Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-10-27
LegoIistic Air Shrouds
County Prosecutor Race

Philadelphia lawyer 70 Keep
track Of some phases Of Arling-
tons campaign for Common
wealth's attorney.
: The race sees the 44-year-old
Democrat incumbent. William ],
Hassan, standing on his record.
and his 3s-year-old Republican
opponent, C. Wynne Tolbert,
citing chapter and verse from
selected legal cases in that
record.
Their debates frequently
leave the non-lawyer voter con-
fused.
Until about the middle Of last
month. the two men, who stand
high In their profession, rocked
along with their running mates.
doing little more than exchang.
ing amenities.
Then Mr.. Tolhert started cut
ting loose. The result was that.
at public forums, the pair start
ed failing each other with legal
istic lingo containing charges
and rebuttals.
Mr.. Tolbert has referred TO
sCase A." Cease B" and so on.
ia an attempt to show "the
manner in which Mr.. Nassau has
permitted serious charges to be
made against well-known. highly
respected, law-abiding citizens
without having made . prior
investigation Of the facts. later
70 discover that the charges
were wholly unfounded.'
Unsound Advice Charged
More recently. the Republican
has accused Mr.. Hassan. who IN
addition to being the county
prosecutor is legal adviser to the
County Board. Of giving un-
sound advice on tax problems.
Mr.. Hassan. whenever Q case
Is raised in public. answers each
one in detail and says the &C
cusations are false.
ave handled thousands OF
cases In the four years 1'vel
been in ONCE" MFR. Hassan says.
"I'm prepared TO discuss any he
wants TO bring up. ! undouht-
edly have made some mistakes.
but my opponent hasn't raised
any yet.
THE only issue in this race
Is that I'VE got the job and
he hasn't"
Mr.. Hassan is seeking his
second four-year term. Mr.. Toll
bert has held no previous publict
ofiice.
Mr.. Tolbert was nominated at
q county Republican convention
last July after another nominee,
Charles o. Pratt, withdrew be-
cause Of professional response
bilities and commitments Mr..
Pratt subsequently was nominal
ed for the House Of Delegates.
Won Bitter Primary
-Four years ago. Mr.. Hassanl
won . particularly bitter Demo-
cratic primary against the then
incumbent, Denman T. Rucker,
and went on In the fall Of 1851
TO defeat Malcolm D. Miller. In
dependent, and Mr.. Pratt. the
Republican. This year Mr.. Has
san had no primary opposition.
Case A" cited By MIR. Toll
bert involves serious charges"
brought BY a girl against man.
The prosecution Is charged With
failure to prosecute fully. It was
the type Of case that needed no
corroborative witnesses. Mr.. Has
san says the accused was acquit-
ted because Of me, not despite /
me-"
who was innocent. the al
legged victim or the accused?" he
asked.
Case b. involved q fatal acci-l
dent case on August 90 on Shir-
ley highway, IN which Mr.. and
Mrs. Frank c.. Anderson Of Ar-l
lington were fatally injured. Mrs.
Anderson was dead on arrival atI
3 hospital, and Mr.. Anderson
died September II. A man.
slaughter charge had been placed
against Mr.. Anderson but was
dismissed after his death.
Mr.. Tolhert cited this rs an
example Of how "many Of our
citizens have been forced to bear
the expense, humiliation and
other damage Of defending
charges made against them with
insufficient or no evidence toll,
UUPpV1t ttActh. L
Hassan Answers
Mr.. Hassan's comment to this
one is: what does he want me
10 do-prosecute . dead man?"
The latest accusation is that
Mr.. Nassau was In error when he
gave an opinion that last years
tax deadline was December 6
and had not been advanced by .
new law. The Republican treas
urer obtained an opinion from
the State Attorney General,
placing the deadline ct August
is. He billed taxpayers for that
date, thus claiming q saving tol
taxpayers averaging SO in
penalties. /
Mr.. Hassan says the Attorney /
General Is wrong and he win
continue to believe 30 until thel
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