Evening star., 1948-11-18
Perjury Charge
Pressed as Abe
Hearing Ends
Police Testimony
On Grill Will Go
To U. S. Attorney

- -
in the hands of the Alcoholic Bev-
erage Control Board today. along
with a prosecution request that
testimony be turned over to the
United States attorney to determine
whether one of the disputing police
witnesses committed perjury.
The board took the case under
advisement late yesterday. 1t heard
two hours of final arguments, ve-
hemently attacking the truthfulness
both of Pvt. Samuel E. Wallace, who
told of having witnessed 81 law
violations at the grill at 235 G street
NV, and of Pvt. Frank N Manthos,
who testified he had seen nothing
to substantiate those allegations.
1t also heard Assistant Corpora
ton Counsel Robert D. Wise call
the case "a scandal in the Nations
Capital" Attorney F. Joseph
Donohue declared it was merely
"a difference of opinion between
the two policemen. But he warned
that administration of the alcoholic
beverage control law would suffer
seriously If, lin the future, a witness
can come before this board and
make a mental reservation at the
order or suggestion Of some one else"
Barrett Confirms Order.
Mr.. Donohue indicated he was
referring to Pvt. Wallace's dis
closure Tuesday that Police Supt.
Robert J. Barrett and 1t. Roy Blick,
head of the Vice Squad, instructed
him, before the hearings opened.
not to testify that he saw policemen
eating and drinking in the grill.
Maj. Barrett informed reporters
later that he gave those instructions
because there were other investi-
gators checking a report that on.
duty policemen we're lettering and
getting free meals at the res.
taurant"
Mr.. Wise, Mr. Donohue and
Thomas David, also an attorney for
the grill, argued at length over the
fact that testimony of some 20
other policemen differed wholly or
in part from Pvt Wallace's version
of events in the grill while he was
there as an undercover man.
Mr.. Wise contended those police
men were not at the grill at the
time Pvt. Wallace saw the violations.
He said Pvt. Manthos did not ten
the truth when he accused Pvt. Wall
lace of giving false testimony. The
other two attorneys declared Pvt.
Wallace testified falsely. This was
proved not only by Pvt. Manthos.
but by the testimony of the other
policemen and l6 civilian witnesses
who said they saw no violations at
the grill. the lawyers said.
Wise Says One Is Lying.
| While defending Pvt. Wallace's
truthfulness and attacking the tes-
timony and "demeanor" of Pvt.
Manthos as a witness, Mr.. Wise
declared:
1T is evident that one of these
men is lying. I ask that this board
send the transcript to United States
Attorney George Morris Fay to de-
termine who has committed perjury.
There is q real scandal here. This
goes much further than a mere
difference Of opinion between two
men as to whether. for instance.
another man was drunk. 1t is
fundamental difference between what
Manthos and Wallace say they saw.
1t is where one police officer calls
another n liar 1t is one of the most
I for fhipoc haue euer SaorS
in Washington.
When two officers, schooled In
the rules of evidence, take the stand
and swear to tell the truth. you ex-
pect them to tell the truth. I am
sure Mr.. Fay will be glad to take
the transcript and examine it for
possible perjury"
Hits Undercover Work.
Mr.. Donohue, equally bitter in
his characterizations of Pvt. Wall
lcae. remarked that "the Metro
politan Police Department will SUR
vive this difference between two of
its members" He raised a question.
however, whether police efforts
shouldn't be devoted more to blind
pig establishments instead of max
ing ABC-controlled places subject
to so much undercover police in
spection, whether on D street or
Connecticut avenue"
Mr.. David, who told the board he is
related to the operators of Mitchell's
Grill, declared he never met Pvt.
Manthos until the hearings this
week. He added that the grill is
under no obligation to Manthos or
he to the grill
Putting on his hat and then
dofhng it, the attorney exclaimed:
Il take off my hat to Pvt. Manthos
because he showed more nerve and
CUTS than any one have ever seen.
He risked his job to testify what
he knew was the truth"
Delay in Decision Indicated.
AS for the 81 charges, subse-
quently reduced to 55. against the
grill, Mr.. David asserted: Il don't
believe a man could 60 into any
place in the world for a few hours
as Pvt. Wallace said he did and get
81 charges"
Board members indicated they
did not expect to decide the case
for some time. Under the law, the
board could clear the licensee or
permanently revoke the license.
suspend it for any length of time,
or paddock the place for year.
Early yesterday, the board heard
charges that the Crescent Cafe, Inc.
1888 New York avenue NV, sold
alcoholic beverages to two l6-year-
old girls last summer. The girls
testified they had met two sailors
on a moonlight cruise on the Poto-
mac and, after returning to WASH
ington, went with them to the Cres-
cent Cafe, where they were served
two bottles of beer each.
The board also took this case un-
der advisement.