Evening star., 1937-07-22
SEVEN ACQUITTED
IN BONDING TRIAL
Jury Out Only 40 Minutes
Before Finding for
Defendants.
Fy stan Correspondent OF The Star.

Fy stan Correspondent OF The Star.
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. July %
-Disregarding the States final plea
that future Maryland justice would be
governed by the verdict. q Prince
Georges County jury late yesterday
acquitted seven men who had stood
trial more than week on charges OF
conspiracy in an alleged bonding
racket for mulcting Washington mo-
tOrists.
The jury of II men deliberated only
40 minutes before returning in favor
OF the defendants-a former justice OF
the peace, a professional bondsman
four county policemen and a desk
sergeant at the Hyattsville police sta
ton.
In its closing arguments the defense
led by Lansdale G. Sasscer, president
OF the Maryland State Senate. told
the jurors no evidence Of conspiracy
had been introduced and played
heavily on the testimony Of character
witnesses, including H. C.. Byrd
Maryland University president, who
had vouched for the reputation OF the
defendants.
Exonerated Defendants.
Those exonerated were former Hy.
attsville Magistrate Herbert j. Mo1at
Elmer Pumphrey, Suitland, Nd,
bondsman: Frank Bell, former Nv.
attsville police station desk clerk. ane
Warren Peake, Claude Reese, Alber
Anderson and Arthur Brown, former
county officers.
When the trial started July IL, tvt
other county policemen. Howard
Slater and Maurice Hampton, wer,
among the defendants. but charges
against them were nolle pressed b,
States Attorney Alan Bowie vher
witnesses failed to appear to testif,
against them.
While the acquitted officers ar.
now eligible to apply for their ole
jobs, no vacancies exist on the pres.
ent county force. Under a new count,
law applicants must pass a physica
and mental test.
Pay Was Suspended.
Pay OF the former officers stopped
when they were suspended after in.
dlctment. No move has been made
to obtain compensation for them ur
to the time the old police set-up il
the county expired June /. At tn,
office OF the county commissioners
which handles the salaries of al
employees, it was said no such efYor,
is contemplated
All nine were indicted by a crane
jury last December after a length,
investigation, instigated by the Key
stone Automobile Club, into what i
charged was a system of defraudin,
motorists. The arraignment of tn,
men was made under a blanket in
dictment. There are still individua
indictments outstanding. but whethe
they will be pressed has not beer
decided by Bowie
The case was given to the jury 4
2:55 pm. after the defense hat
rounded out its presentation by plac
ing Anderson. Reese, Brown and Bel
on the stand to deny they were guilt,
of irregularities.
Police Judge Is Called.
AS rebuttal witness the State In
troduced Hyattsville Police Cour
Judge George B. Merrick, who refute,
statements by Moffat that he (Moffat
had modified charges in two speeding
cases after J. Wilson Ryon, late Mary
land attorney, had informed him tn,
court had SO ordered.
In their closing addresses, defens'
counsel, including, besides Sasscer
Frank Hall, Thomas Van Clasett ane
George Burroughs, contended that i
/ the mechanics Of handling traf1ic case
methods OF keeping records, ETC.
were at fault, 1t was up to those WHIT
make the laws to rectify them.
Ogle Marbury, who assisted Bowl,
as special prosecutor, in his Anal ad
dress, referred to the mention O
Ryon's name by witnesses, saying: "A
fellow member Of the bar, I per
sonally resent statements made on thh
witness stand that, in four cases which
could not be explained in any othe,
way, that Mr. Ryon did It. He was Al
honored and reputable citizen an,
member Of the bar. He is dead ant
unable to appear here to defend him
self"