Evening star., 1952-11-15
Drug Trial Hears
Robinson Admit
Suicide ATTEMPT
Try Made in Jail
At Time HeWus
Telling About Ring

uu4IOcu ycSGcTQdy ne aCCempCe0 C(
hang himself In his District Jai
cell last spring.
The admission came at the close
OF testimony by Paul Robinson
81 colored, an ex-dope runner
turned informer, who underwent
relentless croSs-examination by a
battery of eight defense lawyers
for three days.
Seconds before he left the stand
Attorney James j. Laughlin asked
Robinson If he had attempted
suicide in in the jail.
you could say that" the husky,
soft-voiced former addict replied.
He added that he did not receive
psychiatric treatment thereafter,
nor was he hoSpitalized.
Stopped by Guards.
His attorney, James Graham,
later told reporters his client had
gotten as far with his attempt as
to fix his belt to the bars but was
stopped by alert guards at the
prison.
The suicide try. the lawyer said.
was made in late May or early
June. during a period when Rob-
irson was giving detailed state
ments to Assistant United States
Attorney Thomas L. Walden about
his activities as dope runner for
Turner.
Testimony revealed Robinson,
originally included as one of the
IA defendants in the case. decided
to tell all at the behest of his
grandmother. Mrs. Sarah Gibbs.
During his three, days on the
stand Robinson told of running
dope from New York to Washing
ton for Turner. Robinson said he
delivered cut heroin to several of
the defendants whom he said COM
prised Turner's $21, ,O00-a-week
syndicate.
Lieutenant Named.
The former Armstrong High
School student also implicated
"a 1t. Carper" with bribe- taking
activities. He said Turner called
meeting in April, 1851, in his
home at % Fifty-second street
Sc. At this session it was de-
creed $50 a month was to be as
sesSed from members of the gang
Tor police payoffS, Robinson de-
clared.
1t. H. H. Carper, suspended
head of the police narcotics squad,
and his chief deputy, Sergt Will
liam Taylor. are awaiting trial,
charged with conspiracy to vio-
late the narcotic laws and brib-
cry.
The indictment alleges the pair
took some $4,000 protection money
from dope peddlers over a two
year period.
Contest Over Affidavits.
Most of yesterdays hearing in
the U. S. District Court for the
District Of Columbia centered
around three aff1davits given by
Robinson to Mr.. Walden when he
decided to be Government wit
ness.
The legal battle ended when
United States Attorney Charles M.
1relan agreed to give Robinson's
statements to the defense.
In an effort to show Robinson
was given preferential treatment
by the Government in return for
his testimony, defense lawyers
brought out he was being held in
the Petersburg (Va.) Federal Re-
formatory, instead of the District
jail.
Its easier there, the accommo-
dations are better, and you have
more visitation rights and it's mott
far from mothers farm" the wit
ness agreed.
Robinson has pleaded guilty tol
one count In the indictment. The
remaining four have been dropped,
Mr.. 1relan announced in court. He
has not yet been sentenced.
Others on Trial.
In addition to Turner, these
others are on trial:
Lawrence .Carrado and Richard
Manfredonia of New York City.
Leon James, Eddie (Meat Head)
Atkins. Joseph Peter Rabbit)
Smith, Allan (Turk) William.
Warren Williams, Esther Wright.
Pearl Woodward. Samuel (One-
Eye Palmer.
Two others are absent. Harry
Tantillo of New York, reputed
head Of the importers supplying
the Turner gang has not been ap-
pretended, and Letha Simpson is
undergoing treatment for AM
abdominal ailment in local pri-
vate hospital.
The trial will be resumed at s1O|
am. Monday. :.
McCutcheon Convicted
In Cocaine Case
BALTIMORE, Nov. Is (Spe-
ciaD Washington narcotic fig
ures late yesterday figured in the
testimony on which a FEDERAL
Court jury convicted Jerry Me-
/Cutcheon, 26, for possession of a
quantity Of cocaine.
The cocaine was found at the
scene of a traffic accident in
which he and another Washing
tonian were involved.
McCutcheon, colored, of the
1900 block Of Fifth street NE,
was denied bail by Judge William
c. Coleman after the conviction.
His attorneys sought bail, pending
motion for new trial. The mo-
ton will be heard within two
weeks.
McCutcheon and Leon James
were both accused in the cocaine
case, after James car was wrecked
on August 10 near Baltimore.
while they were en- route to a
Negro gambling country cl,lh at