Evening star., 1942-07-02
Supervisor Testifies
Concerning Hund|ey
Tire Inspection
Rotionine Boord Official
Asked for Check on
Tires, Court Is Informed

A District traffic official testi-
fed today concerning the assign
ment of an inspector from the
Motor Vehicle Division of the Dis
trict government to check on tire
stocks and to determine what tires
we're used" within the meaning of
the rationing regulations at the Dis
trict Court trial of Hiram Ben
Hundley, Washington tire dealer &C
cused of sales in violation of the
regulations.
The witness was Charles William
Reed, supervisory inspector in the
Department of Vehicles and Traffic
He identified the Rationing Board
official who requested the inspection
as Eugene T. Brady, who was assist
ant executive secretary of the
Rationing Board. Mr.. Brady is no
longer with the board
Earlier, a witness had declared
that tires seized by the Government
in connection with the Hundley
charges did not come from Humid
ley's stock.
Inspected Applicants Tires.
According to Mr.. Reed, inspectors
from his agency have since the in
ception Of the tire rationing regula-
tions inspected tires of Washington
car owners seeking replacements
He said that he had been in daily
contact with Mr.. Brady concerning
rationing matters and that on Sat-
urday afternoon, January "a, he got
the call from the rationing official
for the assignment of a man to
check dealer stocks for new and
used tires. Mr.. Brady, the witness
said, told him the request for the
assignment of an inspector came
from the white House" He die
not explain this reference again.
Under OPA regulations, a usec
tire is one that has gone more than
1000 miles.
Mr.. Reed said that he demurreo
at the request because he didn't be-
lieve any one could tell whether
tires had been driven a Thousand
miles, and furthermore that hi
doubted whether there was author
ity for such an inspection as pro.
posed. He said, however, that he
assumed" that Mr.. Brady wa,
speaking for the Rationing Boarc
and that Mr.. Brady promised tt
send him a formal order for the In.
spection the following Monday.
Inspector Off Duty.
Continuing, the witness said tina
he believed that j. NJ Cawood, ont
of six inspection station men, wa.
the only employe capable of making
the requested examination, but Mr.
Cawood was off duty that Afternoon
and that he told Mr.. Brady h
would have to make his own ar
rangements.
He made no further assignments
Mr.. Reed said. He said that he un'
derstood that Mr.. Brady had gottel
in touch with Mr.. Cawood.
On the following Monday, th'
witness continued, Mr.. Brady agail
called him and asked that MI
Cawood be sent back to the Hundle.
Company as he had not had suf
f1cient time on the previous Satur
day to complete the inspection. o.
that occasion. the witness con
tinued, he sent another employee
Chester J. Wolf-along as wit
ness to see what was going on.
/ Never Got Written Authority.
Under cross-examination by AS
sistant District Attorney John I
Lasky, Mr.. Reed said that he ha
never gotten the written authorit
that Mr.. Brady had promised him
and that Mr.. Cawood only went t
the Hundley establishment at 344
Fourteenth street NV. on the tw,
days.
Il told Mr.. Brady on Monday tina
no more such inspections would b.