Evening star., 1936-11-05
IS LAID
TO COUNTY POLICE
Charge Gives New Angle to
Bonding Probe in Prince
Georges.

n WdSlllNSlOIlldQS S Charges OF pO-
lice brutality in Prince Georges
County. Nd, today gave a new angle
to the investigation of police bonding
Irregularities there.
Already opened by the recently re-
cesSed grand jury in Upper Marlboro,
the inquiry took the new turn when
the District resident told an attorney
how he was "blackjacked" by two
officers without justification"
Keystone Automobile Club officials
were preparing to study his charges
as possible additional evidence for
presentation to States Attorney Alan
Bowie, who has announced his inten-
ton vigorously to prosecute princi-
pals involved in the bargain fine"
racket.
Says He Was Black HACKED.
The victim declared that after his
arrest for intoxication the policemen,
en- route to the station house with
him, suddenly stopped the scout car
and slugged him with their black
jacks. Their action, he said, was
merely prompted by the Washlngto-
mans remarks approving" the cur
rent investigation. Following the
beating the victim was treated for
head lacerations prior to incarcera-
ton in jail cell.
Meanwhile. Keystone attorneys
planned to appear before the County
Board of Commissioners in Upper
Marlboro this afternoon for a formal
presentation of charges made by
Washington motorists in nearly 100
affidavits.
In a letter to the board, which has
refused to initiate an independent
investigation of the alleged graft.
the automobile club has stated:
Malfeasance Charged.
"Our investigation shows that GER
tain members of your county police
force are guilty of malfeasance and
misfeasance in office, guilty of &C
cepting bribes, fee splitting with GER
tain bondsmen, larceny after trust,
and the wholesale arrest of hundreds
OF motorists-arrests which obviously
and apparently were made for the
sole purpose of graft.
"As the result of collusion between
certain members of your county po-
lice and certain dishonest and un-
scrupulous justices of the peace. war
rants and commitment papers of ar
rested motorists have been altered,
or destroyed entirely. with the result
that the alleged fines assessed against
the motorists have never been paid
into the State treasury and have be-
come the lucrative booty of small
but vicious and corrupt ring of rack
eteers."
The letter points out that leach of
these charges is susceptible of physi-
cal, actual proof. in the form of
Cancelled checks, receipts, and your
own altered county police records,
and in each instance are supported
by sworn affidavit of the arrested
motorist."
Ask for New System.
The Keystone attorneys will ask |
the board to institute a systems Of |
consecutively numbered receipts to
be given to arrested persons by JUS
tices of the peace for collateral pay |
ments. They viii also stress the need
of q numbered, indexed file set-up
to prevent alteration of records.
According to Bowie. plans have been
started to use receipt books in Police
Court. Upon payment of fines. the
accused will receive receipts from the
court clerk, Bowie said.
A delegation from the Prince Georges
County Magistrates Association ap-
peared before the board last week to |
point out inadequacies Of the present |
record-keeping system. Proposals of
the magistrates were taken under ad-
visement.
Delegation Due.
Also scheduled to 60 before the board |
today Is at least one delegation Of |
county residents who will urge the |
to open an Independent |
inquiry into the charges, with the |
Of suspending suspected |
officers pending completion of the in
vestigation.
The fight for q separate inquiry by |
The board has been led by Commis-