Evening star., 1932-03-14
PITTS MAY APPEAR
BEFORE JURY AS
FEDERAL WITNESS
InquisitoriaI Body Expects to
Hear Former F. H. Smith
Co. Head Tomorrow.
SPURIOUS DOCUMENT
CHARGES TO BE AIRED
Frank G. Raichle, Prominent New
York Attorney, Enters Case
Upon Invitation.

G Bryan Pitts, his long fight to es-
cape the penitentiary over. is expected
to appear before the District grand jury
tomorrow In the role of a Government
witness.
The former head Of the r. H. Smith
Co., it Is believed, will give testimony
in the Governments charges that GER
tain documents introduced at his trial
on iracy-embezzlement charges
were spurious and prepared in Florida
on the eve of the trial. Claiming that
these documents were fraudulent the
Department of Justice recently insti-
tuted contempt Of court proceedings
against Pitts and secured a conviction.
Frank G. Raichle, prominent New
York attorney, said today he, too would
appear before the grand jury tomorrow
in connection with this case. 1t is un-
derstood Mr.. Raichle was invited to
appear before the inquisitorial body, no
subpoena having been issued for him
as witness.
local Office of William j. Donovan, for
mer Assistant Attorney General, MI.
Raichle declined to discuss the case
beyond stating that he would appear be-
fore the grand jury. Mr.. Raichle, as q
law associate OF Mr.. Donovan, has tried
numerous important cases in New York
He was associated with Wilton j.
Lambert as counsel at Pitts trial here
in December 1880, on charges of con-
spring to embezzle funds from the
Smith company.
Instructed to Produce Pitts.
Capt. M. M. Barnard, superintendent
OF Lorton Reformatory. where Pitts
is serving his sentence, said he has
received instructions to bring Pitts here
to appear before the grand jury to-
morrow. Pitts was sent to Lorton o
few days ago from the District Jail
after he had abandoned an appeal from
his conviction on the conspiracy EN-
bezzlement charges.
Prior to the abandonment of his ap-
peal, Pitts had waged a bitter legal
fight against the Government in an
effort to escape penitentiary sentences
on the charges against him. Conse-
quently his appearance as a witness
for the prosecution tomorrow will pre-
sent him in novel role.
Pitts continued to fight the indict-
ments against him and assert his in
nocence even after he had been aban-
doned by his former associates, John
H. Edwards, jr.. and c. Elbert Anan-
dale, who stood trial with him, and
Samuel J. Henry. who was indicted
with the others, but secured a sever
ance and testified for the Government
at the trial.
At the trial of the conspiracy EN-
bezzlement charges Pitts relied pri-
marily on certain authorizations which
he claimed proved he was entitled to
receive money the Government said he
had embeZzled.
Three Are Convicted.
Despite this evidence however, Pitts,
Edwards and Anadale were convicted.
and an examination of these documents
was instituted at once by the Govern
ment's prosecutors, Assistant Attorney
General Nugent Dodds and Neil Burkin-
shaw special assistant.
This exhaustive investigation, extend
ing over period Of some IA months,
has resulted in one perjury indictment.
the contempt of court proceeding
against Pitts and the preparation of the
case which will be laid before the grand
jury tomorrow.
Edwards has already testified that the
documents were fraudulent and that he
took part in their preparation. Anadale
appeared ct the contempt proceedings
as witness for the Government, but
said he had no knowledge of the facts
concerning the authorization.
Statement Believed Made.
The fact that Pitts has been called
as a Government witness has given
rise TO the belief he has made some
statement to the Department of Jus
tice concerning the validity and cir
cumstances under which these docu-
ments were prepared. 1t could not be
learned, however, whether his testi-
| mony tomorrow will involve any one
not already facing charges in connec-
ton with this matter.
Pitts Is already under indictment
for perjury in connection with the in
production OF the authorization, but
this charge may not be pressed be-
on which he was convicted and SEN
fenced to serve year and day in
the penitentiary, was based on virtu-
ally the same set of facts.
An indictment charging them with
aiding in the commission Of perjury is
still pending against Emory L. Coblentz,
Frederick, Md, banker; Miss Helen
Schneider, Pitts secretary; Henry Hart,
an accountant who testified for Pitts at
his trial. and Edwards. Coblentz has
admitted he signed a number of the
authorizations on one occasion with dif-
ferent pens and different colored inks.
1t IS expected that number Of other
persons in addition to Pitts and Raichle
will appear before the grand jury to-
morrow 1t Is not known, however, just