Evening star., 1951-08-24
Hughes Retracts
Plea 10 Marbury
For Inquiry
Legislator Apologies
For Asking Special
Grand Jury Session

/. For Asking Speciul
Grand Jury Session
Prince Georges Delegate Will
liam r. Hughes has apologized
for writing a letter to Circuit
Judge Charles C. Marbury calling
for an immediate grand jury in
vestigation of illegal activities in
the county.
Publication of the apology
made in a second letter. was au-
thorized today by Judge Mar
bury. with Mr.. Hughes approval.
In a letter Mr.. Hughes released
to the press Tuesday, the Repub-
lican legislator told Judge Mar
bury I'VE believe you have taken
a short-sighted view of the Nell
son matter and urged that q
hard hitting special grand jury
be inpaneled at once.
Mr.. Hughes made it clear that
he made the request formally in
his official capacity as member
of the Maryland General As
sembly.
Construed as Attack.
Judge Marbury did not reply
but States Attorney Carlyle j.
Lancaster and other county ofR-
cials said they construed the let
ter as an attack and declared that
they believed Judge Marbury was
of the same opinion.
In his letter of retraction. dated
Wednesday. Mr.. Hughes asked
Judge Marbury to please accept
my sincere apology if my letter
of August 81 concerning spe-
cial grand juryl was not specif1-
cally clear in its intent"
"I wrote the letter" Mr.. Hughes
said, "as an earnest appeal to
try to get the wheels of govern
ment rolling. To criticize you
personally never entered my
mind"
Adding that "I have nothing
but the highest respect for you
and am fully aware of the fact
that no one is more anxious than
you are to stamp out the rackets
wherever they may be found, =
Mr.. Hughes said:
II know that as a Judge you
have never failed to mete out
justice in its harshest form when
ever the rackets were concerned
In view of the above, repeat
I am most sincerely sorry If the
letter conveyed the wrong i'm
preston.
Mr.. Hughes said last night that
II am now convinced that Judge
Marbury's decision not to recall
the grand jury was the proper
one"
The fact that he had apologizec
was disclosed last night by Mr.
Hughes.
MIR. Hughes said public reac.
tion has been favorable to hi:
suggestion, but that official opin.
ion generally is not accord with
the idea.
He added that he had not dis.
cussed the proposal with Judge
Marbury.
Mr.. Lancaster said last night
that he had conferred with Judge
Marbury on the Nelson case anc
the over-all situation in the coun.
ty. He emphasized that he hac
not asked Judge Marbury to recall
the April grand jury or to name
a special panel The latter pro.
cedure. he explained, is unauthor.
lied in Maryland.
Information Held in District.
"As a result of these discus.
Isions," Mr.. Lancaster asserted, "it
was mutually agreed that we be,
lieved 1t inadvisable to recall tn,
grand jurors since data obtained
by the Senate Crime Investigat
ing Committee has not been turned
over to me for correlation ant
study.
THE Crime Committees infor,
nation has been given to tn,
United States Attorney for th'
District and will not be availabl,
for use here until Washington au
liberties have completed thei
probe"
The States Attorney stresse,
that insofar as our official rela
tions are concerned. there is n,
point of cleavage between my of
flee and that of any member o
lthe court"
Reiterating his previous state
ment that the Senate Crime Com
mittee will give the county all tn
data it has on laWlessness il
Prince Georges, Mr.. Lancaste
added that this will be supple
mented by material gathered 10
cally.
When all the evidence from
various sources has been compile,
it will be prepared for presenta
ltion to the grand jury, Mr.. Ian
caster promised. He said thi
could not be accomplished befor
the regular fall court term begin