Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-13
Police. Refuse
To Give File Of
.NAACp Cases


An attempt by the defens'
of Pvt. William Dankos. charged
with brutality in a police arrest
to subpoena all complaints b!
the NAACP against policemen
since 1851 was turned dowr
today by a Police Trial Board
Attorney James Laughlin
representing Pvt. Dankos, salt
he hoped to show that repeated
complaints" against police b!
the NAACP follows a pattern.
and that the organization hai
"habitually complained agains
various officers"
He added he also wanted Il
determine if a humber of wit
nesses who have testified agains
Pvt. Dankos have testified ais,
in other cases Of brutality citet
by the Negro organization.
Opposes Request
Assistant Corporation Coun.
sci Julian r. Dugas said Mr.
Laughlin was going on a fish.
ing expedition" A subpoena
would produce documents ito,
tally unrelated to this case,
he said.
He said charges against Pvt
Dankos were not brought be-
fore the trial board by thu
NAACP, but by a complain
review board acting in behal.
of the Board of Commissioners
But Mr.. Laughlin inserted
into the discussion his stanC
that the NAACP initiated the
hearing.
He indicated he may con.
tinue to press his requests fol
NAACP charges when Eugene
Davidson, president of the or.
ganization's local branch. take.
the stand either late today OF
tomorrow. Mr.. Laughlin ha.
called Mr.. Davidson as a "de.
Tense witness"
Subpoena Tax Forms
In another legal maneuver
Mr.. Laughlin succeeded in get.
ting the trial board to subpoens
the District income tax form.
Of Mr.. and Mrs. Claude H. An.
derson. Both Mr.. Anderson
who charges he was beaten b,
Pvt. Dankos, and his wife have
repeatedly been questioned
over the number Of dependent
they claimed on income ia,
and employment forms.
The DankoS incident-il
which the Fourteenth precinc
officer allegedly used unnec
essary force in arrestinC
Claude H. Anderson last Marcl
80 at Benning road and Min.
neSota avenue N.E.-was one o.
IL cases cited by the MACE
head in his charges of brutality
against the Police Department
Mr.. Anderson. a former mem.
Der Of the force was arrested
after he drove his car into {
crosswalk.
Two eyewitnesses to the in,
cident. James Major of 80I
Forty-ninth street NE. anc
James M. Rayford Of SOB Forty.
second street N E. testified yes.
tterday.
Questioned on Blows
Mr.. Major, who first brough,
the incident to the attention O.
the NAACP. was in a service
station across the street wher
he saw Pvt. DankoS strike Mr.
Anderson, he said.
Under persistant eross-exam.
Iination from james j. Laugh.
lin. Pvt. Dankoss attorney. Mr.
Major conceded he couldn't b.
sure the blows actually landed
on Mr.. Anderson.
His fist went up and down.
the witness insisted. Figure i
out for yourself"
Mr.. Major was convicted O.
diSorderly conduct in Munich,
pal Court after he intercedeC
at the precinct on Mr.. An.
derson's behalf. Mr.. Anderson
was acquitted Of similar
charges.
Mr.. Rayford. who was driv.
ing by the scene, testified h,
saw Mr.. Anderson lying on 9
traffic island with the polio,
officers knee in his chest. H,
was to continue on the stanc
when the hearing resumed a
10 am. today.
The trial board YESTERDAY
heard Pvt. Joseph McGraw
another Fourteenth precinct
officer, testify he saw blood or
Pvt. Dankos' face after thu
struggle. He said there was M
blood on Mr.. Anderson.