Evening star., 1933-07-30
Rouse Suspended on Charge
of Giving Away Pistol Used
in Gang Fight.
THREE PERSONS SAID
TO HAVE HAD WEAPON
Tapponier, One Of Two Wounded,
Says It Was Handed Him
When Battle Began.

Accused Of giving away a gun which
later figured in the gang fight in which
two men were wounded at Nineteenth
and K streets early Friday, Precinct De-
tective Clyde o. Rouse was suspended
from the Police Department last night
by Inspector Frank S. w. Burke, chief
of detectives.
The .32-caliber pistol cited in the
charges is said to be the one used in
the gun battle by Lewis Tapponier, 26,
OF the 400 block of H street, who was
shot In the legs during the fight. It
was found about a block from the
scene
Tracing the gun through its numbers,
detectives discovered it had been con-
hscated by Detective Sergt. Charles E.
Warfield Of the clothing squad when he
arrested colored man several months
ago.
A Travelling Pistol.
When questioned as to how he OBJ
tained the pistol. Tapponier said it was
handed to him by Barney Munitz, 19,
OF the 300 block Four One Half
street southwest, when the fighting
started. Munitz, who is one of dozen
men arrested for investigation in con-
nection with the fracas, in turn said he
had been given the weapon by Louis
Levin, 10, of the 2800 block of Thirty.
third street southeast
Levin, arrested shortly after the fight
when he accompanied the wounded
Tapporier to Garfield Hospital, stated
he had been given the gun by Rouse
few months ago. He said the revolver
was not in working order when he re-
ceived it, and that it was left lying
around his house until Munitz took It
and had it fixed.
On Clothing Squad.
Rouse is rated as q precinct detec-
tive, but is assigned to the clothing
squad. He denied the charges when
Inspector Burke questioned him last
night. He will remain under suspen-
sion pending further investigation and
possible disciplinary action in the case.
In 1929, while on duty as an elev-
enth precinct patrolman, Rouse shot
and killed Ottmer H. Fleming, 81.
while chasing smoke-screen equipped
liquor car. He was suspended from
duty on April "a. the day of the shoot
ing. but was restored to duty by the
District Commissioners on May 10.
after the grand Jury refused to act on
charges against him.
Busily Tracing Gun.
Since the K street shooting affray in
which at least 10 men were known to
have participated, detectives from the
third precinct and headquarters have
been attempting to determine whether
the gun supposedly traced to Rouse was
the one with which John Billy Mitch
ell, %, Of the 1900 block K street,
was shot. Mitchell is in Emergency
Hospital with wounds in the back and
chest. His condition still is serious.
In addition to four men arrested i'm
mediately after the fight, more than
a dozen others have been taken into
custody for investigation. Some of
them since have been released when
they were able to account for their
activities Thursday night and Friday
morning
Police believe the battle was the
climax of a dispute over woman and
difficulties over the local liquor busi-
ness. They have announced every
known member of the two factions In
volved will be brought in for grilling.
A man and two women who are re-
garded as important factors in the
case have not yet been located.