Evening star., 1943-01-28
Harlan Wood Freed
In Drunk Driving Case;
Jury Out IS Minutes
Prominent Attorney
Issues Statement on
Vindicotion by Court

"A Munlclpal court jury yesterday
afternoon acquitted Harlan Wood.
IS, prominent local attorney and a
former District American Legion
commander, Of a charge of driving
while drunk. The jury, which heard
the case in Judge Walter j Casey's
court, reached its verdict in IS
minutes.
The charge was brought against
Mr., Wood after an accident Sep
tember "a at Tenth street and
Massachusetts avenue NV. when
his car struck mail box and in
jured pedestrian Mr.. Wood
denied the charge, stating that he
had felt i'll that day.
Among the character witnesses
testifying for Mr., Wood were JUS
tices Bolitha J. Laws and James w.
Morris, both of the United States
District Court; Judge Almond Scott
of the Municipal Court. the Rev.
Frederick Brown Harris, chaplain
of the United States Senate. and
Paul B. Cromelin, president of the
District Bar Association.
Wood Issues Statement.
Attorneys James r. Kirkland and
Harry T, Whelan represented Mr..
Wood.
Mr., Wood took leave of absence
as chairman of District Draft Board
No. 10, pending the outcome of his
trial. He resides at 1884 P street
NV.
In connection with his acquittal
Mr.. Wood today issued the follow
ing statement
When the unfortunate accident
tn which I was innocently involved
occurred during the late afternoon
of September "a last. there appeared
IN prominent headlines and in lead
articles in the press, a detailed
account of the charges preferred
against me. showing my several
affiliations, civic and patriotic ac-
tivities, including among them the
fact that am a past department
commander of the American Le-
gion of the District of Columbia
and chairman of Local Draft Board
No. 10. Since that time and up to
the present, I have steadfastly
maintained dignifed silence, yet
always with the comforting personal
knowledge and surance of my
complete innocence and a faith in
my ultimate vindication. at a time
when the first opportunity presented
itself for revelation not of charges
but of the facts.
This opportunity came not
through the medium of the press
but before the court and IL of my
fellow citizens To now know that
their unanimous verdict of inno-
cence of any guilt was ready after
about Is minutes of deliberation will
be reassuring to my friends who
have during these months so gen.
erously expressed in writing, by tele-
phone and in person their abiding
confidence in me.
Il assert now for the first time
that I was not dismissed or sus-
pended as chairman of Local Draft
Board No. 10 but upon my own
volition, I requested and was granted
temporary leave of absence. To any
discerning person and my personal
acquaintances, such action on my
part was obviously appropriate.
Praises Attorneys.
ct am particularly happy in the
knowledge that I did nothing to
prevent full and fair presentation
of this entire matter and declined
any suggestion that the case be mol
pressed. 1t developed that sworn
statements of the facts testified to
by the witnesses who appeared in my
behalf were given to the Govern
ment two months before the hearing
Experience has taught us that guilty
persons do not disclose their hands
50 freely and fully.
/ Il am grateful to my counsel,
Messrs. Ford, Kirkland and Whelan,
for their able presentation of the
matter and, of course, bear no ILL
will toward Mr.. Norman, who fairly
represented the District of Columbia.
To the judges, my friends and asso-
ciates, who evidenced their COM
plete faith in me by testifying as to
my character and reputation, and to
my clients with whom I had pro-
fessional engagements on the after
noon of September "a and who came
forward with their testimony in my
behalf, am also deeply apprecia-
tive.
In the interest of my family, the
many public and patriotic under
takings 10 which I have unsparingly
dedicated SO much of my time and
energies during the past 20 years,
am sure the press will be good
enough to give as much prominence
to this statement as it did to the
charges published in their columns
on September 25, 1912, which are
now established to have been
groundless and without foundation
iyo fo