Evening star., 1937-05-26
G0VERNMENTENDS
S|DE0F TOMl|NSON
TRIAL At NOON
Statement Made by Alleged
Confederate Withdrawn
Shortly Before.
WHEATLEY TAKES STAND
AS CHARACTER WITNESS
Nature of Defense in Doubt as
Case Proceeds-Duress Al
legged by Pratt.

The Government rested at noon to-
day in the District Court robbery trial
of ]. William Tomlinson shortly after
withdrawal of statement made to
police by the lawyers 'co-defendant
and alleged confederate, Philip John
Pratt, colored, which the defense
claimed was obtained by duress.
Pratt had testified yesterday after
noon that police arrested his mother
sweetheart and brother and held them
until he signed the statement.
Trial Justice F. Dickinson Let's had
indicated he would bar the statement
Assistant United States Attorney
Samuel F. Beach announced in court
this morning he would not ask that
the statement be admitted.
Immediately after close of the Gov
ernment's case James A. OShea, chief
defense counsel for Tomlinson, put on
the stand H. Winship Wheatley, past
president of the District Bar Associa-
ton, as q character witness for Tom
linson.
The nature of Tomlinson's defense
has not yet been indicated.
Pratt and Tomlinson, former coun-
Sci for CASTOR B. Means, are
charged with robbing Sam Sira-
tonis, proprietor of tailor shop at
3003 Fourteenth street, last August
18. A third defendant, Charles Henry
Bass, colored, Unexpectedly pleaded
guilty and testified that Tomlinson
planned and directed every detail OF
the robbery, although he had no part
In its actual preparation.
Statement to Police.
The question of whether Pratts
statement to police was obtained under
duress arose when Assistant United
States Attorneys Beach and Charles
B. Murray offered 1t as evi-
dence O'Shea and Pratt's attorney,
Francis Kelly. objected. When the
Government put Detective Sergt. Paul
Ambrose on the stand to prove the
statement was voluntary, the defense
attorneys unsuccessfully attempted to
get him to admit it was made so
Pratt's mother and sweetheart might
be released.
Pratt. however, testified his mother,
Mrs. Blanche Pratt; his sweetheart,
Annie Giles, and his brother, Maurice
Pratt, were arrested for questioning
shortly before his own arrest in Balti-
more, where he had fled when he
learned police were searching for him.
He said he was not permitted to
consult with his attorney, after he was
brought back to Washington, although
he requested that privilege many
times.
Asked by Ambrose to sign state
ment corroborating confessions al
ready made by Bass and Walter
Smallwood. another colored man ac-
cused with Pratt and Tomlinson in
connection with the Fairfax Farms
Dairy pay roll robbery March IA Of
hast year, Pratt refused, he testified.
Release Of Two Asked.
Then Ambrose offered to have his
mother released If he would sign, but
again he refused, he told Justice Let's.
Finally, however, he agreed, provided
Ambrose would have both his mother
and sweetheart released, he declared.
At first the officer declined the
proposition, but later promised to do
rs Pratt wished, the witness declared,
adding that Ambrose called the Wom-
ans Bureau and had the two women
brought to police headquarters.
He said the detective opened the
door 30 he could see the women and
called to the station clerk, Release
them"
THAT satisfied me and signed the
statement" Pratt concluded.