Evening star., 1948-11-11
Officer Charges
'Sa1dbaggiing'
In ABC Case
Monthos Says Wallace
Admitted PiIing Up
Charges Against Grill

case OF Mitchells Grill now have
before them the added accusation
that the Vice Squad detective who
placed 81 liquor law violation
charges against the grill admitted
he had "sandbagged" them good.
Police Pvt. Frank N. Manthos
q member of the Vice Squad,
made this accusation yesterday, az
the Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board continued it's hearings on the
charges against the grill, located at
235 G street NV. He said PVT. Sam
uel E. Wallace of the Vice Squad
had told him about the "sandbag-
ging" in discussing the charges
placed against the restaurant.
In earlier testimony, Pvt. Man.
thoS accused Pvt. Wallace of warm
ing him that he would "be hurt" II
he defended the restaurant.
Barrett Orders Investigation.
This charge prompted Police Supt
Robert J. Barrett to order Inspector
George Wallrodt to conduct
thorough investigation of the feud
between the policemen. The in
spector was present yesterday when
Pvt. Manthos made his new charge.
The hearing ran until late yester-
day, then was adjourned until 3
pm Tuesday.
Assistant Corporation Counsel
Robert D. Wise asked Pvt Manthos
what he meant by sandbagging.
The officer said that sandbagging,
"as explained to me by Vice Squad
members" means piling up the
charges against an individual or q
place just to get them, whether the
charges were true or not.
Calls Wallace Testimony False.
He told the board that much Of
the testimony given by Pvt. Wallacs
was false and that Mitchell's Grill,
against whom Pvt. Wallace filed
the charges, is being conducted
properly by its proprietor, Henry
G. David and his brother Fred, whe
is manager.
Only one charge brought by Pvt.
Wallace was true, the policeman
said. This was the charge that the
grill stopped serving beer after 130
am. and forced the customers
to buy whisky On eight of the
charges, he said, he had no knowl-
edge. But he branded all the rest
false.
Pvt. Manthos said he first heard
of the charges when the grill owner
ShnuJaI G hin, fhA
ABC Board. but he had not read all
of them. That letter, conversations
with Pvt. Wallace, and what he had
read in the newspapers, constituted
his knowledge of the charges, he
said.
Mr. Wise, who is presenting the
case before the board, shouted:
I'VE are dealing with the most
amazing witness who testifies all Is
false and hasn't even heard the
testimony" ~w
Supporting Testimony Cited.
Pvt. Manthos then said that Pvt.
Wallace had admitted the sand
bagging' during a conversation in
front of Keith's Theater. F. Joseph
Donohue and Thomas David, attor-
news representing the grill, pointed
out that Pvt. Manthos was not alone
in his opinion and that 20 other
policemen had testified they had
never seen anything out of the way
at the grill.
Attorneys for each side kept argu-
ing as the case progressed. At one
point, Alan Payne, chairman of the
ABC Board, slammed his fists on
the table and demanded that they
stop pickering" Later he asked if
he could furnish knives, rifles and
guns" to the opposing attorneys.
The 81 charges against the
restaurant include selling whisky to
drunks, allowing the premises to
be used for soliciting for prostitu-
ton, allowing foul language and
other charges covering a period
from September Is to September %.
Mr.. Wise wanted to know why
Pvt. Manthos spent so much time
in the place.
Il live in hotel room. I eat at
the grill It's we'll rum" he answered.
Pvt. ManthoS said he had seen a
known prostitute in the grill but
that she had behaved while he was
there.
Did you see a drunk curse and
shout he could whip any one in the
house las charged by Pvt.
Wallace" Mr.. Wise asked.
mo. I would have taken him I'D
on it," Pvt. Manthos answered.
New Term to Wallrodt.
After the hearing adjourned, In
spector Wallrodt said he never had
heard the charge Of "sandbagging"
before. He said he had just begun
his investigation of the charges and
counter charges,
porters' questions. said he could say
nothing as he had been told to talk
to Maj. Barrett only and every
thing would work out"
Pvt. Manthos, known as the
"one-man vice squad" for mis- work
in obtaining $50 convictions in this
field. said he enlisted in the Navy
at IT,. quitting high school to do
So After three and one-half years
in the submarine service, he worked
for the Once of Strategic Services
for six months and then for the
Central Intelligence Group for
year and a half. He has been on
the police force eight months.
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