Evening star., 1935-02-19
GARNETT VOICES
FAITH IN PROBE
OF POLICE COURT
Tells Committee That U. S.
viii Uncover "Some
Trouble" There.
ATTORNEY is GRILLED
BY FORMER ASSISTANT
Shows Displeasure at Questioning
by Demanding Committee
Explain Purpose.

Reported Irregularities at Police
Court will be cleared up as a result
Of a Department of Justice investiga-
ton now nearing completion, United
States Attorney Leslie C. Garnett to-
day assured the special Crime Investi-
eating Committee of the House.
Garnett said the inquiry at the
court resulted from reports that bonds
and cash paid in fines had mysteriouly
disappeared. Reluctantly. however, he
answered questions about the situation
while the Justice Department investi-
CATION is under way.
Garnett had just finished telling the
committee how he had broken up a
racket" between bondsmen and
lawyers at the District Supreme Court
when he was asked about the Situa-
ton at Police Court.
Believes Trouble Exists.
81 think there is some trouble
there" he said. 1T is now under in
vestigation by the Department of
Justice and feel the disclosures will
clear up the situation
II knew of a case where five bonds
disappeared and a case where missing
bonds reappeared. 1t also was found
that there were numerous showings on
paper where fines were paid, but there
was no record Of the money"
Garnett. recalled to the witness
stand after one day of a relentless
examination by his former assistant,
John r. Fitzpatrick, now the Crime
Committee counsel, appeared to be in
q belligerant mood.
Demands Explanation.
what is the purpose of this COM
nnittee?" he inquired, after Fitzpat-
rick had asked him to name the
criminal cases in which he had taken
an active part since his appointment
in January, 1884.
"Is this an investigation Of the eff
cheney of the district attorneys Office,
or an investigation of crime condi-
tions?"
Representative Randolph, Demo-
crat, of West Virginia, chairman of
the committee, replied: --~
The committee is asking the ques-
tions which it feels will aid in the en-
forcement of law and with view to
recommending remedial legislation.
There should be no hesitancy on the
part of any official of the District to
give this committee information
There is no hesitancy," remarked
Garnett.
Quizzed on Fitzpatrick.
Later, Garnett hesitatingly replied
to questions about the reason Fitz-
patrick resigned as his assistant sew
eral months ago. He said he did
not believe that information was of
any real value to the committee.
Fitzpatrick himself led to the ques-
. tion by asking Garnett if there had
been any complaints against his as
siStantS.
Now and then there is a. COM
plant from some litigant who thinks
he is badly treated Garrett de-.
clared. But pay little attention to
those complaints"
How about the courtsP" he was
asked.
$50 far as the courts are con-
cerned," he replied, "the only COM
plant was made against Fitzpatrick
by Judge Proctor. He called me into
open court and at the bench COM
planned about Fitzpatrick's attitude
toward the court. Evidently both were
peeved at each other"
Says InsOlence Charged.
Pressed for the nature of Justice
Proctor's complaint, Garnett declared:
Judge Proctor's complaint was that
Fitzpatrick was impudent and inso-
lent"
After Garnett had shown by his
records that in the last fiscal year,
of the l,244 cases initiated, 1,166 were
terminated, with 166 verdicts of
guilty, 755 pleas of guilty, 40 acquit-
tails, and 1872 nolles, Fitzpatrick said:
You have nolled more cases than
you have won by trial"
Garnett replied that Fitzpatrick
had been a member of his staff last
year and knew that fewer cases had
been nolle pressed in that period than
in recent years.
Quizzed on Police Court.
Fitzpatrick later questioned Gar
nett about the number of warrants
issued by his assistants at Police
Court. Garnett said he did not know
the court at ALL" or its method of
doing business. He explained he had
visited the Office of his assistants
there only once since he was ap-
pointed United States attorney.
Questioned about the bonding sit
uation, Garnett said when he took
office there was "a great scandal" and
he instituted new system which had
corrected that condition.
Garnett also was questioned about
the indeterminate sentence law and
he described it as wholly imprac-
tical." mo one" he declared, knows
what it means"
Quizzed on Bank Cases.
The questioning of Garnett then
switched to the long-pending bank
and gambling cases. He explained
there are now 10 bank cases pending,
4 OF which are set for trial next week.
The delay in these cases, he explained,
has been due to the lack of trained
investigators to run down leads that
developed after indictment.
AS to the gambling cases, Garnett
said: IT don't want to draw any COM
parison-I think that Leo Rover (his
predecessor) was an efficient district
attorney-but the records disclose that
when I came into Office there hadn't
been an indictment In a gambling
case for a year and a half. But I
don't think that was the fault of Mr..
Rover"
Fitzpatrick Explains.
Fitzpatrick explained that gam
bling cases formerly were prosecuted
in Police Court on informations and
not on grand jury indictments.
Garnett. In response to questions.