Evening star., 1952-12-10
IreIan Explains
Use Of Addicts
+.
As Witnesses
Tells Trial People
Who Know Dope Aren'l
In Social Register
By Howard [. Dutkin

The Government was forced to
use former dope peddlers and ad-
diets as witnesses because you
can't get people having personal
knowledge of the drug traffic
"out of the social register" United
States Attorney Charles M. Irelan
told a jury today.
Mr.. Irelan's comments came as
he summed up his case against
Randolph (Catf1sh) Turner and
eight co-defendants on trial in
the u. S. District Court for the
District of Columbia charged with
conspiracy to violate narcotics
laws.
The prosecutor told the panel
of eight men and four women
that he expected the defense to
"viciously" attack the quality of
the witnesses.
Let me say" Mr.. Irelan de-
clared, that in an endeavor to
prove a vicious crime-a crime
against all mankind and not just
against individuals-you don't get
people having personal knowledge
of it out of a social register. j
They are plain people who did
wrong and in doing wrong had
learned the facts of this case"
Irelan Praises Johnson.
The prosecutor was referring toI
such Government star witnesses
as Herbert (Bucklejaws) Johnson,
Esther Wright, Paul Robinson and
Nellie Leach. All were connected
ct one time with the dope traffic
here.
Speaking of Johnson, Mr..
1relan declared: "He has done al
most courageous thing sitting in
the witness stand and looking at
this crowd out here and telling
you what they did" Johnson and
the Leach woman had been under
police guard as the result of
threats alleged to have been made
on their lives.
Mr.. Irelan told the jury that
the alleged syndicate did a max
imum business of $503.88O a year.
He said he based this figure on
the estimated importation of 25I
to 80 ounces of pure heroin al
week. From one ounce. he said,
400.to $50 capsules can be manu-
factured, cut with adulterants. He
said the price of one capsule
ranged from $1.25 to $1.50.
Mr.. Ireland outlined the wit
nesses' testimony during the 18-I
day trial now nearing conclusion
He recalled the testimony OF
Robinson, who had related how
he acted as a runner" for the
alleged ring, travelling to New
York to pick up dope in wholesale
lots for delivery, he said, toI
Turner.
Other Testimony Cited.
The prosecutor also cited testi-
mony of the others duplicating
the defendants in some phase of
narcotics operations from the
filling of empty capsules with
heroin to direct sales to addicts.
The defense will take over when
Mr.. Irelan completes his argu-
ments. With seven attorneys
representing the nine defendants,
the defense arguments will rum
into tomorrow. The prosecution
then will rebut defense arguments.
This will be followed by instruc-I
ton to the jury by Judge David
A. Pine.
In addition, Defense Attorney
James j. Laughlin is expected toI
plead an alibi for Turner, con-
tending that Turner was in At
lantic City on certain dates used
by the Government in spinning
its web of evidence against the
alleged dope ring.
The Government contends that
the alleged ring, which it asserts
was headed by Turner, obtained
narcotics in wholesale lots from
Richard Manfredonia and Lawr-
ence Tantillo, both New Workers.
The dope was then resold here
at retail, the Government asserts.
Those on trial, besides Turner.
Manfredonia and Tantillo are:
Samuel Zone Eye) Palmer. Leon
James, Eddie CMeathead) Atkins,
Joseph Peter Rabbit Smith, Al
Ian (Turk) williams. and Warren
Williams. All are colored except
Manfredonia and Carrado.