Evening star., 1950-03-05
Richitt Tells Probe
OF Order 10 Fa|sify
Gambling Report
CONTINUED From First Page }

citizens, lack of proper admins
tration in his precinct, indiffer-
ence to proper orders, failure to
obey the rules and regulations OF
the department and open de-
flance of his superiors."
What were described as 1.-THE
more serious of these infractions
of unpolicemanlike conduct" were
listed in the document handed
Capt. Richitt. There were five
such complaints listed.
When Capt. Richitt mentioned
nine complaints, he presumably
referred to some of the material
which Special Assistant Corpora
tion Counsel Daniel L. Maher said
he had used in preparing the sum-
mary. Mr.. Maher had agreed to
turn all this material over to
Capt. Richitt.
Although Mr.. Maher testified he
had written the summary, it was
presented in the first person as
coming from Maj. Barrett.
Policy 'on Trial Board Action.
The summary stated: 1T has
been the policy of the police de-
partment not to bring trial board
action against policemen with a
long service record unless abso-
lutely necessary. For this reason
no charges have been preferred
against Capt. Richitt."
Capt. .Richitt's counter-charge
that he was ordered to submit a
false report came into the picture
with the introduction of "vice
complaint number ST." Capt.
Richitt explained that the COM
plant had originated with the
United States Attorneys Office.
He said he was told to investi-
gate the United Nations Social
Club in the HOO block of Eigh-
teenth street NV. He testified
that he assigned Precinct Detec-
tive William j. McGrath to in
vestigate the complaint of gam
bling at the club and sent in the
detectives report to headquarters
on May %, 1949.
On July 6, he went on Inspec-
tor Jeffries showed him a report
prepared by Detective Sgt. Howard
E. Ogle, Precinct Detective Will
lam McEwen and Pvt. William C.
Clark. The inspector, he said,
brought back the original Nc
Grath report and told him to pre-
pare another report that would
conform with the one made by the
three men.
Did you make out a new re-
port?" Mr.. Fischbach asked the
captain.
Capt. Ritchitt responded that
he had made out a new report
and that going by McGrath's re-
port. it would be false" He said
he submitted the false report"
on July Z.
why did you knowingly sub
init a false report?" Mr.. Fisch-
bach asked him.
Il was ordered to send in a re-
port that would conform to Sergt.
Ogle's."
Called to the witness stand, In
spector Jeffries said he did not
recall the incident at all. He
had been excluded from the hear
ing room while Capt. Richitt was
telling his story and Capt. Rich
lit went through it again for his
benefit.
Inspector Jeffries, in answer to
all Mr.. Fischbach's questions,
continued to insist that he did
not recall asking Capt. Richitt to
submit a second report.
Asked to Explain Differences.
At that point. Assistant United
States Attorney John w. Fihelly
arose to explain that while the
special grand jury investigation
of gambling was going on, the
United States attorneys Office re-
ceived over a hundred complaints
of alleged violations. These COM
plants were turned over to the
police department for inveStiga-
ton and the findings were then
submitted to the grand jury.
Mr.. Maher then demanded that
Capt. Richitt be called on to ex-
plain in what ways the McGrath
report differed from the Ogle re-
port.
Parts of the original McGrath
report. the Ogle report and the
second report submitted by Capt.
Richitt then began going into the
record. Capt. Richitt laid particu-
lar stress on this section of his
detectives first report:
"It is recommended by the
undersigned than an undercover
man from the vice squad be used
for the purpose of making a play
at premises 1882 Eighteenth street
NV. Proprietor Danny Nickles
knows all members of the plain
clothes personnel of this precinct
and because of this fact it
would be difficult for the third
precinct to handle this complaint
properly"
Capt. Richitt asserted neither
the Ogle report nor the second
report from his precinct carried
this recommendation for an
undercover man.
Conclusion of Report.
The Ogle report carried this
conclusion:
"Mr. Thomas w. Nickles states
that there is no longer any gam
bling activities at the club and
that only club members are al
lowed to enter. Observation of
the above premises by the under
signed officers reveals no evidence
of any gambling activity"
The report finally submitted by
Capt. Richitt notd that only bona
f1de members of the club were ad-
mitted and never were any gam
bling or other violations observed" I"
That report ended with a premise
that the place would be kept un-