Evening star., 1952-11-17
Woman Turns
State'sEvidence
AtDrug Trial
lreIun Will Drop
Conspiracy Charge
Against Esther WRIGHT

"A oOA ~ 1oC was OIODPCO lIlGO JIlG
defense of Randolph (Catf1sh)
Turner and nine others charged
with conspiracy to violate mar
cotics laws when a second former
member of the syndicate turned
States evidence today. /.
The witness, Esther Wright,
who said she formerly lived with
Joseph Peter Rabbit) Smith, an
other of the defendants, took the
stand in the U. S. District Court
for the District of Columbia,
and described operations of the
alleged syndicate.
A motion by United States At
torney Charles M. Irelan 70 admit
the Wright woman as Govern
ment witness. coupled with the
announcement that he was drop
ping the conspiracy charges
against her, created a stir at the
defense cOunSelS' table.
Fail to Bar Motion.
Attorney James j. Laughlin
charged that Esther Wrights at
torney, William A. Tinney, had
been relaying information as to
defense tactics to the prosecutor
and his staff.
In war if we found one of our
soldiers relaying information he'd
be taken out and shot," Mr..
Laughlin told Judge David A. Pine,
I'VE can't do that to Mr.. Tinney."|
Mr.. Laughlin moved the motion
be denied.
Another defense attorney. AL
bert j. Ahern, charged that the
sudden move had been plotted in
advance" He moved for a mis-
trial on the grounds that the
Wright woman had had the bene-
fit of listening to previous testi-
mony and now was about to aid
the Government.
Present in Courtroom.
Under the rules, witnesses are
excluded from the Sourtroom until
they are called to the stand. The
Wright woman, as defendant in
the case, had been in the court
room since the trial opened last
week.
Mr.. Tinney denied any collision
with the prosecutor and declared
that he had advised his client
from the very outset to tell the
truth" Mr.. Irelan asserted that
he had received no information
relating to the trial from Mr.. Tin
ney and declared "the noise made
by the opposition should prove to
the world the vital Importance of
the testimony of Esther Wright. ~
Judge Pine in granting Mr.. Ire
lan's motion complimented Mr..
Ilnney's actions as commendable
and above reproach."
Tells of Meeting Defendant.
In her testimony the Wright
woman declared that she lived
with Smith during 1851 and part
OF 1852 at 1928 West Virginia ave-
nue. NE. She identified Smith as
seller of heroine, cocaine and
REFERS" A REFER is a slang
term for a marihuana cigarette.
She told of meeting a number
of the defendants at Smiths
home, where she said they came
on matters connected with the
dope traffic. Among them, she
said. were Leon James, Turner.
Warren Williams and Paul Robin
son. On one occasion she said
Smith introduced her to Harry
Tantillo with the remark, Esther.
I want you to meet Cats boss,
Harry"
TantillO Under Indictment.
Tantlllo is under indictment for
his part in the alleged conspiracy
but his whereabouts are unknown.
He was the reputed head of a
New York narcotics wholesale syn
dicate supplying the Districst.
The first defendant to turn Gov
ernment witness was Paul Robin
son, who had described his work
as a runner for the ring Journey
ing to New York to pick up dope
in wholesale lots.
Those now being tried are Tur-
ner, Smith. Lawrence Carrado, of
New York. an alleged narcotics
wholesaler; Richard Manfredonia,
another reputed wholesaler; Ed
ward Atkins, Warren Williams,
Allan (Turk) Williams, James,
Samuel Zone Eye) Palmer, and
Pearl Woodward