Evening star., 1944-03-17
Maghan Sober
When Arrested,
Detective Saws
Declares Precinct
Coptoin Sought to
Influence Report

Declaring that Policeman Robert
j. Maghan, jr., was sober at the
time of his arrest on an intoxicatior
charge last December, Detective
Joseph Loughrin testified before g
civilian trial board today that 1t
Earl Hartman had threatened him
when he refused to say in a forma
statement that Maghan was intoxi-
Gated.
Lit. Hartman was acting captain o1
the 7th precinct at the time that
the intoxication charge against
Maghan, which resulted in his sus-
pension, was filed. Maghan recently
was cleared of the charge in Mu-
nicipal Court.
Detective Loughrin testified he
had driven Maghan from the park
ing lot where he was put under ar
rest to the stationhouse. He said
he had not detected the odor o1
alcohol on the suspended police
mans breath.
When he made out his writer
statement on the case, he said, 1t
Hartman told him to say that Ma.
CHAN was drunk or under the influ.
ence of liquor. When he refused, hi
testified, 1t. Hartman told him:
You had better play ball with me
Xou are cutting your own throat"
Attitude Termed "CooI.'
1t. Hartman told the trial board
yesterday that he had rejected
Laughrin's written statement be.
cause it varied from the oral version
the latter had given. Laughrin sale
today that 1t. Hartman's attitude
had been very COOL toward hin
since the Maghan incident.
He also testified that a paragraph
had been added to a statement by
Policeman Linwood Jones since he
saw it come from the typewriter, al
though he said that the original
statement was not signed at the
time he saw it.
Police 1t. Joseph w. Shimon told
the board that in the fall of 193t
he was in the third precinct station
when 1t. Hartman entered with q
package and left it for for Maghan
Several days later, he declared, 1t
Hartman told him to tell Maghar
to stop his crying around town-he's
got his rug back" Maghan has al.
legged that rug was removed from
the station by 1t. Hartman.
Asked by Assistant Corporation
Counsel Fred j. Icenhower whethe,
ne knew what was in the package
Detective Loughrin said he did not
Later, however, he said, the package
was about the size of the rug.
Maghan's Character Attested.
Several character witnesses toda,
testified for Maghan, as Defense
Counsel James j. Laughlin opened
his case in behalf of the defend.
ant. They included Police Capt
George M. Little, C. Norton Cross O.
Arlington, Inspector Clarence Tai.
ley. Inspector Ira E. Keck of the
Police Department, and Assistan,
United States Attorney John B
Diamond III.
Three witnesses testified yester.
day that Maghan was not in a con.
dision for police duty the mornins
OF his arrest, but one of the trio
had contradicted a statement made
by another before the prosecution
rested.
1t. Hartman testified Capt. Will
liam j. Cunningham of the traffic
department told Maghan he was
drunk" and Sinking with alcohol
when he visited the suspended
policeman about $50 am. the day
OF his arrest.
Capt. Cunningham, following 1t
Hartman to the stand, however
testified he had not accused Maghar
of being drunk.
1t. Lorraine T. Johnson of the
traffic division was the third wit
ness to testify Maghan wasn't ir
condition for duty when he saw him
the morning of his arrest.