Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-13
New Test Seen
On Wiretdps
In Bribery Trial
Either Side Likely
To Appeal Verdict
Reached Agoinst7
By Jack Jonas

fly of wiretap and hidden micro
phone evidence appears to be
shaping up in the complex
bribery and conspiracy trial Of
two suspended policemen and
six alleged gamblers.
Whatever the verdict. it seems
likely that an appeal will be
taken-either by the Govern
ment or by defense attorneys.
Much of the evidence put
forth by the Government in the
first week Of the trial hinged on
the playing Of wire recordings
of what the Government says
were talks between Capt. Todd
o. Thoman, jr., and some Of
the accused.
Vigorous objections to use Of
the recordings indicates that de-
Tense attorneys are laying the
groundwork for an appeal.
should their clients be convicted.
So far the Government has been
successful in having the jury
hear what went on in meetings
between Capt. Thoman and the
accused.
Trial Enters Second Week
The trial moves into its second
week tomorrow before Judge
Burnita s. Matthews in the u. 8.
District Court for the District Of
Columbia with the jury scheduled
to hear another wire recording.
Another legal dispute, apart
from the use Of the recordings
in any manner. developed Friday
as Capt. Thoman testified about
the spool of wire which will be
unwound for the jurors tomor-
row. The captain revealed it
contained three or four" tele-
phone talks which he recorded
through a tap on his own tele-
phone.
The jury, however. will not
hear the telephone converse
tions. although they got a gen.
eral outline from Capt. Thoman
Of what was said during two of
them. This formed the basis of
two defense complaints.
Judge Disagrees
First, they said, even testi-
mony about telephone talks
which are monitored is forbid /.
den by Federal law. Judge |
Matthews disagreed.
Second, they commended, while |
they objected to the playing of |
any Of the recordings, if a part !
were played, all should be played. !
Again Judge Matthews disagreed,
and supported the Government
offer to play only the person-to-
person talks.
The only person in the court
room Friday who heard the re-
cordings of the telephone talks
was Capt. Thoman. Using stetho-
scope-type earphones, he selected
those portions Of the wire to be |
played over the simplifying sys-
tenn set up in court, wedding out |
the telephone conversation.
Another point in dispute is the
intelligibility of the records. De-
tense attorneys say it is difficult |
to get a clear picture of what is
said, and therefore the record
ings are worthless as evidence.
They point to the official tran
script of the proceedings to sup |
port their contentious. Judge |
Matthews has ruled. however.
that the best test is what the
jury hears.
On trial are Capt. John B.
Monroe. suspended 18th precinct |
commander; George c. Prather,
suspended probationary detec-
tive; Albert H. (Real Estate)
Smith. As; Roger (Whitetop) |
Simkins, SIS. colored. Curtis NJ. !
(Bozo) Taylor. 80, colored:
Charles (Geechie) Anderson, 40.
colored: John Lefty Winston.
"a, colored, and Burnie King, 20, |
colored.
Capt. Thoman. a key Govern
ment witness. has testified that |
the subject of brides first was
preached to him by Capt. Monroe
in November, 1858, and that sub /!
sequent arrangements to meet |
gamblers were made by Prather. |
He also has told the jury that
he received two $500 bride pay
ments from Anderson and ar
ranged to get $1,000 a month
from Winston-all on the prom
Use to protect the numbers racket
from police interference. arrest
ing only an occasional small
fry" writer.
Captain Thoman has told the
jury that he used a tie-clip mi
crophone attached to a recording
machine carried in a shoulder
holster to record face-to-face |
talks with some of the accused,
and a suction cup microphone
attached to his home telephone
to pick up his telephone talks
with them.