Evening star., 1951-04-08
Custer Prosecutor
Gets Arlington Police
Inquiry Testimony

inquiry testimony
Testimony taken during investi-
cation of the Arlington County
Police Department-still closely
: guarded secrets being studied
: for possible use in custer cases
8. against two members OF the
County Board.
This was disclosed yesterday by
/ Oren r. Lewis, prosecutor of the
charges. after court ordered he
be given full access to. records COM
piled in the inquiry.
i Mr.. Lewis is representing the
State in proceedings against Board
Members Danial A. Dugan and F.
Freeland Chew. They were cited
by a grand jury last month for
malfeasance and misfeance in Of
flee. Both denied the charges.
They will be given hearings be-
ginning April %.
The police inquiry was made by
three Arlington citizens selected
by Mr.. Dugan while he was chair
man of the County Board last
year. When the investigation was
completed. the records were turned
over to Mr.. Dugan's successor as
chairman, Mrs. Florence Cannon.
She wanted to limit Mr.. Lewis use
of the records by attaching certain
conditions.
Court Order Obtained.
The prosecutor appealed to-
Judge John l.. Ingram of Rich
mond. who will preside at the
custer hearings. He ordered Mrs.
Cannon to comply with Mr.. Lewis
request. The entire 900-page rec
ord was turned over to the lawyer
yesterday.
Meanwhile, Joseph Leib, a mem
Der Of the committee which inves-
tigated the police department, re-
vealed he had given a copy of his
groups report to the Kefauver
Senate Crime Investigating Com
mlttee. Mr.. Leib expressed hope
the Senators would look into the
Arlington situation.
The three committee members
were among witnesses called be-
fore the grand jury which filed the
custer preSentments against Mr..
Dugan and Mr.. Chew. Other mem
bers of the committee, in addition
to Mr.. Leib. were E. j. Steger and
Vic Gauzza, jr.
The grand jury indicted Sam
Lano, a pinball machine operator.
who has been involved In police
cases in Arlington and Prince
Georges County.
Accepted Gift From Lane.
The grand jury declared that
Board Member Dugan was an In
innate acquaintance of L.ano and
had accepted a gift from him at
a party at Lano's home.
And the group added Mr.. Dugan
recommended the appointment of
Mr.. Leib as a member OF the DO
lice inquiry committee with
knowledge of his intimate asso-
citation with Lano."
BY way of explaining his con-
facts with Lano, Mr.. Leib said YES
terday his committee had not been
given subpoena powers and was
forced to secure information by
methods that should not have been
necessary. If we had had SUBJ
poena powers I would not have had
TO get acquainted with Lano and
some Others" Mr.. Leib is a free
lance writer and professional in
vestigator.
Among other things, the grand
jury charged Mr.. Dugan with aid
ing, abeting and counseline at
violations of the laws against
gambling"
The grand jury accused Mr.
Chew of accepting television set
as a gift from Malcolm B. Devers,
founder and president of the Con-
gressional School, with the "im-
Piled understanding that his vote
-. would be affected favorably to
the said Malcolm B. Devers."
Suicide Attempt Followed Probe
Two weeks after the grand jury
reported, the county was startled
further when Mr.. Dugan attempt
ed to commit suicide by shooting
himself in the chest with his sons
.22-caliber rifle. The wounds, how
ever, were described as not serious
The Arlington upheaval has
many complicating political fac
tors.
Mrs. Cannon. Mr.. Dugan and
Robert w. Cox constitute the
independent majority of the
County Board. Mr.. Chew and AL
fred E. Frisbie comprise the Demo-
cratic minority. The two groups
are frequently at odds.
The board Independents also
have been feuding with Arlington
Commemorative Attorney Den
man T. Rucker, Democrat.
II. A commonwealth attorney is
legal adviser to grand juries. Dur
ing the recent inquiry, Mr.. Rucker
was called as a witness before the
Jury. Mr.. Rucker asked to be ex-
cused from prosecuting the custer
charges and the court appointed
Mr.. Lewis in his place.
L The board terms of both Mrs.
lCannon and Mr.. Chew expire this
year. Mrs. Cannon has said she
Will seek reelection. Mr.. Chew
Jhas not indicated his plans.
4