Evening star., 1935-11-02
COUNTER-CHARGES
HINT FIREWORKS IN
QEHMANN HEARING
i|0ram and WhitehurSt Due
TO Take Stand Monday in
j / Misfeasance Trial.
BUILDER, REALTY AGENT
g., OFFER CONTRADICTIONS
Defense Shifts Responsibility in
Two Matters to Inspection
Head and Sultan.

Intrusion of contradictions and
counter charges into the late after
noon and night sessions of the hear
Ing yesterday brought some promise
Of verbal fireworks on Monday when
defense of District Building Inspec-
tor John w. Oehmann against nine
accusations of misfeasance of his Of
fee will continue At that time. 1t
Is expected that Capt. Hugh P. Dram.
director of inspection, and Capt. H.
c.. Whitehurst, director OF highways,
will take the stand.
First reference, direct or otherwise,
to the counter-charge of Defense At
torney w. Gwynn Gardiner that
Col. Oehmann is being made the VIC
tim of a conspiracy of Army officers,
since Gardiner had made the charge
In his opening address, came yester-
day as the defendant assailed the re-
duction of personnel in his office In
order to make room for highly paid
officials.
Later Col Oehmann placed respon-
sibility for the action specified in one
of the charges against him upon the
shoulders of one Of these same offl-
cials, namely Capt. Dram.
: Responsibility Shifted.
p" In similar manner. the defense also
shifted some responsibility in another
case to Engineer Commissioner Daniel
I. Sultan, who gave written approval
to action of the building inspectors
Office in the instance specified.
The principal contradictory testi-
mony of yesterdays sessions was that
Of Robert Goodman, builder, and
Robert w. Savage, real estate agent.
It was Goodman's appointment to a
board Of survey on building at 2145
street that brought the charge that
Oehmann had named an interested
person for such duty.
Goodman first testified he did not
know Savage and that he had never
had any dealings with him about re-
pairing or razing the property. Saw
age testified Goodman had talked to
him several times, but that he (Sav-
age) had dismissed him as contractor
for the job. Savage then said he
had protested Goodman's service on
a board of survey for the property.
Goodman is to be requested to return
to the stand on Monday.
Admits Inspecting Property.
fa connection with this same prop
erty, Col. Oehmann admitted that he
and Goodman had inspected it and
condemned it, but that later Joseph
H. Wright had replaced Goodman
on the two-man board and that
further consideration led to a ruling
that the property might be repaired.
The approval of Commissioner Sui
tan on this case was submitted
through a letter he had written to
Representative w. D. Schultz, Demo-
crat, of Indiana, who had received a
complaint and had made inquiry at
the District Building Commissioner
Sultan's letter said that each step
was taken in conformity with exist
ing law and regulations"
Col. Oehmann's outburst against
reduction of his staff came when
H. Winship Wheatley, hearing the
case with Commissioner George E.
Allen, had asked about a five months
lapse in serving notice for erection OF
q fire escape.
Five-Year Lag Seen.
We'll be five years behind if they
don't give us bigger staff" the
colonel declared. 1.-THE force was built
up in 1882 to where we could do our
work, since then it has been cut so
per cent to make way fof high sal
aried men"
Capt. Dram was added about that
time at a salary above Col. Och
mann's and was named director of
inspection.
It was in connection with a charge
Of violating coming regulation in
issuance of repair permit for prop
erty at 3050 N street that Oehmann
shifted the responsibility to Capt.
Dram, the defendant testifying that
the action had been approved by
Capt. Dram.