Evening star., 1955-03-12
One Of 8 Defendants
In Bribery Trial 10
Get Mental Test
By Jock Jones'

oI yoCk JonoS
A mental examination has
been ordered for one of the
defendants in the bribery and
conspiracy trial Of two police
men and six alleged gamblers.
Defense attorneys were sue
cessful yesterday in their move
for a psychiatric examination Of
Burnie King, 90. colored. a man
the Government charges passed
money along to policemen to
insure against raids on his
numbers operation.
II the examination shows
King is incompetent to stand
trial. defense attorneys are ex-
pected to ask Judge Burnita S.
Matthews of the U. S. District
Court for the District Of Colum-
bia to order his trial at some
later date when he might be
adjudged mentally competent.
No Interruption
The move would cause no in
terruption in the trial of the
other accused, however.
Yesterdays session of the week.
long trial was Sparked by a dis
pute over whether Capt. Todd o.
Thoman, jr.. should be allowed
to testify about telephone talks
on which he made wire record
ings. Judge Matthews overruled
defense objections to the testi-
mony.
The recordings Capt. Thoman
made of the telephone talks.
however, will not be played for
the jury. Assistant United States
Attorney Edward P. Troxell
. asked only that person-to-person
talks on the same wire be played
for the jury's ears.
{ On trial with King are Capt.
John B. Monroe, suspended head
of No. 13 police precinct; George
C. Prather, suspended probation
ary detective: Roger (Whitetop)
Simkins, SIS. colored; Albert H.
(Real Estate) Smith, As: Curtis
M. (Bozo) Taylor, &c.. colored;
Charles (Geechie Charley An
derson. 40. colored. and John
S Uefty) Winston. AZ, colored.
The disputed telephone calls,
Capt. Thoman testified, were
placed to Anderson in efforts
to arrange meeting with
Winston.
Jury Sees Equipment
The police captain said he put
a tap on his home telephone to
record the conversations. He ex-
hibited to the jury the tapping
equipment he used-a small
suction cup microphone attached
to the telephone receiver without
electrical connections.
Capt. Thoman said he used the
same German-made vest-pocket
recording machine to record the
telephone talks that he used in
making records of his person-to-
person talks with the alleged
gamblers.
/. The calls, he said, we're made
last May. He said he first called
Anderson on May 81. and dis
cussed a prospective meeting
with Winston. When that meet
isg fell through. and Winston
failed to show up. Capt. Thoman
called Anderson again the next
day.
- AS a result of the second call.
Capt. Thoman said, he met
Anderson and Winston at Bla-
densburg road and Eastern
avenue NE.
Testifies to $1,000 Deal
There, Capt. Thoman and
Winston worked out a deal for a
$1,000 a month bribe payment
to keep police from arresting
Winston and his chief lieuten-
ants. the captain testified.
" Later, the jury heard what the
Government contends are record
ings of three talks-one between
Capt. Thoman and Anderson at
2:30 pm. May 81; one between
Capt. Thoman and Anderson at
12:40 am. May %, and one be-
tween Capt. Thoman and Win
ston at 10 pm. May 22-all at
Bladensburg road and Eastern
avenue NE.
At one point on the recording,
after the police captain and Win
ston had discussed what the
alleged gambler was buying for
his 81 900 a month, Capt. Tho
mans voice was heard to say:
"Okay, it's deal"
Capt. Thoman is expected to
return to the stand when the
trial is reconvened at 10 am.
, Monday. The Government is
expected to offer further record
ings to the jury during Capt.
Thoman's testimony.