Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-05-20
Makers Resignation
| Declared Unrelated
To Report on Richitt

- SSt&s Wv ~ssa SsNsSS
To Report on Richitt
Denials that the resignation of
Daniel B. Maher. special assistant
corporation counsel. was based on
dissatisfaction with the handling
of his report on the case of Police
Capt. Anthony Richitt came to-
day.
Mr.. Maher, who has been the
Districts legal trouble shooter
since 1947, said his resignation
yesterday was to permit him to
devote full time to private prac-
tice after June Is.
The attorney said the resigna-
ton had nothing whatever to
do" with the still secret report
he made to the Commissioners
April 6 on the police controversy.
He said he had wanted to leave
the post for several months.
Corporation Counsel Vernon E.
West, who was in conference with
the Commissioners last week on
the report. said he knew of no
connection between the resigna-
ton and the Richitt document.
HE did not submit his resigna-
ton through me-" Mr.. West point
ed out.
Held Up for Qualification.
Commissioner John Russell
Young announced after the meet
ing last week that more informa-
ton was being sought for "clari-
fication" purposes before the city
heads make the report public and
act on it.
Mr.. Young, who has been away
from his Office because of illness
all week, could not be reached by
telephone to comment on the
resignation.
Charles Stofberg, Mr.. Young's
special assistant, denied he had
anything to do with holding up
the report.
Engineer Commissioner Gordon
r. Young would not comment
when asked why the Commission
ers have not yet made the report
public. He said the main thing
discussed last week was what the
city should do. if anything. about
| it right now.
He said that Mr.. Maher told the
Commissioners he had additional
background information which
would cast more light on one
angle of the report, but that as
Mr.. Maher described it there was
nothing in it which would alter
the substance of his report or his
recommendations.
Gen. Young said he knew of no
attempt to influence Mr.. Maher
in connection with his report.
Transferred From No. 3.
The police controversy grew out
of Capt. Richitt's transfer from
the No. 3 (the White House,
Precinct to No. 8.
In the investigation. and after
the House District subcommittee
investigating crime had given two
days to hearing the Richitt case,
Mr.. Maher announced he had I'M
covered evidence tending to indi-
cate perjury had been committed
and that third precinct records
had been altered.
Capt. Richitt alleged the rea-
son for his transfer was that he
had given information to the sub
committee investigating crime. He
quoted Emmett Warning, reputed
gambler. as having referred to
Police Supt. Robert j. Barrett as
''the boss"
Worked Closely With Barrett.
Mr.. Maher took an active part
in the two-day hearing before the
subcommittee. At one point he
grew so emotional during an argyll
ment with Capt. Richitt that Maj
Barrett, in an aside, urged him
to calm down.
Over long period of time Mr..
Maher has worked closely with
the police chief and has prepared
reports designed to put the Police
Department in a favorable light.
In April, 1949, he released a
compilation of figures showing
that the rate at which gamblers
were indicted had climbed from
A per cent before United States
Attorney George Morris Fay
launched his gambling probe to
"a per cent.
Maj. Barrett. in asking Com
missioner Young to assigned Mr..
Maher for a gambling study, had
said he would show the Police De-
partment did more about gam
bling in month that Mr.. Fay's
office had done in the previous II
months.
Inspector Case Pending.
A different type of assignment,
and one that still is pending, is
Mr.. Makers formal investigation
of allegations concerning a sus-
pended District Building inspec-
tor, Frederick A. Humm. The
Commissioners, in assigning the
case to Mr.. Maher, said they were
Informed Mr.. Humm had been
accused of receiving money from
a builder whose project he was
assigned to inspect.
Mr.. Maher, a native of New
Jersey. former newspaper re-
porter and Columbus Law School
graduate, came to Washington in
1929. After practicing law with
Nell Burkinshaw and Dennis Col
Inns, he was named an Assistant
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