Evening star., 1937-06-03
WINFIELD VICTIM
Of 'FRAME-UP'|S
PLEA TO BOARD
Po|iceman's Hearing in
Ticket Fixing Recessed
Until Monday.
MISS BALL, PRINCIPAL
WITNESS, ACCUSED
Inspector Collins Testifies Officer
Complied With Request to
Fix Friends Ticket.

Fix Friends Ticket.
After fiery opening session. the
ticket fixing" case against Police
man Wexford E. Winfield today was
in recess until Monday when the
Police Trial Board will resume the
hearing.
Winfield, accused of canceling
traffic violation tickets without au-
thority, was pictured yesterday by
his counsel, Charles E. Ford, as the
victim OF frame-up. The principal
witness against the policeman was
Miss Jessie Ball, who formerly resided
at the home of Winfield and his wife
Her testimony led Ford to declare
he would show the board "an at
tempted frame-up" by the witness,
and Teunis Collier, Georgetown con-
tractor, whose troubles with the police
Trafic Department over "discrimi-
nation" were widely publicized several
months ago.
Gives Account of Conversations.
Miss Ball produced from her
pocketbook a statement which con-
tanned an account of certain incidents
and conversations about Winfield and
his alleged fixing of traffic tickets.
These were learned, she testified while
she was in his home
The statement was unsigned, but
she admitted signing similar" one,
written, she said, by Collier at his
suggestion. 1t was then that Ford
fired his accusation. Collier will
testify Monday.
Earlier in the trial, Assistant Cor
poration Counsel Edward M. Welli-
yer, prosecutor was asked by Ford
whether his (Welliver's) initials were
written on certain Cancelled traffic
violation tickets. Welliver replied he
did not think his authority on that
question should be questioned"
Inspector Tells of Fixing
Inspector Maurice Collins, of head
quarters, testified he had asked Win
field to fix ticket for a friend of
his and that the request had been
complied with. Inspector L. I. H.
Edwards testified he did not repri-
mand" Winfield for fixing a ticket at
the request Of a lieutenant on the
force.
The defense based much of it's ar
gument on a charge that it is not
clearly defined who shall be in au-
thority in the records department Of
the Traffic Bureau and that for that
winfield cISni,1I hao,,
granted latitude in the use Of his
discretionary powers. Winfield
pleaded not guilty to a charge of
conduct prejudicial to the good or
der and reputation of the Police De-
partment. The charges against VIM
field were placed by the Police De-
partment through the Corporation
Counsel's office, Welliver said.
After Miss Ball produced the state
ment, the Trial Board asked her,
paragraph by paragraph. "Is this
true?" In several cases the witness
said no, adding they are not the
words I used" The defense sought
to prove the statement she signed in
February at a meeting with Collier
had been materially altered after she
had signed it.
Prosecutor Protests Methods.
Prosecutor Welhver raised an OBJ
lection at this point to the high
handed" methods being used by Ford
in questioning the witness. In over
ruling the objection, Inspector Ed
ward J. Kelly, Trial Board chairman,
rose from his chair and shouted, Il
resent any inference that high
handed methods are allowed to be
employed. We want to know all the
facts in this case. I want to know
if this woman was tricked into some
thing-if she was tricked into signing
this purported statement"
Questioned regarding the fact Win
field received certain "favors" for fix
ing tickets, Miss Ball answered true"
to the following parts of the state
ment she produced:
Beer, groceries and ice cream were
sent to the house (Winheld's), and
there was no charge for them.
Tickets were always coming to the
house, and Mr.. Winfield took them.
Mr. and Mrs. Winfield and I often
went to the theater and didn't have
to pay anything but the tax"
Miss Ball said she agreed in SUBJ
stance with the following statement,
but would not answer true" because
they were not put in her original
words:
IF I (Winfield) fix these tickets
you'll have to come across often"
She overheard this, she testified, in
a telephone conversation between
Winfield and a person unknown to
her.
Miss Ball once testified she went
to Rockville, Md, to appear as wit
ness in a case which has no con-
nection with this case" Questioned
later by Ford, she testified she went
| to Rockville at the time to testify in
a habeas corpus action regarding GUS
tody of Winfelds children. She said
the action was brought by Mrs. Win
field, and that she had been asked
by Hyman Goldstein, a lawyer, to
| testify. She testified she saw" COL
| lier in the court at the time.
The case was adjourned until 10
m Monday. Members of the board,
besides Inspector Kelly, are Capt.
Joseph Morgan and Capt. Lloyd Kelly.