Evening star., 1936-09-24
GARNETTPLEDGES
UNLIMITED" HELP
IN POLICE PROBES
Halls REORGANIZATION" Plan.
Brown Seeks Aid in
'Typist Death Case.
U. S. ATTORNEY SEEKS
LOAN OF INVESTIGATOR
Would Have Trained Officer As
signed to Office-Cites Former
Practice.

An unlimited exchange OF assistance
between the United States attorney S
Office and the Police Department, in
the interest of more effective law en-
forcement in the District of Columbia,
is assured by the response, made pub
lie today, of United States Attorney
Leslie c. Garnett to Coordination
proposal made by Maj. Ernest w.
Brown, police superintendent.
Agreeing with Maj Brown that as
signment of an assistant United States
attorney to work with police in major
Investigations is desirable, and point
ing out that such aid has been given
in the past, Garnett countered with a
request that the police head assign a
trained investigator to the United
States attorneys Office.
Brown said today he would accede
to Garnett's request.
At the same time he disclosed he
would ask Garnett for the immediate
assignment Of an assistant United
States attorney to collabcrate with de-
tectives investigating the murder of
Mrs. Florence D. Goodwin, Sixteenth
street rooming house keeper.
To Write to Garnet.
81 believe such mutual exchange
Of aid will be of great benefit in CO.
ordinating the work of the police and
prosecutors" Maj. Brown declared.
He said he would write to Garnett
today.
Garnett's letter, in part, follows:
II assure you that not only one
assistant United States attorney, but
as many assistants as may be neces-
sary, will be available to the Police
Department at all times in the investi-
cation and development of evidence in
homicide cases, just as they have been
20 available certainly since have been
United States attorney, and the record
of the Police Department in solving
homicide cases, and Of the Police De-
partment and the United States at
torney's Office in presenting to the jury
evidence in these cases is clear proof
that the system has worked well.
"As an example that this Office has
been ready at all times to assist the
police in the investigation of all homi-
eide cases, need only recall to you
the activity Of the United States at
torney's Office in aiding in the investi-
cation and solving of the Wilson muir
der case, although this murder oc-
CURED in Maryland. In this case !
think Lieuts. Fowler and Truscott and
Sergt. Hartman will agree that the
assistance Of an assistant United
States attorney first uncovered and
gave them the lead by which the muir
der was finally solved.
Not only did an assistant United
States attorney accompany these OFF,
GERS to New Jersey and Maryland, aid
ing and assisting them in the investi-
cation, but when efforts on the part of
these officers and the assistant United
States attorneys had been unavailing
in one important phase of the in
vestigation, the United States attorney
accompanied these officers to Balti-
more and accomplished the objects
which officers felt were essential to the
development Of the case; and I feel I
am justified in saying that have been
assured by the very competent officers
who did such splendid work in
solving this murder that the result
could not have been accomplished but
for our full cooperation.
'"This Is but one of many cases in
which assistant United States attor-
neys have co-operated fully with the
police in the investigation Of homicide
and other cases, and We still stand
ready to thus cooperate in all cases.
my reaction, therefore, to the sug-
gestion that one assistant be assigned
to investigate all homicide cases Is
that it circumscribes and limits the
assistance which can be rendered by
my assistants at any tirne that you
may request.
Tells of Previous Practice.
''In this connection, however, want
TO invite your attention to the fact
that when Judge Gordon was United
States Attorney there were assigned
to his Office for investigation purposes
IN homicide and other cases, two Of
the ace men of the police force, who
afterwards rose to high rank in the
Police Department, namely, Maj. Pratt
and Insp. Grant. When Mr.. Rover
was United States Attorney there were
assigned to this Office Sergts. Hart
man and Britton for investigating
purposes, and Sergt. Weber, who had
been in the Office for 80 years IN charge
of the grand jury room, and Pvt. Allan
b. Baker.
When I was made United States
Attorney Sergts. Hartman end Weber
were still assigned to this Office, as
was Pvt. Baker. Since that time Sergt
Hartman has been transferred by you
because of your assurance that you
had insufficient force for other police
work. Sergt. Weber has died, and only
Pvt. Baker Is now assigned to this Of
flee. I have requested both you and
Commissioner Hazen for the assign
ment of additional trained officers to
do investigating work under the d.
rection of this Office, but thus far have
been unable to persuade you to give
us this necessary aid, although the
number Of prosecutions here has
greatly increased during my term of
ofiice.
"In the interest, therefore, Of the
proper investigation Of all crimes in
the District, I would again request
that at least one trained investigation
be assigned to this Office Of work un-
der the direction of the United States
Attorney and his assistants in the in
vestigation and development of evil
dence in all criminal cases."
Rows Around Isle of Wight.
q. L. Jaye and r. r. Austin, men,