Evening star., 1935-12-12
ATHLETE MYSTERY
AT HOEPPEL TRIAL
u. S. Seeks to Establish
Link in Case Against
Representative.

move the cloak of mystery as to what
connection George w. Trinasttch,
George washington University ath-
lete, may have with the case of Rep
resentative John Henry Hoeppel of
Hoeppel on trial in District Supreme
Court for an alleged conspiracy to
sell a West Point appointment
Trinastich was injected into the
case soon after the trial opened, but
the prosecution was prevented from
using him as a witness at that time
due to vigorous objection by the de-
fense. Again today. with Hoeppel
under cross-examination, the Gov
ernment was prevented from question
ing him about Trinastich.
James w. Ives, former Olympic
lacrosse star. who testified that the
younger Hoeppel, under the name of
"Charles Alexander" negotiated with
him for the purchase of a Military
Academy appointment for $1,000,
picked Trinastich from a crowd of
spectators in the court room Monday
and identified him as the man who
approached him recently and urged
him to drop the case against the
Hoeppels.
..-r Testimony Cut Short.
I oAfterWard TrinaStich was sub
poenaed as a Government witness,
but his testimony was cut short BY
the defense objection.
Near the close of the croSs-exami-
nation of Heeppel. Assistant United
States Attorney David A. Pine asked
him if he knew TrinaStich and he ad-
known as Trinastich.
The George washington University
athlete was then brought into the
court room with instructions not to
say anything Hoeppel looked at him
and identified him. He said he met
Trinastich in a root beer parlor on
Connecticut avenue some time this
year.
Returned to Witness Room.
A whispered conference at the
bench followed between Justice Daniel
w. ODonoghue and defense and prose-
was returned to the witness room and
the REORGANIZATION diverted to an
other subject.
.- The Government also was prevented
upon objection of defense counsel from
questioning Hoeppel about his service
in the Post Offlce Department as post
master at Arcadia, Calf, from 1928
to 1881.
Earlier, Hoeppel was subjected to a
severe grilling about details of his
trading Military and Naval Academy
appointments with former Repre-
sentative Burke of California.
Recalled to the witness stand for
REORGANIZATION, Hoeppel told how
he and Burke "swapped" appoint
ments, disclosing that in 1884 there
were seven exchanges Burke, he tes-
ttfied, signed three for him. He said
he believed he signed four for Burke.
.- Claims of Ives.
sOne of these appointments went to
Ives.
Pine also brought out that Hoeppel
sought to appear before the grand
Jury before his indictment, but the re-
quest was denied.
Young Hoeppel, according to de-
tense attorneys, will not take the
witness stand and indications are the
trial may end late today and the case
given to the jury.
80 HOeppel Testifies.
Hoeppel testified in his own defense
late yesterday and emphatically de-
MED the Governments charge.
Questioned for an hour by Brig.
Gen. Samuel T. Ansell, chief of de-
fense counsel, Hoeppel said he had
never discussed Ives appointment
with his son and had never received
any money or anything of value for
his support of the athlete. Hoeppel
also declared he had never received
any promises.
Tells Of Letter.
Hoeppel told of having received a
letter from Ives requesting the ap-
pointment, written on War Depart
ment stationery, which bore notation
from Col Raymond S. Bamberger, in
the adjutant generals office. The
notation said Brig Gen. Edgar T. Con-
ley was interested in Ives.
Col. Bamberger, Hoeppel testified,
had befriended him while he was an
enlisted man in the Army, and his
name on the letter made "a very
favorable influence" on him. He said
the mention of Gen. Conley's name in
fluenCed him likewise, because he
hoped to obtain some consideration"
from him.
lsHoeppel testified he made out Ives
nomination for the Military Academy
May 81, 1884, but saw Ives for the
first time June 5. He said the athlete
came into his Office and he greeted
him with, Il am glad to meet you"
-Hoeppel said Ives replied: Maybe
YOU won't be glad to meet me. I've
come to resign"