Evening star., 1938-12-19
Officials Seek 10 Bar
New Trial for Two
In Safe Robbery
Confession Of z Others
In Theft Is Doubted
By Authorities

Refusing to accept at face value
the confession of two men indicted
today in a safe robbery. the Dis
trict Attorneys Office moved i'm
mediately to block a new trial for
two other men already serving long
prison terms for this offense.
In the list of Is indictments re-
turned In District Court the grand
jury named on a HOUSEKEEPING and
larceny count Walter L. Gray. Is,
of the 1000 block of Fourth street
Sc: Charles Smith, Is, of the 200
block OF Fourteenth street Sc.
and Wilford Hooe. 25, residing on
a farm near Nokesville. Va. They
were accused in connection with
the theft of 1900 pound safe from
the Washington Beef and Provi-
sion Co. in September, 1887.
Convicted last June and serving
sentences of to Is years for the
crime are Carmen Quantrille and
Henry F. Milton. They were traced
through P. w. A. check for $2l 20
reported to have been contained in
the loot. The case built up by the
Government alleged that Quantrille
had Endorsed the check and Milton
had cashed it.
More Than Two-Man Job.
Ten days ago the safe was found
in mud bank on a farm adjoining
that where Hooe lives. A confess
sion from the two men was then re-
ported. and Attorney James J..
Laughlin. counsel for Quantrille,
went to the Court OF Appeals and
asked that the case be remanded
to District Court because of newly
discovered evidence.
In opposing the motion before the
Appeals Court today, District At
torney David A. Pine and Assistant
District Attorney John w. Fihelly
offered the reported confessions in
which Gray and Smith assume re-
sponsibility for carrying out the rob-
berry. The officials declare it was
more than q "two-man job
According to this statement
ascribed to the two, they stole a
truck then broke into the Beef Il
Provision Co. and stole the safe
and removed it to Virginia, where
Hooe opened It.
Considering the weight of the safe
and the fact that, according to their
statements. the men would have
had only about an hour and a half
to steal both the automobile and get
the safe, the district attorneys ONCE
said it would have been a physical
impossibility.
Not Convinced.
Ohicials of the provision company
are Joined in this belief. the Appeals
Court was told. 1t is contended also
that Hooe and Quantrille are ac-
quainted. In summing up the
prosecutors say: I'VE are not con-
vinced that Milton and Quantrille
did not participate" Assistant
United States Attorney Cecil Helm
participated in the investigation
which followed the arrest Of the trio.
Andy James Cowan and Arthur j.
Mayville, HOUSEKEEPING: William A.
Holley tfive counts. Edgar Braswell,
Clarence Holley. Clifton A. Diggs,
Junior Joe jenkins, Douglas Oscar
Mckenzie, housebreaking and lar
ceny.
Other indictments returned today
were:
Clarence Holley. Clifton A. Diggs,
Junior Joe Jenkins. Douglas Oscar
Mckenzie, Samuel Lyons, Margaret
Luck, Fred M. Phelps, receiving
stolen property.
Melville S. Felsenheld, jr.; Robert
w. McManus, Frank Lewis, Leon J.
Bryant, grand larceny.
John L. Perry, joy-riding; Teaco
Knight, robbery: Joseph Vance
Clark, assault with intent to commit
robbery; Strubey J. Bowles, assault
with dangerous weapon.
Theodore R. Dorsey. violation
Liquor-Taxing Act; Anthony L. Hen
ley, Margaret L. Henley, Poo Lee,
Sam Lee, Lee Jong. Washang Yep,
violation Harrison Narcotic Law and
Drug Import and Export Act.
William l.. Smith, second degree
murder