Evening star., 1948-07-23
Action in Many
GrayMarket
Car Deals Due
Cob Driver Faces
Sentencing August 6
For Title Violation

Municipal Court action is expec-
ted In the near future on many
cases in which new cars have dis
appeared mysteriously soon after
their purchase here by cab drivers,
to turn up later in the gray mar
ket" in Alabama.
The first case of the sort was
heard yesterday by Judge Walter
J. Casey, who found Frank Weaver,
10, cab driver, guilty of violating the
District title regulations in such a
transaction.
Weaver, who was released under
500 bond, appeared in court to-
day for sentencing. This was post
poned, however, to August 6, to per-
NIT investigation by probation OFF,
GERS. He faces a possible maximum
penalty of a $500 fine and 10 days in
jail
Weaver admitted in court he had
bought the cab as an agent for a
Mr.. Campbell" who paid him a
500 commission. The car new
Plymouth sedan, later was located in
Montgomery, Ala, where it hao
been resold at auction for more than
It's purchase price.
Tells of Transaction.
Witnesses at yesterdays trial tes-
tilted that Weaver had bought the
car on April 20 through the Kaplan
and Crawford Company. which sup
plies automobiles for the Premier
Cab Association here. Leonard
Kaplan, official of the company,
said he had received release on
the car from the cab association,
after Weaver signed contract that
the car was being bought by him
for his own use.
An investigation was started by
his company. Mr.. Kaplan said, when
it failed to receive notification that
Weaver had obtained title on the
new car after week. He found
that no title had been applied for
and that Weaver was no longer in
possession of the car.
The cab driver said yesterday he
turned the car and papers over to
Mr.. Campbell. who told him he
would take care of everything"
Weaver said he did not know he
was violating the law.
Commenting on the court de-
cision yesterday, Mr.. Kaplan said
his company is planning action on
more than a dozen similar cases,
involving cars sold to Washington
taxi drivers turning up in Alabama.
Other Companies May Act.
Several other distributors face the
same problems, he said. The 13
cases in which his company is in
volved represents "a small proper
ton" of the total number, he added.
The other companies, he said, are
believed to be considering action
also. if court decisions justify the
time and expense. Judge Casey said
yesterday he feels all such cases
should be vigorously handled"
The mysterious Mr.. Campbell has
been involved in several other cases
that have come to his attention,
Mr.. Kaplan said. 1t is believed
the cars either are towed from the
District to Alabama, (where title
regulations are NOL as StTlCI hS tIley
are here), or else driven down on
dealers tags.
Officials believe transactions are
the work of an organized ring, for
whom Mr.. Campbell is acting as
agent. They point out that no
action can be taken directly against
the gray marketeers themselves.
until some violation of the law can
be proved against them.
The taxi drivers who use their
connections to buy the cars for
them, however. can be prosecuted
under the title regulations. and
also for violation of the contract
agreement that the car is for their
own use,