Evening star., 1939-02-26
jury Convicts Hines
On All 13 Counts of
Protecting Rockets
Continuance Granted
On $4,000 Bail for
Sentence March Is

BACKGROUND
First Hines trial ended Dhen
Justice Pecora granted defense
motion based on questioning of
1Ditness by District Attorney
Thomas E. Dewey, at time rated
by experts able to beat Lehman
for GoUernor of NeW York. AL
though he failed in that attempt,
DetDey still ranks high in all cur
rent polls as Republican presi-
Dental possibility. Second trial
lasted q days.
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Feb. 25.-James ],
Hines, for 26 years a respected
power in the ancient councils of
Tammany Hall, was convicted to-
night of policy racketeering charges
that may send him to prison for
q years.
The ruddy. heavily built ex-
blacksmith, the first major New
York Democratic politician in years
to be tried on criminal charges, was
hailed to court for the first time in
his 81 years by 36-year- District
Attorney Thomas E. Dewey, Re-
publican nemesis of Tammany at
the polls and racketeers in court.
Then, tonight, at the end of
second trial, a blue ribbon jury in
General Sessions Court sweepingly
cOpyipfo6 uiroc m oil 20 oa,,n+,
of an indictment charging him with
partnership in Dutch Schultzs
$50 900, ,000-a-year gambling syndi-
cate.
Accused Of Selling Influence.
With characteristic mercilessness.
Dewey had accused the grizzled
Tammany veteran, a popular fellow
known to thousands in New York
City. Of selling to the racket the
vast political influence he welded
as Tammany stalwart.
Arthur Dutch Schultz Flegen-
heimer, one-time New York public
enemy No. but later gang war
victim, was the overload of the
racket, the man whose vituperative
tongue and menacing gun forced
the rich policy banks Of Harlem
into a single syndicate.
Henchmen of the slain Schultz
one of them acknowledged he testi-
fled to save his own hide-declared
Hines accepted $500 a week from
the bulging Golfers of the racket for
his services in allegedly corrupting
police and magistrates, and took
thousands more in tainted money
for political campaigns.
Those charges the jury pondered
for two minutes short of seven
hours. Then, with such sudden
ness and completeness that the
small-voiced but always expressive
Jimmy Hines said he felt as II he
had been kicked in the belly" the
jury announced its stunning verdict.
The jury returned to the General
Sessions courtroom at 1928 pm. and
declared Hines guilty on the first
count in the indictment, con-
spiracy count, and Immediately de-
clared for conviction on the Sue
ceeding IL felony counts.
AS the court clerk enumerated
each of the 13 counts, Leonard Ho-
bert, foreman of the jury. intoned
a monotonous guilty" to each.
Before the jury had filed into the
room Hines had moved back from
his customary place at the defense
table and Capt. Thomas Tanning
of the court police squad took up
position beside him.
His lawyer. Lloyd Stryker, also
moved to his side, with a glance OF
encouragement.
Grips Rail Hard.
Hines gripped the rail in front of
him until his usually pink hands
showed a pallid white.
Only two members of his family
were in the courtroom-his eldest
sons, James, jr., and Philip, former
Harvard boxer.
Judge Charles Mott, jr., set March
13 for sentencing and allowed Hines
continued freedom until then under
bail. Stryker said he would file an
"ppeaA dS Sooll dS pOSSlDle.
Before the trial dramatically
closed, the jury had seemed uncer-
tain. having come back into the
courtroom for instructions three
times before returning a verdict.
On its last visit, the jury inquired
about the rules for corroborative
evidence and, receiving a reply from
Judge Mott, all nodded affirmatively.
Within Is minutes they returned
(See HINES, Page AID