Evening star., 1950-01-31
ChristoffeI Jury
Selected From
1OOCaI|ed Up
Prosecutor Says He
Will Prove Quorum
Heard Red Denial

A jury of eight women and four
men finally was chosen in District
Court today to hear the second
perjury trial of Harold R. Chris,
toffel.
One hundred prospective jurors
were called before the jury and
two alternates. a man and a
woman, were selected. Judge F.
Dickinson Let's excused more
than 10.
The tall, slender defendant is
being retired on a charge that
he lied about his alleged Commu-
mist affiliations during hearing
before the House Labor Commit
tee on March l, 1947. He was
first convicted and sentenced in
District Court to serve from two
to six years. But this verdict was
reversed last year by the Supreme
Court in a 5-to-4 decision. which
held the Government had failed to
prove "a committee quorum was
present when the alleged perjury
was committed.
Government Workers Excluded.
The judge yesterday agreed to
a motion by o. John Rogge Of
defense counsel to exclude all per-
sons who work for the Govern
ment or have near relatives in
Government service.
Mr.. Rogge, in questioning the
jurors about possible prejudices,
brought out that Christoffel was
member of the Lutheran Church
and had been a supporter of the
late President Roosevelt. He also
brought out that Christoffel was
"a militant labor leader and had
Joined in strikes.
The prospective jurors also were
questioned about what periodicals
they read, whether they were
members of citizens associations.
OF the Washington Bookshop, and
a long list of organizations which
Mr.. Rogge read.
The Government used four of
its six peremptory challenges and
the defense exercised of it's 10.
John S. Pratt. special assistant
to the Attorney General, then
began his opening address to the
jury.
Hartley to Be Called.
Mr.. Pratt told the jury the Gov
eminent would prove that IA
members Of the House Labor Com
mittee-one more than a quorum
were present when Christoffel
denied he was a member of the
Communist Party.
MIR. Pratt said that in bringing
House Labor Committee members
and former members to testify.
one of the witnesses would be
former Representative Hartley,
Republican. of New Jersey. He
was chairman of the Labor Com
mittee when Christoffel was a
witness. Mr.. Pratt said Mr.. Hart
ley will testify he administered
the oath to Christoffel.
He said the prosecution would
prove from the mouths of former
Communists and men who sat
with him in Communistic meet
ings' that Christoffel was a Com
munist and that his denialS were
false.
Mr.. Rogge, opening for the de-
fense, said the evidence would
show that mot anywhere near Is
members of the committee were
present" when Christoffel testified.
The committee numbers 25.
Mr.. Rogge said also the defense
would show that Christoffel told
the truth in denying membership
in the Communist Party. He said
the villain of the piece is not
Christoffel but the Allis- Chalmers
management.
Members of Jury.
Members of the jury are:
Richard w. Dewitt, 4634 New
Hampshire avenue NV, a COM
mercial artist; Elma C. Jenkins,
66l1 Second street NV. house,
wife: Bella Hoffman, 5759 Thir-
teenth street NV, housewife;
Alice A. Green. 626 Keefer place
NV, housewife; Dora T. Sechrist,
1907 Twelfth street NV, super
visor of supplies at the Woodward
Building; Marjorie E. Ridgely.
238 Portland street Sc, nurse
at George Washington Hospital.
Also Lucy Quick. 1707 Euclid
street NV, dressmaker at the
Malone dress shop; James R. Gal
lagher, 1925 E street NE, bus
driver; Morris Ginsburg, 254 Ham
ilton street NV, builder; Ina B.
Headley, 620 Emerson street NV,
housewife; Wilbur M. Gerhart,
2032 Belmont road NV, hotel
clerk, and Margaret v. Mcdaniel,
2418 G street NV, Peoples drug
store clerk.