Mrs. Sinclair corroborated her hus-
bands testimony to the effect that she
refused TO give him his gun, badge or
coat after he said he was going TO leave
the house. Sinclair said that when
Sergt Carroll arrived at the home he
asked him to get his equipment from
Mrs, Sinclair.
Mrs Sinclair. Sinclair testified, re-
fused CAROLS request, stating; Il will
give him his equipment when IT is time
for him to report for duty at 1880 this
morning"
Sinclair explained that the disturb
ance which he called the police 20
quiet was due to loud voices being
raised because of Mrs. Sinclair's deaf
ness. He denied there was any diSsen-
ton and said it was "only a friendly
argument"
Patterson, testifying about his wife's
argument with Mrs Sinclair. said 1t
had lasted about an hour or an hour
and half. starting in the kitchen
and going all over the house"