Evening star., 1938-12-20
Officer Is on Trial
In Failure 10 Halt
Robbery
Ice Cream Store Clerk
Tells Trial Board
Of HoIdup Details

Guy L. Carder, sixth precinct Off
Ger suspended from the force after
he failed to stop holdup December
ID at Highs ice cream store, Third
and Rittenhouse streets NV, though
he was present in rear room of
the shop, was brought before the
Police Trial Board today on a charge
of neglecting his duty.
Mrs Irene Ashworth, 10, clerk on
duty when the robbery occurred,
testified that Carder had cut q hole
in the beaverboard partition be-
tween the rear room and the front
of the shop and was on the lookout
for bandit who earlier the same
night had held up two other stores
in the High chain.
She told the board that a young
man, answering the description
Carder had given her of the suspect
in the two other cases, entered the
store and demanded the contents
of the cash register after he had
asked for ice cream.
Dropped Change on Counter.
She talked as loudly as she
thought advisable and dropped the
change on the counter in the hope
Of attracting the attention of the
officer, Mrs. AshWorth testified, but
be failed to interrupt the holdup.
Capt. Joseph w. Pierson, COM
handing officer at the sixth pre-
cinct, who in his report of the case
to headquarters charged Gardner
with gross neglect of duty" and
failure to observe and take proper
action" quoted Carder as stating
he left his peep-hole and returned
TO a seat in the rear of the store,
approximately II feet from the par
tition. after the youth had paid for
the ice cream and had been given
his change.
Il thought that he was regular
customer after I saw him do that, "
Capt Pierson told the Trial Board
that Carder related.
Il asked Carder why he didn't stay
at the hole regardless of who was
In the store, particularly since he
admitted the description given him
Of the bandit so closely resembled
that of the man who came in the
store" Capt. Pierson testified. Car
der told me, That is where the mis-
take was made"
Was Good Officer
Under questioning, Capt. Pierson
stated that Carder had been "a very
good officer" and had been under his
command for more than 10 years,
1t. John w. McGinness, in COM
mand of the sixth precinct when the
incident occurred, told the board
that Carder seemed very much con-
fused and distressed over what had
happened' when he told of the hold
up after returning to the station.
1t. McGlnness. who was shifted
to the eleventh precinct station on
the day of Carder's suspension, was
charged in Capt Persons report
on the case as having made no in
vestigation whatever" except to
leave word with sergeant who re-
1ueved him at midnight.
Other testimony came from Po-
liceman S. R. Collins on duty in a
scout car. who said he saw Carder
go into the store to keep a watch
out for WHILE and Policeman J
A. Bryant, on duty in another scout
car, who told of the descriptions of
the ice cream store bandit received
from the radio dispatcher.
Maj. Ernest w. Brown, superin-
etendent of police, said shortly after
the incident that IF true as 1 have
heard it, I can remember nothing
in my many years of police expert
ence to parallel it,
The trial board, composed of G.. R.
Littlehales. chairman; Inspector
Maurice Collins and Maj. James R.
Lusby. is continuing the hearing this
afternoon.