Evening star., 1953-10-04
District Court Opens
Term tuesday With
5,5O6 Civil Cases


The United States Court for
the District Of Columbia will be-
gin its fall term Tuesday with
$500 civil and $40 criminal cases
awaiting trial.
The opening also will mark
the end of the courts reduced
summer schedule which went
into effect in July. Instead of
only a few judges at one time,
as was the case during the sum-
mer, all of the courts 16 judges
will be ready for duty.
Chief Judge Bolitha J. Laws,
however, who has been on duty
during a considerable part of
the reduced summer schedule, is
not expected back until a week
after the fall term begins.
The 5,506 civil cases represent
an increase of 700 over the num-
ber awaiting trial at the begin
ming of the fall term last year,
according to figures in the Office
of the courts assignment COM
missioner, Richard L. Collins.
The $40 criminal cases are II
above the number Of a year ago.
POStpOnementS Likely.
A number of the criminal
cases. which are expected to take
longer time to try, have been
assigned for trial before certain
judges on definite dates. Post
ponementS in a number of them
are likely, however, due to hear
ings on motions and other legal
procedure.
Among the criminal cases given
definite trial dates during Octo-
ber is that of Representative
Bramblett, Republican, of Cali
fornia. The congressman is &C
cuSed of Misrepresentation in
filling out clerk hire forms and
of receiving funds which were
supposed to go to employees of
his office. Money involved is
approximately $4,000. The trial
is scheduled for October 10, be-
fore Judge F. Dickinson Let's.
Another scheduled trial Is that
of Everett D. Green, So. of the
HOO block of Massachusetts ave-
nue. NV, who was indicted July
6 on charges of f1rst-degree
murder and arson in connection
with the death of an 83-year-
old roomer at his Massachusetts,
avenue address. The victim was
Miss Bette Brown. She died from
inhaling smoke fumes during a
fire at the house last May. Green
is scheduled to be tried before
Judge James r. Kirkland on
October 27.
9-Year-Old Murder Case.
George T. Jordan, "a, colored,
is scheduled for trial October
20 before Judge Edward A.
Tamm on q more than 9-year-
old murder case. Jordan is ac-
cused Of fatally shooting Alexis
Koffer, 40, proprietor of a gro
cery store in the first block of
Third street NE, during an at
tempted holdup in May, 1914.
During past years, Jordan has
alternately been declared sane
and insane. Last August S. a
jury found him of sound mind.
Margaret Lewis, "a, colored,
of the first block of G street
SW., is scheduled to be tried
October 81 before Judge Let's
on a f1rst-degree murder charge.
She Is accused of killing her
friend, Henry Miles, 48, colored,
of the 700 block of Third street
S.W., with a hammer in March,
1852.
Judges Schedule.
The judges schedule for the
fall term is as follows:
To try criminal caSeS-JudgeS
Let's, Tamm, Kirkland and
Holtzoff.
To preside at the trial of civil
jury cases-Judges Jennings,
Bailey, Henry A. Schweinhaut,
Burnita Shelton Matthews, Wal
ter M. Batian and Luther w.
Youngdahl.
To try non-jury civil cases
Judges Matthew F. Mcclure, Ed
ward M. Curran, Charles F. Nc
Laughlin and Richmond B..
Keech.
In addition, Judge Mclaughlin
is scheduled to preside at con-
demnation proceedings and
Judge Keech to hear civil mo-
tlons. Judge David A. Pine is
assigned to hear civil motions.
Judge James w. Morris will con-
duct pre-trial hearings.
Chief Judge Laws will serve
as assignment judge and try both
criminal and civil cases as needs