Evening star., 1948-05-28
One Operator Called
In Day by Government.
Resumption Tuesday
By Froncis P. DouqIos

The District Court trial of the
real estate antitrust case was re-
cessed this morning after one wit
ness was heard and it. was indi-
Gated the Government may rest
Tuesday when the trial is resumed
The witness .was j. Wesley Bu-
chanan, who has a real estate office
at 1882 K street NV. After his
testimony, Victor H. Kramer, the
Government attorney, announced
the Government may not present
any additional testimony, but he
would like the long week end to
check the points of evidence the
Government had presented.
The Washington Real Estate
Board and the National Association
of Real Estate Boards are charged
with a criminal conspiracy to fix
real estate commissions in the
District.
Curran Holds Conference.
/, Government and defense attorneys
were called to the bench this morn
ing by Justice Edward M. Curran
and there was a brief conference
What was said was not disclosed
but Mr.. Kramer was observed to
smile with qualification.
William E. Leahy, attorney for the
Washington board, said if the Gov
ernment rests Tuesday he probably
will offer motions which would be
argued then.
Mr.. Buchanan, the only witness of
the day and the second member OF
the Washington board to be called
is a former director of the Wash
ington board. He testified concern
ing the meeting of the members in
February, 1943, when the schedule
Of commissions had been changed.
Before this meeting the commits.
sion on the sale of houses in The
central zone of the city had been
5 per cent of the first SIS 900 of he
sale price and 3 per cent on any
amount over that. Beyond the CEN
trail zone the commission was a
straight 5 per cent. At the le43
meeting, the commission was 5 per
cent on the first s5O0OO and per
cent on the excess, applicable to the
whole city.
Schedule of Rates Held Observed.
Under questioning by Herbert
Maletz, Government attorney, Mr.
Buchanan said that brokers here
generally adhered to the standard
rates.
The first District realty dealer to
take the stand was j. Garrett Belt
zell, who has been a director of the
Washington board and is now Sec
ond vice president.
He testified yesterday that as a
general rule he followed the COM
mission schedule of the Washington
board but that many times I made
exceptions.
National Officer Testifies.
Another witness was Leon E. Todd
of Medford Lakes and Camden, N. j.
who was chairman of the national
associations Rates, Rules and Gus
toms Committee in 1914 and 1945
On March 20, 1916, he wrote letter
to Daniel F. Sheehan of st. Louis
who succeeded to part of Mr.. Todd S
duties as chairman.
This letter, introduced in evidence.
said pamphlet sent out by the
committee was a sample schedule
of commissions and charges which
we felt would be a good guide to the
many new boards being organized,
and also reminder to a lot of old
boards to study their own schedules
and revise them if needed
After direct examination by JOS
eph P. Kelly. Government attorney,
Roger j. Whiteford, attorney for the
National association, brought out
that the pamphlet contained the
commission schedules of the Cam
den IN. j. Real Estate Board.
Mr.. Whiteford made the point it
had nothing to do with the rates
in Washington, and that the WASH
ington board was not represented
on Mr.. Todds committee.
The Washington boards code of
ethics provides that no business
shall be solicited at lower rates than
the boards standard. The code of
the National board urges realtors
to follow the rates of their local
boards