Evening star., 1938-10-14
Pine Calls Session of 22
Aides After Arrest of
Testifier.
MAN is ACCUSED
OF TAKING SUM OF $50
Prosecution in Nine Cases to Be
Suspended as Result of Charge,
Official Says.

today, following the arrest of colored
police informer on bribery charge
yesterday.
United States District David A. Pine,
following meeting with his entire
corps Of % assistants held on the heels
OF the informer's arrest, announced sus-
pension of prosecution in seven Dis
trict Court cases and two in the United
States branch of Police Court in which
the informer was to testify.
mo cases depending on the inform
ers testimony will be tried, pending
outcome of the bribery charges against
him." Mr.. Pine said.
The United States Attorney added
that six of the District Court cases in
volved alleged violations of the numbers
law and one of the liquor tax regula-
ton.
Six to Be Nolle Pressed.
Milton D. Norman, assistant corpor-
alton counsel at Police Court. said that
six pending cases, to be prosecuted on
the strength of the informer's testi-
mony, would be nolle pressed. All
these cases involve alleged sale and
possessing liquor for sale without a
permit.
The informer, James Fallin, %, Of
754 Irving street NV. was arrested
on a charge of accepting a $50 bribe
to alter his testimony in numbers
case in which he was to testify in Dis
trict Court soon.
Fallin was arrested by Capt. George
Little of the Vice Squad in washroom
at Police Court, after allegedly accept
ing the $50 in marked money from At
torney J. Louis O'Connor, defense
counsel in the numbers case in which
Fallin was to testify. Fallin has been
police informer for about year and
has testified in numerous cases.
The charge against Fallin, however,
was changed by David A. Hart, assist
ant in the United States attorneys
office at Police Court, and the in
former was to be arraigned this after
noon under section of the criminal
code which specifically makes it
felony for any witness about to testify
in trial to accept a bribe to alter his
testimony. The law provides for a
maximum penalty of two years i'm
prisonment or $4,000 fine. or both.
Wallace Martin, "a, colored, of the
700 block of Nineteenth street NE,
an alleged Intermediary in the trans
action between Fallon and Attorney
O'Connor. was arrested last night.
Martin also was charged under the
same title of the code for allegedly
aiding and assisting Fallin. A charge
of carrying a concealed weapon also
was placed against Martin Police said
a pistol was found on him when ar
rested.
The informer, who had been testify
ing during the day in Police Court
liquor case, which had recessed, was
said to have told Attorney O'Connor
that he would have lapse of men,
ory" for sum of money.
Marked Money Figures.
Capt. Little said that Mr.. O'Connor
came to Police Headquarters and was
given marked money with which to
pay Fallin. The accused was arrested
Immediately after the alleged trans
action took place. Capt. Little said
the money was found in his possession.
When the liquor trial in which
Fallin had been testifying was re-
sumed. Assistant Corporation Council
Norman told Judge Edward NJ Curran
it would not be prosecuted further and
the court directed verdict of not
guilty.
Capt. Little said Fallin used an
Intermediary in the alleged attempt
to get the bribe money, evidently to
| escape detection. The officer said the
colored man identified as Martin, who
frequently tips Fallin on violators. went
to Attorney O'Connor's client, Asa
Abraham, last week and offered to have
Fallin alter his testimony for sum.
Abraham is said to have told the in
termediary to see his counsel.
Mr. O'Connor. upon receiving this
information from his client, saw Capt.
Little. Plans for the trap were laid
at that time, the officer said. Later.
the intermediary approached the at
torney, who refused to deal except
directly with the informer, it was said.
Arrest Is Made.
A meeting time was set for yester-
day in the Police Court Building.
Fallin, however, failed to appear at
the appointed time and only the in
termediary showed up.. Mr.. O'Connor
still refused to deal except directly
with Fallin, Capt. Little said, and later
the two got together in the washroom.
The alleged transaction took place.
and as Mr.. O'Connor walked from the
washroom Capt. Little walked in.
The case against Abraham was one
of those suspended " Mr.. Pine.
Assistant United States Attorney VIII
liam Tarver recalled, following the con-
ference with Mr.. Pine late yesterday.
that Wednesday he had prosecuted a
number of cases in which Fallin testi-
fled. The jury failed to convict the de-
fendant on charges in which the in
former testified, but did return a ver-
dict of guilty on another charge which
was not based on Fallin's testimony.
Just what steps might be taken to
alter the "informer" system were not
known, but the matter has long been
under fire from legal quarters. This
system is holdover from old pro-
hibition days, when vidence on liquor
violations was obtained in this manner.
Capt. Little said that only twice
within his service have informers been
found to accept bribes. Both were
employed during prohibition days and
were convicted in July, 1927.