Evening star., 1935-03-27

In the meantime Inspector Thad-
deus r. Bean formally began the in
vestigation of the fifth precinct Or
dered by the District Commissioners
on recommendation of Police Supt.
Ernest w. Brown.
Inspector Bean sent to all officers
attached to the precinct question:
naire which they will be required to
all out and return to headquarters. In
addition, he plans to interview per-
sonally each member of the precinct.
The questions the officers will be
called on to answer cover. it was said,
every conceivable phase of police work
and are designed to show whether
there had been any instances of ineffi-
cheney other than the failure to in
vestigate a reported "tip-off" to a
gambling raid.
James G. Yaden, president of the
Federation Of Citizens Associations;
Mrs. Harvey w. Wiley, president of
the General Federation of Women s
Clubs; Mrs. Horace J. Phelps, chair
man of the federations Legislative
Committee, and Robert Doyle of the
Junior Board of Commerce. son of
the late Police Capt. Robert E. Doyle,
were witnesses at the first public ses-
sion Of the probe last night.
Prosecution Delay Hit.
Yaden described delay in prosecu-
ton by the United States attorneys
ONCE as ''one of the greatest draw
backs to law enforcement and OBJ
servance," and declared the present
parole system is absolutely rotten"
The Parole Board is too free in
granting paroles" he said. THE board
has no personnel to make investiga-
tions before or after parole, and the
Districts minimum sentence law is
too low. It should be raised at least
to the requirements of the Federal
law
Attorneys and those who are not
attorneys know full we'll that long de-
lays in prosecutions often result in
witnesses dying or moving away,
thereby causing great harm to the
prosecution. If there could be speedy
trials in the District it would act as
O deterrent of crime"
Specifically, Yaden urged strength
ening Of the gambling laws, decen-
tralization Of the Traffic Bureau, i'm
provement of traffic conditions, an
increase in the personnel of the Po-
lice Department Women's Bureau,
improvement in the civil service sys-
TEN for promotion of policemen, re-
formation of the system of selecting
juries, and permission to allow Gov
eminent employees to serve on juries.
Garnett Criticized.
Mrs. Wiley also decried the delay in
prosecutions and criticized United
States Attorney Leslie c. Garnett for
his failure to follow precedent of Is
years and appoint a woman assistant.
In addition, she said there should be
an increase in the police force and
the law governing service of women
on juries should be changed to make
duty more compulsory" for women.
Doyle recommended an amendment
of the police regulations to prohibit
outside interference in promotion of
officers. He said such an amendment
would prevent recurrence of the So
called 'gentlemen's agreement to
force the retirement of Inspector
Bean so Inspector Albert j. Headley
could be promoted to an assistant su-
perintendent.
TWO unsuccessful efforts were made
by the committee yesterday to solve
the mystery surrounding the reported
"tip-oh OF an impending raid on a
suspected gambling house at 113 z
street southeast.
Hugh. w. Fred, proprietor of the
Ugly. Duckling tea room at lis T
street southeast, who had been re.
garded as the key" witness in tn.
case, was called to the witness stane
twice-once in the morning and agar
IN the afternoon-but each time failed
to give the committee any clue.
For q half an hour in the mornins
Fred was grilled about the case. Tht
afternoon examination. however, LASTED
only five minutes, and the committe,
excused him when 1t appeared obviou.
that he could not shed any light or
the mystery.
Answers Morgan Story.
Capt. Joseph c. Morgan of the fiftr
precinct in which the suspected
gambling house was located. hat
testified that Fred had told him ht
had been tipped of" to the raid foul
hours in advance. Fred. however
during both appearances on the wit
ness stand insisted Capt. Morgan hac
been incorrect about certain details
that the information came to him
from Q voice in the air." He knew
not whose voice it was, nor did he
take the trouble to find out, he said
Fred was the first witness sum-
noned by the committee on subpoena
Each time he appeared he insisted he
did not know who had been his in