Evening star., 1937-07-14
BONDING RACKET
RECORDS OFFERED
AS TRIAL EVIDENCE
Prosecution Introduces Re.
port of Auditor on Fines
Assessed D. c. Autoists,
SEEKS PROOF CHARGES
WEREN'T ON BLOT7ER
Two Motorists Tell OF $2.l
Bonds Levied for Counts
of Speeding.
e, ST aft Corr respondent Of The Star.

e, ST aft Correspondent Of The Star.
UPPER MARLBORO, Nd, July IA.
An auditors report on the records
of fines assessed against traffic vio-
lators in Prince Georges County was
offered by the prosecution today at
the trial of a former magistrate, a
bondsman and seven former county
policemen on charges of conspiracy
to obs,ruct justice with an alleged
bonding racket.
The State previously had Identified
eight records of traffic cases sent to
Hyattsville Police Court by Herbert
j. Moffat. former Hyattsville ma9is.
Other records identified were Police
Court dockets and the arrest blotter
kept at the Hyattsville station Of
county police.
that Washington motorists were made
to put up money for high bonds on
serious traffic charges which never
appeared on Police Court records or
were disposed of as lesser of1enses.
Two Motorists Testify.
Those on trial are Mof1at, who is
charged with malfeaSance in Office as
we'll as conspiracy: Elmer Pumphrey.
professional bondSman, of Suitland,
Md. and former Prince Georges Coun-
tv Policemen Albert Anderson. How.
ard Slater, Arthur Brown. Maurice
Hampton, Warren Peake. Claude A.
Reese and Frank Bell, former desk
clerk at the Hyattsville station.
The alleged irregularities occurred
between January l and September OF
1896. The nine men were indicted
last December following An investiga-
ton by attorneys of the Keystone
Automobile Club working in coop.
Grafton with States Attorney Alan
Bowie
Two OF IL Washington motorists
whom the prosecution expects 10 pro-
duce told the jury Yesterday that they
were required to post $2,1o0 in bonds
assessed against them on speeding
charges following their arrest on the
morning Of June IS. 1895. while nd
ing through Hyattsville IN the same
| automobile.
Tells Of S1,1O8 Bond
| One of the motorists, Lansing Ceul.
colored. an elevator operator at the
La Sale Apartments. said he was
| held under sl,l00 bond for driving
more than so miles an hour and
the other, Charles A Frost, colored.
| owner of the car, told the Jury M
was charged with allowing Caul b
speed at more than so miles an hour.
The two said they we're taken he
fore Moffat. who assessed the bonds.
and then to the Hyattsville police
station and jail. They said they had
been arrested by Officer Reese.
James Cowl. brother of Lansing
| Cowl, testified that his brother tele-
! phoned him from the Jail, and he
went to Hyattsville where he paid
Humphrey s55 for putting up . 81 100
bond.
Frost told the jury a girl friend oi
his put up s27 on $50 bond fee. and
that he was released on condition he
would return with the balance. Frost
said he later returned with s23. which
he gave to an officer at Hyattsville.
"NViH TAKE 800"
Frost and Covl. they testified then
were advised to see PumphYev about
their trial in Police Court. The two
said they drove 10 Pumphrev's home
at Suitland Covl said Pumphrev
said It would take about slo0 to
clear you both"
| The witness said he returned -
| Washington. obtained SIS and gave
it to Plmphrey. He said the IA tter
was in Police Court when he and
Frost went there 70 stand trial and
that their case never was called.
The bonding racket trial opened
Monday morning with Lansdale G..
Sasscer. president of the Maryland
State Senate, leading the defense.
Bowie is being assisted in the prose-
cution by Attorney Oele Marbury.
who made the opening statement TO
the jury.
Marbury outlined the system used
in the alleged conspiracy and told
the jtFy the STATE was prepared to
show how at least dozen motorists
were Hctimized in the first six months
Of last year.