Evening star., 1933-09-16
WOMAN ATTORNEY,
2 MEN DENY GUILT
IN EXTORT|ON CASE
Miss Elsie A. Cannon and
Pair Arraigned on Charge
of Priest.
TRIO ACCUSED OF GETTING
$4,000 BY CONSPIRACY
Bond Placed at $4,000 Each.
Brinker Brothers Are Con-
tractors in District.

A woman attorney and two men, ar
rested late yesterday after an investi-
cation by the District Attorneys Office
on charges they had mulcted the Rev.
Charles O. RoSensteel of $4,000. were
arraigned before United States Com
missioner Needham C. Turnage this
morning and held under $4,000 bond
each.
Those arrested are Miss Elsie A.
Cannon. well known attorney, and
Richard J. Brinker. As, and Joseph K.
Brinker, 49, contractors. The two men
are brothers. Each pleaded not guilty
this morning to charge of conspiracy
to commit false pretenSes. Overt acts
alleged in the warrant were the OBJ
tanning of $4,000 on March l land
other sums from Father RoSenSteel by
falsely pretending facts that did not
in truth exist"
Bond to Be Posted.
Herbert S. Ward, attorney for Miss
Cannon, and Henry Thurtell, attorney
for the two brothers. announced their
clients would post the required bond.
Preliminary hearing of the case was
set by Commissioner Turnage for Oc-
tober 2. Ward had requested an i'm
medite hearing, but Assistant United
States Attorney John R. Fitzpatrick de-
sired the continuance.
The three accused were taken into
custody late yesterday outside the rec
tory of St. Johns Church, Forest Glen,
Md, where an assistant district attorney
and two detectives claim to have over
heard them demanding an additional
$4,000.
Face Conspiracy Charge.
Miss Cannon was held at the Wom-
ans Bureau, Richard Brinker at the
first precinct and Charles Brinker at
the fifth precinct. All were booked for
investigation, but United States Attor-
ney Leo A. Rover said they would be
false pretenses."
Mr.. Rover ordered an investigation Of
the case, he explained, after people
connected with the church" had COM
planned to him. The inquiry was con-
Quoted by John r. Fitzpatrick, one Of
his assistants, and Earl P. Hartman, a
detective sergeant assigned to the dis
trict attorneys Office.
The investigation disclosed, according
to Mr.. Rover, that the trio had been
eXtorting money from Rev. Charles O.
Rosensteel. pastor of the church, since
November, 1881.
Repaired Church Belfry.
Early in 1882. Mr. Rover said. Father
Rosensteel, a member of the priesthood
for 49 years. engaged the Drinkers,
operating as the Brinker Co. and main
tanning Offices in the National Press
Building, to repair the church belfry.
The cost of the work-consisting of
covering the belfry with asbestos, then
shingling and painting twas put at
81, 600 in an estimate obtained from
another contractor by Mr.. Rover.
Since completion of the work, the
United States attorney declared. the
Drinkers have been obtaining money
from Father Rosensteel at regular inter-
walls, threatening both to sue him and
to report him to Archbishop Curley for
failure to pay his debts.
Much of the money changed hands
in the District. thus bringing the case
under the jurisdiction of the local
courts, Mr.. Rover explained.
Overhear Conversation.
Fitzpatrick, Hartman and Sergt. Earl
Thomas of the Montgomery County
police secreted themselves in room ad-
joining Father Rosensteel's study yes
terday, after being Informed another
attempt would be made then to obtain
money from the priest.
The Drinkers were accompanied to
the rectory by Miss Cannon, and
the Investigators listened to the trio's
conversation with the priest. The ar
rests were made after the visitors left
the rectory and entered their automo-
bile. preparatory to returning to Wash
ington
Members of the Drinkers families did
not learn of the arrests until this morn
ing The elder Brirker is the father
of nine children.
Lived Here Several Years.
Miss Cannon, a native of Winchester,
Mass, has been in the Capital several
years. After obtaining her preliminary
education at Our Lady of Lourdes
Academy, Spalding, Nebr,; the Nebraska
State Teachers College, Peru, Nebr.,
and the Roanoke, Va, National Busi-
ness College, she worked in the legal
department of the Norfolk & Western
Railway, Roanoke.
She was the first woman reporter
engaged by the Department of Justice.
serving in the Western district OF Vlr-
ginia from 1925 to 1927. She relin-
quished that position to come to Wash
ington, becoming the first woman re-
porter in the employ of the Federal
Trade Commission. Later she became
commissioner for the Court of Claims.
Miss Cannon also studied at the Ma
tional University School of Law, obtain
ing the degree of bachelor of laws, mas
ter of laws and master of patent law In
1881. She is the only white woman
ever admitted to the Assiniboine In
dian Tribe, which gave her the name OF
"Han-Wis- win" or White Sun
Woman" after she had flown $50 miles
in a condemned airplane to abtain a
signature required to make valid the
tribes claim.
S. Johns Church is the oldest in this
part of the country, having been
founded in 1774 by Rev. John Carroll.