Evening star., 1935-04-09
Conclusions on Fifth Pre-.
cinct Police Inquiry Given
to Committee.
PRETTYMAN NAMED
CHAIRMAN OF GROUP
He and Two Others to Weigh
Situation and Report to
Commissioners.

Recommendations Tor the transfer
Of Police Capt. Joseph c. Morgan from
the fifth precinct, as we'll as criticism
Of Inspector Albert J. Headley for his
failure to follow up investigation of
complaints in the precinct, brought
out in testimony before the special
House Crime Investigating Commit
tee, are high lights Of report made
to the Commissioners today by Police
Inspector Thaddeus r. Bean.
Beans report was based on an in
tensive investigation of conditions in
the precinct which the Commissioners
ordered after testimony before the
Crime Committee Of reported "tip-
of" to a suspected gambling estab-
lishment in the fifth precinct.
The Commissioners referred the re.
port to q special committee Of three
District officials with instructions to
make a complete survey of facts in
the fifth precinct case as outlined In
Beans report as well as the record OF
the House Crime Committee.
Prettyman Is Chairman
Corporation Counsel E. Barrett
Prettyman was named chairman Of
the committee. Serving with him will
be Capt. Howard F. Clark, Assistant
Engineer Commissioner, and George
W. Offutt, chairman of the Alcohol
Beverage Control Board The commit
tee will make a report Of its findings
and recommendations directly to the
Commissioners.
This step was taken, according to
the Commissioners, because Bean was
one of the principals in the so-called
"gentlemen's agreement" between
Representative Blanton, Democrat, Of
Texas, and Police Supt. Ernest w.
Brown. Under this agreement Bean
was to be retired so Headley could be
elevated to the rank of an assistant
superintendent.
Since Bean had a personal interest
in that matter, and refused to retire.
it was decided the Commissioners
should not act In the fifth precinct
matter until IAN impartial" committee
had reviewed all facts and made spe-
cific recommendations.
Shaken Morale Hinted.
Unoficial reports over the past two
or three weeks have been TO the effect
that Capt. Morgan would be given a
transfer. There have been stories of
shaken morale among the fifth pre-
cinct staff ever since charges first were
made that the operator of an estab-
lishment in the 100 block of 3 street
southeast had been tipped of that a
gambling raid was to be made.
When officers made the raid they
found no one present. Later, another
raid was made and charges preferred.
The alleged tiff-off twice was the
subject Of inquiry by members Of the
House Crime Committee, who took
testimony from Capt. Morgan, In
spector Headley, Watson Salkeld, fifth
precinct detective who raided the es-
tablishment the first time and failed
to find any evidence, and Hugh Fred.
proprietor OF tea tavern at lis B
street southeast, who, according to
Capt. Morgan, had said he had been
advised Of the raid in advance.
Bean Named to Get Facts.
Thereafter, Commissioner Hazen
personally assumed charge Of a Police
Department investigation and desig-
mated Inspector Bean to gather the
facts instead of Inspector Headley, in
whose district the fifth precinct is To-
Gated. Bean was selected, it was said
| at the time, because of Inspector
Headley's involvement in the Blanton-
Brown correspondence over the con-
templated promotion Of Inspector
Headley.
Commissioner HAGEN did not make
the text of Inspector Beans report
public, since the matter is to be sub
mitted to the new District investi-
cation group.
He did say. however, that Inspector
Bean had not found any evidence of
tip-off In the raid. This recalled
that the House Crime Committee.
after twice questioning the interested
group of police officers, had failed
to determine definitely who was re-
sponsible for the warning to the
gamblers.
Transcript May Be Used.
Apparently the Prettyman Commit
lcc Will IIldkc use VI LLc ILdIISCIlpL
of the testimony before the House
Crime Committee rather than to await
the final official report and recon-
mendations of that group. Commits
sioner Hazen, in his brief statement
this morning, did not make any spe-
cific announcement on this point.
however.
In his explanation Of the first raid,
Capt Morgan practically accused
Salkeld, stating to the House Crime
Committee that that officer was the
only one, excepting himself. who knew
about the planned raid In making Q
denial Of any wrong doing, Salkeld
retorted that Capt. Morgan knew as
much of the case as he did.
Capt. Morgan insisted he had had
several conferences with Salkeld be-
fore the raid-once between and 10
am. and another between IL and IL
O'Clock. Salkeld insisted Capt. Nor
gan had not discussed the raid plans
with him until about 1 pm. and that
he had carried them out almost i'm.