Evening star., 1955-07-03
By GENE GOODWIN

0Cu LII EICs NAL AaAA4 AOdoi
official under suspension in con.
lnection with land speculation
along new Route $40 in Mont.
gomery County. is scheduled tt
face his accuser sometime thil
week.
That was disclosed yesterday
by Russell H. Mccain. chairman
of the Maryland Roads Com.
mission. which has been undel
increasing fire recently because
of the Du Pre- incident and othel
allegations of irregularities.
The man who made the com.
lplaint that resulted in q 30-da,
suspension for Mr.. Du Pre-, ef.
Ifective June 10, has been asked
to appear this week before thu
full three-member roads com.
mission in Baltimore, Mr.. Nc.
Cain said.
Mr.. Du Pre-, who was in charge
lof acquiring rights-of-way fol
Route 240 in Montgomery ant
the inter-county belt freeway il
Montgomery and Prince George!
Counties, also will be asked tt
appear at the meeting, Mr.. Nc.
Cain said. He disclosed that Mr.
lDu Pre- has retained an attorney
i Time Not Set
| The commission chairman saio
la definite time for the face-to.
'lface meeting had not yet beer
lset, but he hopes to hold it this
week.
| The identity Of the accusel
Ihas not been made public. AL
THAT is known about him is thai
lhe owns property along the
Montgomery County right-of-
;|way Of Route 240, also known
las the Washington National
Pike. a four-lane dual parkway
Ibeing constructed between Fred
|erick and Washington.
! Mr.. Mccain declined to dis
lcuss the nature of the complaint
'lagainst Mr.. Du Pre-, except te
Isay. "it is very serious"
1--WE are dealing here with 9
mans character and reputation
his greatest asset" Mr.. Nc.
Cain declared. I'VE can't be
ltoo careful"
/ Earlier, Joseph D. Buscher
assistant attorney general in
charge of the commissions Legal
affairs, indicated that Mr.. Du
Pre- has been confronted with
the charge against him and has
denied it.
4 Important Issue
Somebody's lying, said Mr.
lBuscher. IF it's the man who
mace the complaint, then Ber
IDu Pre- has a good case fol
!, Islander. But If it's the other way
IDu Pre- is in real trouble. 1t will
'lmean more than his job with
the commission. 1t will be a case
for the grand jury"
i Mr.. Du Pre- himself said little
Except to express confidence thai
he will be vindicated. It was Mr.
Buscher who recommended the
30-6ay suspension to the com.
mission after a conference ir
Ia Rockville lawyers Office with
the complaining property owner
Mr.. Du Pre-, who lives at 1910:
IParkwood terrace, Bethesda, has
been with the commission fol
eight years. Mr.. Mccain said the
Iright-of-way engineer has Zone
Iof the finest records of any oi
our employees"
Mr.. Du Pres suspension came
lin the midst Of a series of at.
Itacks on the Republican-con.
Itrolled commission by members
Iof the Democratically- dominated
State Legislature. The Baltimore
Evening Sun also has been pub.
Fishing a series Of daily stories
alleging loose spending and Other
irregularities in operation Of the
commission.
II High Profits Reported.
i The bulk of current criticism
against the agency, however, cen.
tiers on reports of high profit.
made by persons selling land fol
|right-of-wa on 240 in Mont.
lgomery County. Both Mr.. Nc.
Cain and Leroy C. Moser. CHIEF
|right-of-way engineer and Mr.
IDu Pres immediate superior
have conceded that land specula-
tors have been busy along the
route of the new pike.