Evening star., 1950-03-28
Jury 1amperiing
.ChargedAgainst
Caldwell
Owner of Club Boil
Indicted in Outgrowth
Of Snogs Lewis Case

Bennie C. Caldwell. owner Of
the Club Bali, 1901 Fourteenth
street NV. today was named in
a four-count indictment charging
him with jury tampering in the
recent gambling trial of William
(Snags) Lewis, Attilio Acalotti and
Frank Billeci.
Caldwell, who is colored, was
charged in one count with promis-
ing and offering a sum of money
to Luraner D. Ivey, 43, colored.
a charWoman at the Bureau of
Internal Revenue, with intent to
influence her decision. She lives
at 49 Forty-seventh street Sc.
A second count accuses Caldwell
of causing a sum of money to
be promised and offered TO Sallie
Walker. 43. colored. OF 1929 Mon
tello avenue NE, who is listed as
houseworker. Both offenses al
legedly were committed on Janu-
ary %.
Caldwell is accused in a third
count of Offering money to Robert
c. Fraction. 81, colored, of 2705
Stanton road Sc, an unemployed
laborer.
Man Not on Jury for Trial.
Assistant United States Attor-
ney William Hitz. who had charge
of the investigation. pointed out
that Fraction was a member of
a jury panel but did not actually
sit on the jury which decided the
gambling case.
A fourth count of the indict-
ment accuses Caldwell of attempt
ing to obstruct justice by offering
the money to Fraction.
The indictment does not men,
ton the amounts of money in
volved. MIR. Hitz said, however,
the sum would run around $1,000.
A bench warrant for CaldWellis
arrest was issued Immediately
after the indictment was returned.
District Court Judge Alexander
Holtzof, before whom the grand
jury made its return. set bond at
$4,000, which Caldwell would be
required to post for his release
pending further action in the
case. 1t was thought likely that
Caldwell would be apprehended
and brought into court some time
today.
Telephone Calls Revealed.
Judge HoltZoff revealed Janu-
ary 26 that several women jurors
had received telephone calls on
behalf of the defendants.
One of the jurors, who told her
story to a deputy marshal, was
later identified as Mrs. Essie L.
Kendrick, 81. OF 1908 Fifth street
NV.
Judge Holtzoff said one juror
revealed that an anonymous male
voice had offered her $500 on the
telephone for a not guilty verdict.
Another woman juror said she had
received a call asking her to be
lienient as to Acalotti.
Obviously angered by the re-
ported meddling, Judge Holtzoh
ordered thorough grand jury in
vestigation. That night the petit
jury returned guilty verdicH
against all three defendants.
Sentenced to 10 to 30 Months.
Lewis was sentenced to from 10
to 80 months and Billeci. to from
eight to 81 months. Judge Holtzof
denied them bond on the ground
they had pursued gambling opera
tions when out on bail before. But
both later we're freed under $25.-
900 bond each by the United
States Court of Appeals and are
awaiting review action by that
court.
Acalotti. who previously had
been sentenced to serve from
eight months to two years for
threatening a witness, was SEN.
fenced to a similar concurrent
term on the gambling charge.
FBI agents began questioning
jurors at once about the tamper-
ing charges, but it was apparently
not until February 10 that the
grand jury heard witnesses. That
date was the only time newsmen
observed any activity they linked
with the investigation.