St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1952-12-26


has been operating in the Dis
of years, was broken last week
(Catfish) Turner, along with I
New York suppliers, were four
the District court.
The conviction, after 1871 hours
Of jury elaboration, brought a
dramatic end to a trial which has
been in progress for five weeks
The decision brought to a climax
the largest dope conspiracy case
ever tried in the District Of Col
umbia.
These seven top figures who
supplied Washington addicts with
q million dollars worth of heroin
capsules a year ago were found
guilty on all six counts in the in
dictment.
They will remain In Jail until
their sentences have been an
nounced by Judge David A. Pine.
Under the law, each could receive
up to 40 years in prison.
Found guilty along with Turner
were Lawrence Carrado and
Richard Manfredonia, white sup
pliers from New York, said to
have fed the ring bulk heroin in
50 ounce lots.
"Catfish's" top heutenants also
found guilty were Joseph (Peter
Rabbit) Smith, Eddie (Meathead)
Atkins, and Leon James. The
jury found Allan (Turk) williams
guilty Of buying large quantities
Of dope from Catfish, but asked
Ieniency for him because he was
said not to have been in the In
ner circle.
Two small fry operators, War
rem Williams and Zone Eye) Sam
Palmer, were acquitted by the
Jury.
The members OF the dope ring
were indicted by the grand jury
after their operation had been ex-
posed by a senate crime investi-
eating committee, headed by Sen
Estes Kefauver, several months
ago. Four of the major witnesses
in the trial were former members
Of the gang.
Among these witnesses was
Paul Robins who had once served
as Catfish" Turner's executive
assistant" He testified that his
business was to pick up stuff
from Carrado or Manfredonia or
the Boss" Harry Tantilla, a fu-
gitive in the case, and deliver 1t
to James Atkins, Smith and Turk
williams.
The gang held monthly bust
ness meetings at Turner's house,
he said, and discussed prices and
the quality of their dope and paid
! their $50 monthly protection fee
to be passed on to Lieut.. H. H.
Carper, suspended head Of the
narcotics squad, he testified.
He said he had the terrible"
dope habit and had been persuad-
ed by his grandmother to sing.
Two other states witnesses and
former dope peddlers were Her
bert (Bucklejaws) Johnson and
his girl friend, Nellie Leach. Both
were important witnesses in the
Refauver hearings.
Nellie and Bucklejaws were ar
rested last November after having
paid police protection. Nellie said
she was so disturbed about the
shake-down that she became an
informer after being released
from jail.
Claiming that he had been put
on the spot by Nenie's singing"
BuclxIejaws said there was no
thing else for him to do but "join
the chorus" Because he already
had n long criminal record, he
said he could not stand any per-
jury charges.
Robinson, johnson and Miss
Leach all pleaded guilty to dope
on seperate charges and are now
awaiting their sentences. Because
of threats having been made upon
Johnson and Miss Leach, the two
are constantly under police guard.
It Is recalled that when
'Bucklejaws" Johnson was test-
flying before the senate committee
a call is said to have been made
to the chief counsel urging him to
take 'Bucklejaws'' off the stand
because he was about to be shot.
Quietly the witness was dismissed
from the stand without the spec
tators ever realizing what had
happened.
The fourth witness in the dope
trial was Esther Wright who told
the jury that she had become an
addict after going to live with
Peter Rabbit and mixing dope for
him and placing II in capsules for
retail sales.
She tipped off federal agents
after having a brawl with her
lover. She was made a co-defend-
ent in the case but won a dismiss