Evening star., 1937-05-29
TOML|NS0N FOUND
GUILTY AS BRAINS
IN $785 ROBBERY
Pratt Convicted of Actual
HoId.up of Tailor Last
August.
JURY TAKES 8 HOURS
TO REACH A VERDICT
Maximum Sentence of Is Years
Is Possible-Appeal by
Lawyer likely.

j. William Tomlinson, who has
practiced law here for Is years, stood
convicted today of planning and di-
recting robbery last August COM
mitted by two colored men.
A District Court jury of 10 men and
2 women who had listened to the
strange case since Monday returned
their verdict last night at 1915
o'clock. They had deliberated eight
hours. while the 44year-old lawyer
waited patiently at the court house
to learn his fate.
Convicted with him was Philip John
Pratt, 25, identified by Tomlinson as
former liquor runner, and accused
by the government as one of the two
colored men who actually held up Sam
Siratonis, proprietor of tailor shop
at 3003 Fourteenth street, who was
beaten and robbed of $785.
Bass Pleaded Guilty.
The second colored man, Charles
Henry Bass pleaded guilty at the be-
ginning OF the trial and testified for
the prosecution. 1t was largely on
his testimony that the government S
case rested.
TOmllnson and Pratt may be
sentenced TO maximum OF 10 years
IN the penitentiary. The minimum
term for robbery is six months. 1t was
expected that Iomllnson, at least
would appeal, since, unless the jury S
verdict is reversed, the lawyer will
be barred forever from practicing his
profession.
Few spectators were in the court
room when the jury filed in last night
Mrs. Josephine B. Tomlinson, who
had testified for her husband to
bolster his alibi, was not present
At one point during the trial she
had Wept on the witness stand after
expressing her implicit trust" in the
defendant
The case went to the jury at 1920
pm. yesterday. At $40 pm. the jur-
ors announced they had arrived at a
verdict. Meanwhile, Trial Justice F
Dickinson Let's had left the city, re-
questing Justice Joseph w. Cox to re-
ceive the verdict in his stead. Justice
Cox, however, could not be reached
Immediately, and it was not until 1O:15
pm. that the judge, defendants and
attorneys assembled to hear the jury's
pronouncement Tomlinson received
1t without comment, but his face was
Eaggard and drawn.
On motion of defense counsel, Tom
linson was allowed to remain at lib
erty pending his appeal. His bond
was set at $4,000, tWo-thirds of which
was for the Siratonis robbery and the
remaining $1,000 on an indictment
charging him, Pratt and Walter
Smallwood. colored, with the Fairfax
Farms Dairy pay roll robbery March
IA, 1896. AS in the tailor shop case
Tomlinson Is accused of directing, but
not taking part in the robbery, which
netted about $4,000. Pratt was COM
mitted.
Smallwood has confessed to his part
In the crime, and was one of the prin-
cipal witnesses against Tomlinson in
the Siratonis case, testifying Tomlin-
son tried unsuccessfully to persuade
him to take part in robbery of the
tailor before enlisting the services OF
Bass.
No date has been set for the pay roll
robbery trial
Assistant United States Attorneys
Samuel F. Beach and Charles B
Murray prosecuted Tamlinson and
Pratt.
Although Tomlinson took no part
In the actual hold-up of Sratonis, he
was charged as an accessory, who
under the District law, is equally guilty
with the principals.