Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-19
ROVER SETS COURT
MARK IN HANDLING
1875 CRIME CASES
Clears Docket of All but 225
Actions-Many Not
Arrested.
BUSIEST CRIMINAL YEAR
IN HISTORY OF COURT
U. S. Attorney Personally Conducts
Important Trials-Accredits
Showing to Aides.

new record for the disposition of
criminal cases in the District Supreme
Court was established by United States
Attorney Leo A. Rover in the year just
closed. He disposed of 1915 cases and
left only 225 pending when the courts
closed for the Summer recess Many
OF the pending cases involve defendants
who have never been Appreciated.
The past court year was the busiest in
the criminal annals of the District.
only 81 cases were ready for trial
and not reached on the court docket
June 30. OF these only Is defendants
were in jail. an unprecedently small
number to be held in confinement dur
ing the recess Defendants in the other
"A cases are at liberty on bail bonds.
Rover secured SO paddock injunctions
during the past court year. There
were pending July l, 1880. Al proceed
ings for padlocks ana AZ more were
instituted during the year, making a
total Of 49, OF these SO were terrni-
mated and there remain only Is cases
to be heard next october.
734 Gases on Docket.
When the Criminal Courts convened
last October there were pending 734
cases on the docket. During the court
year 1906 new cases were filed max
ing total of 2,o40 cases. Of these
1915 were terminated in various ways,
leaving only 225
Pleas of guilty were obtained in $40
cases there were l68 convictions and
81 acquittals; 10 cases were dismissed
on motion and 685 were nolle pressed.
Five murder cases are included in
the l3 In which the DEFENDANTS are to
remain in Jail until October. One is
charged with manslaughter: one with
carnal knowledge; two FOR housebreak-
fnr ioTy ,-iI g.
mig Harrison narcotic law; one for
violating section 80, United States
Penal Code: one for conspiracy.
OF the "a bond cases ready for trial
but not reached were: Carnal knowl-
edge, two; HOUSEKEEPING. che; grand
larceny, one; embeZZlement, two; false
pretenses, two; larceny after trust,
two; arson, one; forgery one; bribery,
one: national prohibition law. four;
Harrison narcotic law, one; section IS,
United States Penal Code, one: con-
spiracy. three; Federal corrupt prac-
tlce act, one, and violation of bank
! ruptcy law, one.
Trials Are Reduced.
The cases were handled so expedi-
tiously by the justices and Rover's as
sistantS that it was necessary to hold
but few trials in July. Last year one
of the Criminal Courts was held open
for three weeks in July.
Rover accreditS the wonderful show
ing Of the past year to the fact that
his corps of assistants was complete
and that number of cases could be
prepared for trial by the examination
Of witnesses by the various assistants,
who took turns in presenting the cases
in court. By means of an efficient
corps OF assistant prosecutors. the courts
were kept occupied throughout the
year.
Rover Handles Cases.
The United States attorney per-
sonally conducted a NUMBER of trials,
chief of which were Harry v Haynes.
former bank president; Robert E.
Whalen, lawyer charged with en-
bezzling funds from woman penSioner,
and man and his wife from Scranton.
Pa, charged with using the mails to
defraud All were convicted.
Justice Peyton Gordon in Criminal
Division l disposed Of the $40 pleas of
guilty as well as presiding in a num-
Der of the important trials. Justices
Jesse G. Adkins and Oscar r. Luhring
also tried number Of the criminal
cases, and Justice Luhrlng gave over
the whole month of January to the con-
sideration of the paddock" cases.
OF the $40 pleas of guilty Justice
Gordon referred 674 to Probation
Officer Amos A. Steele for investigation
and report. OF this number 366 were
placed on probation and sentence i'm
posed on the others.