Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-18
DROOKHART GETS
HUNT CASE DATA
Bride Delivers Letter Ex-
planning Course Pursued
by D. C. Heads.

The demand Of Senator Brookhart Of
Iowa for an explanation of the failure
to suspend Policeman Joseph H. Hunt
Of the second precinct In view Of the
charges of the grand jury that he was
. party to the framing" Of former
Policeman Orville Staples was complied
With today by the District Commits
sioners.
A letter containing the reasons Of the
Commissioners for adopting the course
being followed in the investigation Of
the grand iury's allegations was de-
livered personally to Senator Brookhart
by CORPORATION Counsel william w.
Bride, but it was not made public. Mr..
Bride also discussed the situation with
the Senator, and apparently convinced
him that the Commissioners had adopt
ed a satisfactory procedure Ia the Gre
alton Of q Special Committee OF hve
lawyers to inquire into all Of the grand
jury's charges with respect to the Po-
lice Department.
Letters Contents withheld.
Senator Brookhart declined to reveal
the contents of the letter and the Com
n1fesionefs took the position 1t would
Be dIscourteous for them to do so. DR..
/ n.
the Board of Commissioners, assured
newspaper men, however, that the letter
would not produce head lines.
Senator Brookhart's request Tor In
formation why Policeman Hunt had not
been suspended was received by the
Commissioners several days ago. This
letter was not made public, but the
Senator indicated that unless the reply
Of the Commissioners was satisfactory
a., s4fr1k 10 fak All
session Of Congress for congressional
investigation of the Police Department
Although there were rumors that Mr..
Bride had been delegated to deliver the
answer Of the Commissioners to talk
Senator BrookhaYt out OF the idea of a
congressional investigation Of the Police
Department, officials at the District
Building branded these reports as tut
tefly absurd" The corporation coun-
swer any questions which the Senator
might ask In connection with the In
veatigation Of the grand jury's charges.
Gives Lawyers Testimony.
Mr.. Bride also called ON Henry p.
Blair, chairman of the committee OF
| lawyers investigating the charges of
stanoRrapnic transcript Of the testimony
at the trial of former Policeman Staples
three years ago. The committee had
requested I'VE copies Of the report, but
only one was available.
The investigative committee, accord
ing to present plans, wiz review the
testimony before taking any further
steps. This procedure was decided on
at the organization meeting yesterday,
at which Mr.. Blair was elected chair
man.
In addition to Mr.. Blair, the commit
tee consists Of Col. Walter G. Clephane
Col j. Miller Kenyon. w. o. ODono-
9hue and Stanton G. Peelle. The func-
ticn of this committee is to determine
whether the grand jury's Tecommenda-
items have SUFFICIENT basis for further
action.
Civilian Board Incomplete.
Selection Of the personnel of the ex-
traordinary civilian board to be appoint
ed and held in readiness to try any
members Of the police force If the in
veshgating committee should recon-
mend prosecution of those involved in
the Staples case has not been completed.
DR.. Reichelderfer said the Commits
sioners are IN no haste to create this
board, since it will not be called into
action, II at all, for at least several
weeks
| Five outstanding citizens are to be
placed on the trial board. The names
are being drawn from q list OF 30 per-
sons nominated by presidents of the
! fiye principal civic and trade organiza-
tipns.