Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-23
INDICTMENT M|X-UP
LAID TO SYSTEM
Always Possible for Tales
men to Answer Questions
Enormously.
Continued From First Page.>

Continued From First Page.)
Government pensioner remaining on
the grand jury and invalidating num-
Der Of indictments are recalled. The
Mcpherson Indictment in October, 1929,
was invalidated by the presence on the
jury of a Mrs. Marmion, widow of an
officer in one of the services. and an
indictment charging conspiracy
among a number of coal dealers to nix
the price of coal, returned March 8,
1921, had to be thrown out because
Government pensioner was on the jury.
When the taleSmen are summoned
into court to qualify on the grand jury
the clerk propounds the following IN
quirieS:
Does any lady ask to be excused on
the grounds of her sex?"
rs anybody in line under the age
of PIP"
rs anybody IS, or about to reach 65?"
Were you each born in the United
States?"
"Are you each citizen of the United
States and a resident of the Dlstrlct
of Columbian"
Have any of you served within a
wear as a juror in any court or any
Jury panel in the District OF Column
bia?"
do you read, write and understand
the English language?"
Moral Turpitude Question.
"Bave YOU ever been convicted Of a
crime or misdemeanor involving moral
turpitude?" ~.
us any one of you member OF ths
bar. a minister of the gospel, speclai
police officer, a practicing physician
Are you in charge OF nospitair
"Are you employed on a vessel plying
in District waters?
"Are YOU connected with the United
States or District Government In any
way? n,.t-,o,
National Guard?
as anv one of you q notary public?
"Haye YOU contracts OF any kind with
either TIE United States or DISTRICT
government?
Have you any war risk insurance,
or any form of the bonus in effect?
DO YOU rent a building to the Gov
eminent or from the Government?
do you own a drug store or other
buildings in which there Is post office
or stamp office?
do You belong to the oficers' Re-
serve?
Have you ever been in the Army.
Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, or any
Government department, United States
or District?
Pay or Pension Question.
do you get pay or pension of any
kind from either the United States or
District Government?
do you get any money in any way
from either the United States or Dis
trict Government?
Finally, do any Of you ask to be
excused for business or personal rea-
sons?"
THESE questions are propounded to
the prospective jurors, who are sup
posed to answer in the affirmative If
the question calls for that reply.
l79 Indictments Clouded.
Regardless OF how 1t happened, or
might have been prevented, total OF
I79 indictments, contained in three re-
ports, are now believed to have been
rendered potentially illegal by the dis
ocvery OF an ineligible member Of the
current grand jury.
Many defendants in the cases, who
entered pleas of guilty when arraigned.
have Already been sentenced and are
now serving jail terms.
One of the indictments named %
persons on charges Of conspiracy to
violate the national prohibition act,
and was returned in the first report OF
the grand jury July %. The ringleader
in this alleged conspiracy, according
to police, is Harry Zimberg. The de-
PENDANTS in the case. include two
women. More than 300 offenSes against
the dry law were cited.
The earliest overt act named in this
indictment occurred in December, 1890
and the liquor-la violations, which in
cluded the manufacture, possession and
sale of intoxicating beverages, covered
the period up to July Of this year, the
grand jury charged.
An indictment returned by this grand
jury in its August IL report charged
IL counts OF embeZzlement against Dave
Evans, former secretary-treasurer OF the
International Association of Operating
Engineers. The alleged entertainments
date back to September 20, 1929, and
involve total of $29, 184.10. Evans was
in Chicago at the time Of the indict-
ment, and a warrant was sworn out
for his arrest and removal to the Dis
trict.
HOrsewhipping Case.
Another indictment growing out Of
labor difficulties in this same union,
involving the horsewhipping of one of
the oficials of the body last March,
may also be contested. This indict-
ment charged Mrs. Ruth Stevens, her
husband, Robert E. Stevens; Robert
Ely William I. Green and Clarence B.
Rockenbaugh with assault IN connec-
ton with an attack on Charles E.
Haury, an official Of the International
Union of Operating Engineers, at Tenth
and K streets on March 81.
Five indictments charging seven per-
sons with first degree murder also were
returned by the July August-S September
term grand jury. These included in
dictment of William Owens, 10 years
old, a tugboat captain, who shot and
killed Elsie Louise Bryant, IA, at her
home, 456 M street southwest, July 6;
indictment of Bert Davis, World War
veteran, who killed Policeman Charles
D. Poole in a woods near Soldiers Home
August 4; Joseph Henry Diggs, colored,
doorman of the Wardman Park Hotel,
who shot and killed Capt. William F.
Norman on the steps of the hosiery
August IL; Lajoie Aaron Cooper, col
ored. who is under indictment for the
murder of Joseph Edwards, also colored
on June 80 at 2247 Twelfth place, and
one indictment naming William Clifton
Robinson, Charles Edwards washington
and Leonard A. Layton, all colored, for
the killing of Mamie Solomon. taxi