Evening star., 1932-03-16
POLICE SUSPENDED
IN ROBBERY AND
LIQUOR CHARGES
One Held for Investigation
After Taxi Driver Is Threat
ened With Gun.
ANOTHER PUTS UP BOND
FOR ALLEGED POSSESSION
Radio Repair Car Alleged to Have
Been Used by Officer to
Deliver Whisky.

Two policemen were under suspension
today after fellow officers arrested one
for questioning In series of robberies
and trapped the other in an alleged
attempt to deliver a gallon of whisky in
the Police Departments radio repair
car.
The first, Pvt. Luther Edward Cline,
second precinct, was being held for in
vestigation at that station house. The
second, Pvt. Claude P. Cool, attached
to the headquarters garage as a radio
repair man, posted $500 bond on a
charge of illegal possession.
Cool, arraigned before Judge Isaac
R. Hit in Police Court today, pleaded
not guilty and demanded a jury trial.
Judge Hit fixed March 20 as the date
for trial and ordered a bond of $500
substituted for similar amount Of
cash collateral which had been posted
last night.
Cool was represented by Attorney
Harry Whelan, while Assistant District
Attorney David A. Hart represented the
Government.
Cline was arrested with his brother,
Silas, 81 with whom he lives at POPS
street. Police in radio scout car from
the ninth precinct overlook the taxicab
in which the two were riding at FIJI
teenth and H streets northeast following
a report that two men had displayed
guns near a restaurant at 800 H street
northeast early this morning.
Identified by Driver.
The brothers were identified at the
ninth precinct station by another taxi
cab driver. William T. Griffith, Cherry
dale, Va, as the men who drew guns
on him about 2 O'Clock this morning
and threatened to take him for ride"
before alighting from his cab in the
1000 block of D street northeast.
Clines commanding officer Capt.
Hugh H. Groves, said the brothers
would be held for questioning in series
of hold-ups staged recently by robbers
answering their general description.
Griffith told police the Cline brothers
hailed his cab at Twenty-first street
and Pennsylvania avenue. directing him
to the 1000 block Of D street northeast.
Nearing that address, he said, he heard
his fares" discussing whether to take
him for a ride"
Griffith said he saw both men were
armed and told them they would use
Door Judgment to hold me up" The
hacker said he explained he had no
money.
The pair, Griffith said, then alighted
and he pulled down the street way
to change a tire which was nearly fiat
While working on his cab, Griffith de-
clared, he saw the two men coming
toward him again and withdrew on foot
to the ninth precinct.
Griffith was at the precinct early this
morning when a telephone message
came in that two men had displayed
guns near the H street restaurant.
Pvts. w. D. Young and j. A. Davis were
sent to the scene in the radio scout car.
The officers were told at the restaur-
ant that the two men had proceeded
east on H street in taxicab, giving the
tag number of the vehicle. When the
officers overlook the cab, they said,
they found two loaded guns on the rear
seat after ordering the passengers to
alight.
Admit Owning Guns.
Lieut.. F. A. Varney, second precinct,
interviewed the prisoners, who admitted
ownership of the guns, Varney said, but
declined to make statements. Officer
Cline identified the service revolver
which the department had issued to
him. Varney said, and his younger
brother admitted ownership OF the sec
ond gun, a heavy-caliber revolver.
Officer Cline, who is 80, had been on
the force about six years. He was ON
sick leave at the time Of his arrest,
and only yesterday obtained his regu-
| lar two weeks pay check from the
department. The taxicab in which the
brothers were arrested was operated by
c. E. Pendleton, Mount Rainier, Nd.
Acting on information that q police
man was to deliver whisky in the 14o0
block Of Ninth street about 10 o'clock
last night, Sergt. Nelson o. Holmes
and three other vice squad detectives
| took up watch at vantage point
and waited some 80 minutes, they
said. before Pvt Cool drove up.
They placed Cool under arrest, the
officers reported, when he stepped from
one of the departments automobiles
with two half-gallon jars Of whisky.
Inspector L. l. H. Edwards, assistant
superintendent Of police, ordered Cool
suspended. Offered an opportunity by
Inspector Edwards to make statement
Cool said:
Il was only doing favor for q
friend
The suspended officer is 81 and lives
at 1913 Nichols avenue southeast.
Police today were investigating the
possibility that an order fer the alleged
whisky was telephoned in through the
switchboard at headquarters.