Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-16
CITY HEADS START
BOARD SELECTION
Five Members to Be Chosen
to Try Any Accused in
Staples Inquiry.

Selection of the personnel Of the
extraordinary civilian board to be ere.
ated to try any members OF the Police
DEPARTMENT recommended for prosecu-
ton in connection with the alleget
framing Of former Policeman Orvillt
Staples. yes started today by the Dis
trict Commissioners.
Members of the board will be picked
from a list of 80 outstanding citizens
nominated by presidents of Washing
tons five major civic and trade or
ganizations. The head Of each group
at the request of the Commissioners
submitted five names.
Names of the 80 nominees were not
made public because of desire to pro-
tect from any possible embarrassment
those who might not be willing to serve
on the special trial board The per-
sonnet of the board, however, will be
announced as soon as five are chosen.
DR.. Luther II. Reichelderfer, chair
man OF the Board of Commissioners
said a definite plan OF procedure would
be followed in selecting members OF the
trial board From the list OF so names.
five will be picked and then the Com
missioners will ask those chosen II they
will serve as a civic duty. II any de-
cline. others Will be selected until five
are found.
derfer expressed the belief 1t would take
several days to appoint the board This
means that there is little likelihood OF
organization of the board before next
week.
However. the Commissioners do not
regard the appointment of the board
as urgent, since it will not be called
into service unless the investigation OF
the grand jury's charges by special
- a
basis for prosecution.
The committee of lawyers is to meet
tomorrow morning at the call Of Henry
p. Blair, temporary chairman, TO or
Ranize and map out its plan OF pro-
cedure.
VIII Determine Policy.
The committee also is to determine
whether its sessions are to be public or
conducted behind closed doors. the de-
cision resting largely on the nature OF
the report desired by the Commissioners
Should the Commissioners ask the
board to 60 into the legal phases OF
the grand jury report, then its inyesti-
cation, il was said, likely would be
conducted privately.
Commissioner Reichelderfer indi-
Gated he is highly pleased with the
type of persons recommended for the
civilian trial board by the five civic
and trade, organizations. All of those
named, IL was said, are outstanding
citizens, in whom are reposed public
confidence and respect.
Aside from selecting the trial board,
the Commissioners also are planning 10
frame a reply to a letter from Senator
Brookhart of Iowa demanding to know
why Policeman Joseph H. Hunt of the
second precinct has not been suspended
on the basis Of the charges against him
In the grand jury report.
Want to Assure Justice.
There was no intimation as TO what
the Commissioners propose to tell Sen
ator Brookhart- II was pointed Out
at the District Building, however, that
the course Of action being relislously
followed BY the Commissioners Is de-
signed to assure justice to Policeman
Hunt as well as TO the other police
Officers involved in the grand turyt
allegations.
Policeman Hunt Is particularly aHx-
iotis for an opportunity to defend hitn'
self. and has urged the Commissioner
TO prefer charges against him 1mme'
diately so he can 60 on trial oefof'
the board Of i've lawyers.
This board Is constituted as an IN
vestigating group. and 1t Is unlikely
that MS request VIII De 8Ian1co uhei
the lawyers determine whether there
Is a basis for the grand jury's charges.
Then, under present arrangements, the
civilian trial board would have to pass
on the case.
Hunt, through his attorney, Albert W.
jacobson. declared the board Of lawyers
is satisfactory to him and he "is will
ing and anxious" that charges be pre-
ferred against him Immediately and
that he be given trial before that
board.