Evening star., 1952-10-23
Sergt.' Beach Charges
Police Plot Because
OF Senate Testimony

A police sergeant whose dis
missal has been recommended
by police trial board charged
last night the whole procedure
was plotted because he testified
before the Senate Crime Com
mittee
Police officials denied the ac-
cuSation.
Sergt. James G. Beach, of No.
10 Precinct, in a press confer
ence at mis- home at 900 Quincy
street NE, said he had been Civ
en- a friendly warning" by three
department officials not to appear
before the Senate committee.
A trial board yesterday con-
victed the sergeant on four
charges involving his debts and
AN arrest he made September 49,
The BOARD recommended his dis
missal
Calls No Names.
Sergt Beach told the Senate
committee last spring that he had
been assigned to school crossing
duty because of a gambling arrest
he made. Although he said last
might some one in the Police De-
partment was "out to get" him,
he would not name the person or
persons he suspects.
During the committee hearings,
ISergt. Beach testified that his
school crossing assignment came
the day after he had arrested a
known gambling figure.
He said Capt. William T. Muir
ply. then in command of No. 13
Precinct, called him into the Office
latter roll call and wanted to know
where he had received the infor-
mation on which he based the
gambling arrest. Sergt. Beach re-
fused to say.
The sergeant told the committee
that Capt. Murphy became angry
and abusive, and told him he
wanted no more such arrests with
out prior notice to the captain.
Police Chief Robert V. Murray
said today:
Il don't think that he (Sergt.
Beach, can blame the Senate
Crime Committee or his testifying
before them for the difficulty that
he is in. When the board of as
sistant superintendents reviewed
his testimony before the Senate
Crime Committee they did not
criticize or censure Beach for
testifying. His present difficulty is
an entirely different matter"
Sergt Beach told reporters last
night he had talked to Arnold
Bauman, counsel for the Crime
Committee. and planned to talk
with MN again tonight. He said
that last January, when Mr.. Bau-
man asked him to testify, he told
the counsel that he would, but
added that he would suffer for
it,"
The sergeant was before. the
trial board charged with conduct
unbecoming an officer, causing the
department to intervene frequent
ly to compel him to pay debts,
conduct prejudicial to the reputa-
ton of the force and making an
untruthful statement to his su-
periorS.
Subject to Commissioners.
The boards recommendation of
dismissal is subject to review by
the Commissioners. Sergt. Beach
said he would file an appeal with
the Commissioners today, and that
If he wits a new appearance be-
fore a trial board, will request that
it be composed of civilians. Police
officers made up the board which
tried him.
Before resting his case yester-
day. the bespectacled, 48-year-old
policeman summed up his position,
saying he was proud "of my $4,000
worth of debts-most of which I
have paid back.
Il would rather be here for not
having enough money than for
having too much" he said.
Later. he emphasized he was
not referring to his brother,
Inspector Beverly Beach, sus-
pended last July for being unable
to explain how he managed to
accumulate about $4,000 in two
years.
The sergeant disputed testi-
mony of fellow officers that he
was drinking and unsteady on
his feet in the early morning
lhours of September 19.