Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-10-22

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ers would have called OF the
current police department
hearings on the charges.
Commissioner Robert +.
Mclaughlin summoned attor-
neys to the last-minute con-
citation meeting q half-hour
after the hearings were sched-
uled to set under way.
Consultations Indicated
At the session, It was indi-
Gated that II the NAACP with
drew its charges, the Commits
sioners would consult with
NAACP leaders about correc-
tive measures regarding any
racial abuses existing within
the police department and in
the departments dealings with
the public.
The NAACP attorneys also
were told BY Mr.. Mclaughlin
that 1t would serve no desirable
end TO further fan flames by
pressing the accusations
against the police chief.
NAACP leaders were urged
to concentrate on correcting
faults with the present police
system" instead Of attacking
Chef Murray as an individual.
NAACP Counsel Balks
Roger Robb. counsel for
chief Murray. told the city
heads the NAACP would have
to withdraw its charges mot
grudgingly but handsomely" or
the chief would not agree to
canceiing the hearings. how
ever. And Thurman l.. Dodson.
chief NAACP counsel. refused
to agree to the plan.
City legal officers. headed by
Corporation Counsel Chester
H. Gray, paved the way for the
last-minute meeting IN con-
ferences with NAACP attorneys
over the week end. Assistant
Corporation Counsels Milton D.
Norman, Robert F. Campbell
and B. L. Dante took part in
the unsuccessful negotiations.
which Mr.. Gray said were
started ct his initiative. not
that Of the Commissioners.
Mr.. Campbell. who is colored.
acted as principal go-between.
The remarks made at the
closed door conference were
made public later and revealed
an exchange between Mr.. Nc
Laughlin and Mr.. Dodson on
whether the former was mis-
quoted In news stories about
his comments on the Depart
ment Of Justices role in the
controversy. The remarks read
as follows:
Mr.. Observation-Disclosures
there is no possibility Of work
ing this out short Of q hearing.
I would like to have some
statement from the NAACP
as to their feeling ct present
of the position Of the Board
Of Commissioners for hearing
in this matter because over
the week end. there has been
another development which has
been q further reiteration Of
statements made in the past
concerning the irnpartiality OF
the Board Of Commissioners for
the purpose Of hearing this
complaint.
Now ! recognize personally
that II I had said the things
that were quoted In the Eve
ming Star. to wit. that Chief
Murray had been cleared Of
the charges by the Department
of Justice. that It was perth
nent for Mr.. Dodson to take
somewhat the attitude that he
did. But. Mr.. Dodson must
have known that ! didn't say
those things and instead Of
infaming the public further. it
seems to me 1t would have
been better course for him to
have got in touch with me.
Frankly. ! didn't even read the
article when saw how It was
slanted. ] just read the first
paragraph or 50 and threw
the newspaper away. but II
there Is going to be q con-
tinued clamor against the
Board Of Commissioners as
being partial IN this matter and
II. at the end. whatever results
come out Of this hearing. there
Is going to be further reitera-
ton Of alleged Partially on the
part Of the Board Of Commits
sioners, ] personally question
whether Il is in the public in
terest for the Board of Com
missioners to hear the matter.
I would like to have your po-
sition on that.
Mr.. Dodson-Our position on
that. Mr.. Commissioner. has
been from the very beginning
that we didn't think that the
Commissioners were the proper
persons 70 hear It because Of
their involvement. In the edited
charges which we submitted on
August n. in the paragraph
in the Introductory part Of the
charges. we said that we re-
served the right TO call atten-
ton to any evidence Of bias
which in our opinion came up
at any time. to publicly call
attention to ii.
Now. not only was that arti-
Gle In The Star, but every other
newspaper In the District Of
Columbia carried articles to the
effect that Chief Murray had
been cleared by the Department