Evening star., 1937-04-23
z 2CONCRESSMEN
SUBPOENAED FOR
B[ACKMA|L TRIAL
Thomas and Cartwright Due
to Appear as Character
Witnesses.
LAWYER FLAYS POLICE
FOR ACTION AT ARREST
Frooks Says Robb, Hartmann
Were "Discourteous' TELLS of
Blow on Head.

Senator Elmer Thomas and Rep
resentative Wilburn Cartwright, Ok
lahoma Democrats, have been sub
poenaed to appear Monday as charac-
ter witnesses for Mrs. Mary Krieger,
former Oklahoma teacher, at her trial
in District Court on charges of con-
spring with Samuel L. Frooks, New
York attorney, to blackmail the late
Carroll Pierce, Alexandria banker.
The legislators were identified in
court yesterday as having written
letters Of recommendation for Mrs.
Krieger The letters were mentioned
by Frooks while testifying in his own
defense.
Frooks read one letter in which
Senator Thomas told a prospective
employer of Mrs. Krieger that she
had come to him highly recommend
ed" and that she had been a teacher,
social worker and playground direc-
tor in Oklahoma. In second letter,
addressed to Frooks in response to
an inquiry by the lawyer. Senator
Thomas was quoted as saying he
knew nothing detrimental" to her
reputation.
A letter which Cartwright wrote
to Frooks in response to similar in
quiry early in 1885 said the Congress-
man was glad to say" he had known
Mrs. Krieger for many years, and
that she was of excellent character"
Voice Breaks With Emotion.
Frooks, his voice at times breaking
with emotion, bitterly criticized the
district attorneys Office and the Po-
lice Department for their activities
prior to and after his arrest in
local hotel last September Is.
He declared several papers i'm
portant to his defense were missing"
from his brief case after his arrest.
When Frooks' attorney, William R.
Berkson, asked Assistant United
States Attorney Roger Robb if he
had these papers, Robb expressed
resentment at the 'insinuation" that
he had taken them and denied he
had ever seen them Robb said he
had examined contents Of the brief
case and could say the papers re-
1erred to were not there. --
Frooks assailed Robb and Detec-
tive Sergt. Earl P. Hartman, assert
ing they arrested him without a war
rant, refused to identify themselves
as officers and to tell him the reason
Tor his arrest and treated him dis
courteously.
The lawyer said he was struck on
the head during the automobile trip
from the hotel to the court house
the night Of his arrest, but assumed"
it was an accident.
Relates Version Of Conferences.
Frooks related in detail his version
OF the conferences with Mrs. Krieger
and with Pierce and the latter's at
torney preceding his arrest. He in
sisted Mrs. Krieger had come to him
with what he regarded as a legitimate
claim against Pierce for breach of
contract" arising out of Pierce's al
legged failure to carry out an agree
ment to give Mrs. Krieger a life lob
in his bank. At no time, he asserted.
did Mrs. Krieger mention intimacy"
with the banker or discuss threats
to expose Pierce.
Frooks declared that among the
papers missing from his brief case
was bank deposit slip on the back
OF which Pierce had made a memo
randum of payment OF SITS to Mrs.
Krieger "for services"
The lawyer testified he overheard
Hartmann tell Robb during a lull
in their questioning of Frooks fol-
lowing his arrest that we've got
nothing on him-we'd better let him
go back to New York" He also de-
clared an assistant United States at
torney later told him: "Mr. Robb
pulled a boner."
Frooks will be cross-examined when
the trial Is resumed Monday morn
ing. Mrs. Krieger Is expected to
follow Frooks to the stand. Her
daughter made a brief appearance
on the witness stand yesterday after
Justice F. Dickinson Let's had denied
defense motion for q directed YER
dict in favor Of Frooks and Mrs.
Krieger.