Evening star., 1934-03-29
District Attorneys Office
Said to Consider Present.
ing Cases Again.
COOPER is REINDICTED
IN u. S. SAVINGS CASE
Bank Hold.up Suspect and Church
Assailant Also Face
Trial.

Der of important indictments were re-
turned. however. including new true
bill against Col. Wade H. CooLer,
former bank president.
Among the other persons indicted
were Stewart Mason Keyser, ~ ac-
cused of having short weighted needy
persons presenting emergency relief
orders at his grocery; Louis Levin.
charged with housebreaking and as
sault with intent to kill in an at
tempted hold-up at the Connecticut
avenue branch of the Washington
Mechanics Savings Bank in October
1882, and William Foster, 35, colored.
who broke up Palm Sunday services
in q church in the 140o block OF b
street southeast by shooting at his
wife. Viola, 28
Although United States Attorney
Leslie c. Garnett had no comment to
make on the action of the jury in the
gambling cases, it was understood his
Office did not favor presenting the
cases again Other officials. who were
in actual charge OF the matter, how
ever indicated they thought the mat
ter should be laid before a new jury.
In view of the fact number OF I'M
portant witnesses were not given an
opportunity to testify.
Hopes for Better Jury"
One attache of the district attor-
news office said he hoped the case
would be presented to better grand
jury"
In dismissing the present grand
Jury, which concluded its term today.
however, Justice Peyton Gordon said.
"You ladies and gentlemen have
performed a great civic duty, and l
wish to thank you for your services.
You have worked long and hard and
have accomplished as much as any
grand jury in the past.
Two of the cases ignored by the
fury resulted from raids last month
at l4o7 and 1909 G street. The raids
were made on observation" warrants
and a large quantity of gambling
equipment was confiscated, but no
witness was available who would
testify that he had actually made a
bet in either place.
More than 100 witnesses were ar
rested by police in these raids and
kept waiting for two days outside the
grand jury room until given a chance
to testify. Garnett insisted all Of
these witnesses 60 before the grand
Jury. The police in charge of the
raid also said slot machines and other
equipment in one of the places were
dumped down a concealed stairway.
but were subsequently recovered and
available as evidence.
ExOnerated Men Named.
Those exonerated by the grand jury
In these cases are:
Edward Joseph Goldberg William
Clark Byrne Mack Nicholas Hand
racks Leo Ignatius WalIach. John
PapapotiS, Frank Wilford Hicks, John
Moore, Hugh Francis Gallagher and
Robert Joseph Forbes.
The grand jurys decision tc ignore
the cases was made although mo-
ton to suppress the evidence seized
is still pending in the Police Court
Victor Juliano and Charles Perkins
Stockstill had been accused in the
other gambling case ignored, They
were apprehended in raid in the
900 block of Ninth street. The jury
however indicted two men in this
case last week.
Col. Cooper, former president of the
Commercial National Bank, was in
dicted for the third time. The in
dictment accused nim of misapplying
approximately $4,000 of the bank S
funds in dealings with Continental
Trust Co., with which he formerly
was connected. One of the previous
indictments was nolle pressed and the
other thrown out when Justice Cor
Con sustained demurrer against it.
Referring to the new indictment,
Col Cooper said:
"They started out charging whole
sale murder; then reduced it to man
slaughter; then reduced it to simple
assault. Perhaps it will finally get
down to a mere traffic violation. There
is not scintialla of evidence to sup
port any of the charges"
Bates Warren. former general coun-
sci for the bank, was named with
Cooper in the first two indictments.
The grand jury later exonerated him,
expressing its belief that he was in
nocent of wrongdoing.
Groceryman Accused.
Keyser, accused of short-weighting
needy persons, is alleged to have given
four half-pound packages of cheese
to a customer who presented requisi-
tions for four pounds. 1t is alleged
the weight designations had been
torn off the packages.
Alfred H. Smith, Victor Juliano and
John Schley were indicted on charges
of assaulting a deputy U. S. marshall.
Herbert C. Akers, colored deputy,
charged he was beaten by them when
he attempted to recover an automo-
bile in the possession of Juliano's
father, although he had a court order
to repossess the car.
Robert Jefferies, colored, who Is al
legged to have shot and killed William
Montgomery, also colored, during a
dice game in the 600 block of M
street southeast last January, was
charged with first-degree murder. An
other first-degree murder indictment
was returned against Robert F. Mid
dleton. colored. who is alleged to have
fatally beaten Clementine Crew, and
Lulu johnson both colored, last Feb
ruary. in the 1900 block OF Wylie
court northeast.
Levin, accused OF a futile attempt
to hold up the Washington Mechanics
Savings Bank branch, and another
were charged with entering the bank
with drawn pistols. They were met
however, with tear gas released by
a teller, and are accused OF firing
one shot in making their escape
Levin was identified by witness, who
allegedly saw him leave the insti-
tuition
Foster was charged with shooting
ct his wife as she sang in the choir