Evening star., 1935-03-15
BLANTON DENIES
POLICE PLOT ROLE
Probe in Uproar as Texan
ReSents Being Called "JuSt
Another Witness"
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Continued From First Page)
the House engrossed in conversation.
The nature of the conference was not
revealed.
Blanton failed to complete his state
n1ent to the committee because OF a
roll call in the House, which caused
an abrupt adjournment of the hearing
until this afternoon.
Blanton First Witness.
Blanton was the first witness. He
refused as in previous instance TO
testify with photographers present.
AS a result the cameramen were Or
dered from the committee room.
Although the committee previously
adopted a rule forbidding any one in
the committee room during a hearing
except the witness and newspaper
men, Mrs. Louise King Marx, Blan-
tons secretary; Maj Brown and In
spector Headley were permitted to
remain at the insistance OF the Texan.
John R. Fitzpatrick, committee
counsel. called Blanton'S attention to
the rule as soon as he took the wit
ness stand.
This matter affects me in my own
rights" Blanton declared, and
want them present. I want these
men to hear what I say. I want
things open and above board. That's
the kind of man I am"
At the very outset of his testimony,
Blanton told the committee why he
was interested in the Washington
Police Department.
when l came to Washington 18
years ago. he said, the basic salary
of members of the Police Department
was ST 400 year-a wage on which
members of the force could not live.
and my colleagues went to work and
got a bill through Congress making
the basic salary $1,000 a year with
an increase of 500 annually for three
years which gave members of the de-
years service.
Day OFF Provided.
During my investigation Of the
salary situation learned that police
and firemen had to buy their own
uniforms. I introduced a bill to fur
nish free uniforms which was passed.
Il also found out that police and
firemen did not have day of.
thought that was outrageous. I in
troduced d bill to give them a day
off each week. That passed and
since then they have had day off.
II was a member of the Gibson
Investigating Committee of the House
some years ago. Mr.. Gibson at that
time was a member Of the House.
Now he is q United States Senator.
THAT committee went into various
phases of crime in Washington as
well as the problems of both the
metropolitan and park police forces.
The man who gave that committee
the greatest service-a man who we
could rely on for information-was
Inspector Headley. He then was a
captain.
capt. Headley was as honest as
Paul, fearless as lion, and perfect
gentlemen at all times He had splen-
did poise, perfect judgment and was
fair and square with the committee
as he was with everybody else.
Capt. Headely was then in charge
of traffic. He tried to force the wife
of a police commissioner to move her
car She requested the commissioner
to reprimand him. The order to him
read something like this: Capt. Head
ley you are reprimanded for doing
your duty
Endorsed Headley.
But shortly afterward Capt. Head
lev was denoted 1t was an out
rageous affair and so unjust. AS a
result I introduced a bill to restore
Capt Headley and to give him his
back pay. I had no interest in Capt.
Headley other than to give him a
square deal. I became his close friend
after that.
when the question came up some
time ago about the appointment of an
assistant superintendent 1 Endorsed
Capt Headley. My Endorsement is just
like the Endorsement of any other
Congressman.
II indorsed him for whatever it was
worth.
Some of Inspector Beans friends
came to me Immediately and asked me
to help them with Bean. Maj. Brown
was one of them"
Blanton stated that friends OF Bean
had come to him and asked that he
withdraw my Endorsement of Head
ley"
They told me Bean could not stay
in Washington another Winter and
that he wanted the post so he could
get the benefit of advanced salary
for life.
Il said yes, I'll go along
Here Blanton was interrupted and
asked by a member of the committee
if it was necessary for police Off
Ger TO have Blanton's congressional
Endorsement. He replied no" and
cited cases where Congressman in
dorsed persons for various jobs why
only yesterday" he said, "the United
States Senate appointed one of my
very dear friends as postmaster,
after had indorsed him"
''In other words" Representative
Schultz of Indiana said, your politi-
cal power and prestige goes even into
the Senate. Is that it?"
Blanton replied no.
In showing how Inspector Headley
agreed to step aside and let Bean