Evening star., 1950-03-11
Barrett toleave
Richitt Dispute
1oCity Heads
Chief to Keep Silent
On Row Pending
Tender of Report
BY Miriom Ottenbero

OllCc SIllel fIODeTJ y. Barrett
said today the raging police con-
troVersy over testimony before
congressional crime probers will go
to the District Commissioners for
whatever action they want to take.
Maj. Barrett said as soon as the
investigation of altered police rec
ords in the Third Precinct is COM
pleted, the Commissioners will get
a full report accompanied by all
the statements of those questioned
in the case.
Accusations that perjury was
committed before the House Dis
trict Subcommittee investigating
crime were made Wednesday night
when Special Assistant Corpora
ton Counsel Daniel B. Maher said
the patrol signal system book OF
the third precinct had been all
tered.
The hearings were held by the
subcommittee as an outgrowth Of
charges made by Capt. Anthony
Richitt after his transfer from the
third to the eighth precinct. The
sequence of events brought out q
long standing feud within the de-
partment.
Barrett to Remain Silent.
Maj. Barrett made it clear today
that he will have no more state
ments to make on the Richitt
controversy or the altered third
precinct book. He emphasized
that whatever action is taken in
the case will be up to the Com
missioners.
He also emphasized that Mr..
Maher is conducting the investi-
cation as representative of the
Commissioners and will turn in to
them the results of his investiga-
tion. Commissioner John Russell
Young is the city head who usually
nanQleS ponce matters.
The police chief estimated it
will take at least another week
to complete the questioning Of
policemen involved In the case
and to get back from the sub
committee some of the reports
presented at the hearings.
Meanwhile, Chairman Davis of
the subcommittee said today that.
despite the accusations of perjury
and altered records, the subcom-
mittee Is not going to reopen its
hearings on the explosive police
controversy.
Fischbach at Helm.
Mr.. Davis said the congressional
crime probers-sidetracked to con-
slider the police cortroversy-are
going to complete their investiga-
ton of law enforcement here with
Special Counsel Hyman I. Fisch-
bach at the helm.
Mr.. Davis statement had the
effect of scotching reports that
the subcommittee's vacationing
special counsel is through and
that the investigation has begged
down for lack of funds.
Meanwhile, police have spent
most of this week investigating
their own men to find out who
altered the book kept in the
third precinct to record calls
made to the station house from
police call boxes.
There were these developments
in that investigation:
2" l. Charles A. Appel, jr., retired
FBI handwriting expert, COM
pleted his tests on the signal book
to restore the erased portions and
returned the book to police head
quarters.
2. 1t was learned that the officer
who called Maj. Barrett's atten-
ton to the alterations in the book
was 1t. Henry Helm of the third
precinct.
No One Admits Changes.
g.: 1t was understood that the
testimony of one policeman who
testified before the subcommittee
was altered under subsequent
questioning but so far no one has
admitted using an ink eradicator
on the book.
The changed testimony, it was
understood, has to do with the
whereabouts of various policemen
on the morning of January 81.
This date became significant dur
ing the subcommittee's hearings
because Capt. Richitt said he re-
ceived a call from Maj. Barrett
then and Maj. Barrett said he
made the call on February /.
The January 81 entries in the
patrol book are the ones Mr..
Maher has said were altered.
Mr.. Appel, who restored entries
Mr.. Maher has said were elim-
mated with an ink eradicator, re-