Evening star., 1951-03-14
Two JudgesStep
Aside in Board
|0uster Hearinq
Mccarthy and Medley
Disquolify Selves;
Lono Posts Bond

Walter T. Mccarthy and William
D. Medley have asked for another
jurist to preside over custer pro-
ceedings against two members Of
the County Board.
The two jurists disqualified
themselves late yesterday and
asked the Supreme Court of Ap-
peals to designate another to hear
charges leveled by a special grand
jury against Daniel A. Dugan and
F. Freeland Chew, the board
In another development late in
the day, Sam Lano, Virginia and
Maryland pinball and slot ma
chine distributor who now lives
in Northeast Washington, ap-
peared at a brief Circuit Court
hearing to post $500 bond on an
indictment charging perjury. lie
pleaded not guilty. He was ordered
to appear to have his trial date
set during the April term of court.
Says He Told of Gifts.
Lano told reporters that he had
not lied to the grand iury which
had accused him of testifying
under oath that he had not given
Mr.. Dugan expensive shirts, ties
and cuff links.
Lano told reporters he had
made such gift to the board
member and he had so informed
the Jury. He said that he had
denied making other gifts to the
official, having in mind television
sets which the grand jury said
Lano purchased from the Service
Tire Corp.
Mr.. Dugan has admitted know
ing Lano and described him as
"a pretty nice fellow" The board
member also told reporters that
he may have received birthday
gifts from Lano last year, but
that he could not be sure because
he had received about 300 gifts
at that time and could not re-
member where all of them came
from.
Association Charged.
The presentment against Mr..
Dugan. calling for his custer,
charged that Lano was associated
with the board member as well
as with Joseph Leib, a member Of
"a special Police Investigating
Committee who was recommended
by Mr.. Dugan, and Malcolm B.
Devers. president of the Congress
sional School of Arlington and
Alexandria.
In disqualifying themselves
from presiding over the ceases Of
MIR. Dugan and Mr.. Chew, Judges
Mccarthy and Medley said they
were 80 situated in respect to
this case as to render it improper
for them to preside at the trial. %
This was believed to imply that
the judges stepped aside because
OF their personal acquaintance
with the accused, who, as county
officials. may have had a certain
amount of business and social as
sociation with the judges.
Judge Medley. who presided
when the, grand jury made its
returns Monday. was directed by
State law to issue a rule against
the two board members to appear
and show cause whv they should
not be removed from office.
The disqualification of the
Judges, however. is expected to
delay further proceedings until
the State Supreme Court desig-
mates a substitute judge.
Both Mr.. Dugan and MIR. Chew
were charged with misfeasance,
malfeasance and gross neglect Of
duty. Mr.. Dugan has attributed
the presentment against him to
politics" and said that three of
the five grand jurors were his
political enemies.
Unanimous Decision Reported.
However. the law requires that
at least four jurors be in agree
ment before a presentment is
returned and it is understood that
all five were unanimous in re-
turning the presenrment against
him.
In acknowledging his friendship
with Lano, Mr.. Dugan said, HE
doesn't stand convicted of any
crime in Arlington County"
Lano has been convicted of ex-
tortion in Prince Georges County,
Md. in connection with an alleged
threat against a Brentwood tav-
ern operator unless the latter
maintained Lano's slot machines.
The Maryland Court of Appeals
at first affirmed this conviction.
which carried a years sentence.
and later ordered the case back to
Prince Georges County Circuit
Court for new trial where it
now is pending.
PmbaH Machines Seized.
In Arlington, police seized a
number Of pinball machines owned
by Lano's Arlington Music Corp.
last November. Some of them
offered free plays" for high scores
snd, according to ComonWealth's
Attorney Denman T. Rucker.
could be used for gambling by
paying off in cash instead of addi-
tional games.
Lano and the company each
were convicted in County Court
of operating illegal pinball ma
chimes and each was fined $50.
On appeal to the Circuit Court.
however, a compromise agreement
was reached whereby the charge
against Lano, personally, was
dropped but the fine against his
company remained and about
81, 300 worth of machines were
destroyed.
At yesterdays appearance on
the perjury charge, Lano was rep
resented by James j. Laughlin Of
WASHINGTON who aSSociated him