The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1939-05-25
FRALEY BRANDS AS FALSE
CHARGE OF WALTER QUICK
Deputy Forester Had Asserted
States Attorney Had Not CO.
operated In Dealing With
IncendiariStS
STATEMENT BY FRALEY

The statement of Walter ]. Quick,
deputy state forester, who asserted ON
Tuesday that States Attorneys of
several counties had failed to CO.
operate with the forester's office in
enforcing laws dealing with incendiary
fires, naming especially Neil C. Fra
ley, Garrett County States Attorney,
brought an emphatic denial from Mr..
Fraley this morning.
Mr.. Quick named Fraley particu-
larly saying Fraley had gone back"
on a promise to take to the grand
jury evidence against persons suspec-
ted of setting wood fires. A check-up
of the records showed that the Grand
Jury adjourned March % and that the
suspect mentioned was not brought
before Fraley for questioning until
March 81 and again on April A, MAX
ing it obviously impossible to break
that promise, even if he had made it,
which Fraley denies. The next grand
jury is not until September.
Mr.. Fraley's statement was as fol-
lows:
"The statement appearing in the
Cumberland News under date of May
%, quoting Walter j. Quick, deputy
state forester, stating that | had gone
back on promise to take to the Grand
Jury evidence against persons suspec-
ted of setting fires, is absolutely false.
l have never failed to bring to the
Grand Jury any evidence that was
ever submitted to me in case in
vestigated by the employees of the
State Forestry Department.
"The latter part of March, case
was reported to me by the local forest
guard and as a result of information
furnished me / questioned twice a
suspect. This information was not
brought to me until after the March
Grand Jury had just adjourned and
obviously l had no opportunity to
bring any evidence that was submitted
to that Grand Jury.
eff there is the great number of
forest fires of incendiary origin as
claimed by Mr.. Quick, he would do
much better to come to Garrett county
and make an effort to obtain evidence
against IuOSS SullIy VI oGGCIIlS OUG
fires instead of sitting in his office in
Baltimore and giving out interviews
to the Press containing false and mis-
leading statements"
Mr.. Quick reported last Friday ap-
proximately thirty forest fires were
set in Garrett county, burning $50
acres of timber. They were set, he
said, by two groups, the first starting
blazes on a mans property to force
him to sell timber to be used as coal
mine props. The other set fires to
clear land for grazing purposes, Quick
said.
He also said that this spring Gar
rett county fire wardens consulted the
federal department of justice about
means to gather evidence. They be-
gan to take foot prints found near
fires. Several weeks ago they had
footprints taken from those made by
jerome Kelly, 81, Of near Sang Run,
who was seen near where some fires
occurred. Mr.. Kelly was twice ques-
toned but released for lack of evil
dence.
Being guilty of setting fires is a
criminal offense," Mr.. Fraley said.
Simply because a man is seen in the
vicinity of fire is not evidence he is
guilty. There must be proof for a
criminal offense. My position as
States Attorney is to protect the in
nocent as well as to prosecute the
guilty"