Evening star., 1942-07-08
Inspector Admits
Erasing His Mark
From Some Tires
Copt. Cowood, Former
D. 6. Official Testifies
At HundIey TrioI

the District government who ap-
proved tires for sale by Hiram Ber
Hundley as used" stock, also ap-
proved tires for two other concerns
he testified today in District Court
where Mr.. Hundley is on trial on
charges of selling new tires in viola
ton of Federal rationing regulations
CroSs-eXamined by Henry I. Quinn
of defense counsel, Capt. Cawood, a
rebuttal witness for the Government
said that he marked tires for "Mr
Dunn" who was identified only as
service station operator. and "Mr
Cherner" Defense counsel said the
latter designation referred to the
Cherner Motor Co.
About 25 tires were approved at
Cherner's in February, the witness
admitted, and later he said he went
back to the Cherner establishment
and removed his inspection mark
with a chemical remover. AS Mr..
Quinn developed by questioning, a
member of the Cherner establish
ment had told Capt. Cawood that
tires he had marked had been re-
ported to the Government as new
stock and that something conse-
quently would have to be done about
the inventory.
Removed His Marks.
Mr.. Quinn then asked Capt. Ca
wood if he hadn't gone back TO
Cherner's and said that there was
some mistake about the marking
and removed the marks. The wit
hess agreed.
Mr.. Quinn showed Capt. Cawood
three tires reputedly from the Cher
ner esta plishment and asked him If
they were not in the group from
which the markings had been re-
moved. The witness said he was un-
able to tell Mr. Quinn pointed to a
tire and asked if the witness doubted
if he had marked it as used" be-
cause of its good condition. The wit
ness agreed to that.
Earlier Capt. Cawood had ex-
pressed doubt that he had marked
certain teirs salable which the de-
fense contends were sold by reason
of his authorization.
According to the defense the tires
sold were change overs traded in
by Car owners that Capt. Cawood
approved as meeting the OPA speci-
fications for used tires. Under the
regulations a tire is used" that has
gone 1000 miles or more and Capt.
Cawood has testified that he marked
ok J.M.C.". on about 500" tires
from Hundley's stock.
The defense contends about 1,700
were marked.
Doubted Approving Tires.
Shown four tires from a large
stock in the courtroom today Capt.
Cawood said II don't think so"
when asked if the marking on them
had been done by him. In each in
stance he said he didn't believe he
had inspected the tires. On a fifth
tire he was insistent that he had
not marked the rubber and said,
I'm sure I didn't OK. it."
Capt. Cawood was under direct
examination by Assistant United
States Attorney John l.. Laskey
when he made this comment. Un-
der questioning by Mr.. Laskey. he
also said. Il don't think So" when
asked if he was responsible for the
marking on tires seized by the Gov
ernment in connection with the in
vestigation.
Under cross examination by Mr..
Quinn, however, the witness said he
was in doubt about the marking
because the tires were in good con-
dition. These tires were acquired
by the Government from the Star
Garage and the Diamond and Pre-
mier Cab purchasing agencies.
Capt. Cawood, who undertook the
tire inspection at Hundley's at the
request of Eugene Brady, former
assistant executive secretary of the
District Rationing Board. said in
the course of his testimony that he
had no reason to doubt Mr.. Brady's
authority.
Offered Overtime Pay.
He said. in response to ques-
ton by Mr.. Laskey, that Mr.. Humid
ley had offered to pay him for work
ing overtime while inspecting the
tires, but that he didn't accept. Most
of the inspection, he said, was done
after working hours.
In line with the statements OF
earlier witnesses, Capt. CaWood yes
terday said that he went to the
Hundley establishment, 3446 Four
teenth street NV, in January In
company with Mr.. Brady ito inspect
some tires to determine If they were
sufficiently worn to be sold as used
tires" Other witnesses have testi-
fed that Mr.. Brady was anxious to
lave the tires inspected because
some friends wanted tires.
: On the first trip there, he con-
finued, he inspected "75 to 80" and
he said. those approved were
marked with his initials. About 20
ner cent of the tires he looked at
according to the witness, were re-
iected as not having the necessary
mileage.
y Examined Thoroughly.
1T is on the strength of this
20. k" that the defense contends
Ores were sold to the Premier and
Diamond cab purchasing agencies
and The Star in the transactions or
1hich the Government has basee
charges.
: Capt. Cawood said that he ex'
smined the stock pretty thor
ouehly.'
xCapt. Caywood said that he wen
TO the Hundley establishment OF
three different days to make inspec
tons, and that twice he was accom-
panied by James e. Clement. an
other inspector, who aided him II
handling the tires. He said, how
ever, that Mr.. Clement did not mari
any. Several Hundley employees
testifying for the defense, said tina
Mr.. Clement also o. KID tires. Ac
eording to the defense, few NOR
than l,700 were approved for sale
but Capt. Cawood stuck to the lowe