Evening Star Newspaper, December 8, 1936, Page 21

MORE DIVIDENDS FROM TWO BANKS District National, Northeast Savings Are Sending Out Post Cards. FRANKLIN DEPOSITORS GETTING THIRD PAYMENT Substantial Effect on Christmas Buying Predicted as Funds Flow Out. Payment of additional dividends from the closed District National Bank | and the Northeast Savings Bank, total ing about $1.500,000, will begin tomor- row morning, it was announced today by Controller of the Currency J. F. T. ‘O’Connor. | Depositors of the two banks, which have been closed since March, 1933, | will be paid only on presentation of | postcards mailed by the receiver, Justus 8. Wardell. The checks for depositors in the District Bank will be available at the old bank location, 1406 G street, and those for Northeast Bank depositors will be at the old location, Eighth and H streets northeast, now the branch office of the Hamilton National Bank. Franklin Pay-Off Starts. Meanwhile Franklin National Bank depositors today began receiving & third dividend from the so-called Pranklin Liquidating Trust in a total amount of $250,000. Depositors called for their checks at 1726 Pennsylvania avenue, the office of the former De- partmental Bank. With these three closed banks pour- ing a total of about $1,750,000 into the pre-Christmas holiday trade, a substantial effect on buying hers was predicted. The checks went to about 17,000 persons in the District National Bank, about 2,000 in the Northeast Savings Bank and 17,000 in the Franklin National Bank. ‘The dividends to be paid tomorrow had been forecast several days ago, | when it was learned the District; ‘would pay 25 per cent and the North- east would pay 10 per cent. Exact Time Revealed Only Today. But official announcement of the exact date for payment-did not come until shortly after noon today from the office of Controller of the Cur- rency O'Connor. Those who will be able to get their money tomorrow will be only those de- positors who have received post cards of notification, now being mailed out. In the case of the District Bank, de- positors had received in September, Attorney General Cummings (left) and Sanford Bates, director of Federal prisons, are not really taking a dose of their own medicine, as it might appear at first glance. Though un- questionably behind the bars and apparently locked in, they are really just on a tour of investigation at the overcrowded District Jail. later in the week in an advisory capacity. Cummings will confer with Commissioner Hazen —Star Staff Photo. ON BUS SERVIGE Early Action Seen After In- spection of Takoma Car Lines. Decision on the proposal to substi- tute bus service for one of the two street car lines to Takoma probably will be made before the end of the week by the Public Utilities Commis- sion, Chairman Riley E. Elgen said today. Elgen, accompanied by Richmond B. Keech, commission vice chairman, and members of his staff, devoted two DECISION PENDS | COURT CONTEMPT CHARGED TO DUKE |Attorney Indicted by U. S. Jury on Charge of Harbor- ing Hoeppels. B a Staff Correspondent of The Star. ALEXANDRIA, Va.,, December 8.— Indicted late yesterday on charge of harboring and concealing Federal | fugitives, Jesse C. Duke, lawyer, must appear in the United | States District Court here this morn- ,ing to-answer a bench warrant charg- ing him with contempt of court, for what court officials said was “unau- 1933 the first dividend of 50 per cent, | hours this morning to a personal sur- | thorized communication” with a Fed- amounting to about $1,937,000. The vey of routes proposed for the new bus | eral grand jury. additional 25 per cent dividend to- | services, as well as that of the present | morrow is on the original deposit, and | thus will increase the amount so far received by depositors to 75 per cent. ‘The Northeast Savings Bank pre- , commission had reached no decision as | viously had paid three dividends, total- ing 85 per cent, in the sum of $903,000. ‘The new 10 per cent dividend, amount- ing to about $250,000, will thus bring the amount received by depositors up to 95 per cent of their original de- posit. i Franklin Staff Busy. [ ‘The Franklin Liquidating Trust, at its temporary office at 1726 Pennsyl- vania, paid out a large number of checks early today. When the bank building opened for business at 8:30 | a.m. only a few persons were on hand | to obtain their money. But a large crowd soon appeared and the staff was | busy up to noon. | The Franklin depositors had received | in April, 1934, 65 per cent of their | deposit. The Franklin Liquidating ‘Trust paid another dividend of 8.75 per cent on the original deposit May 6 of this year, and today was distribu~ ting another dividend of about the same size. This brings the total amount received by Franklin deposi- tors up to 82.5 per cent of their origi- nal deposit. SUSPENDS SENTENCE FOR BLIND VENDOR Judge Says He Must Get License. Man Had Never “Been Told.” Policeman E. A. Horsley, first pre- einct, today brought James S. Black- well, blind pencil and shoelace ven- dor, into Police Court on a charge of selling without a license. Blackwell, who is 42 and who lives at 809 Ninth street northeast, told Judge Edward M. Curran h¢ has been selling on the streets of Washington for 18 years and never had been ar- rested before or told he had to have & license. Judge Curran suspended the sent- ence and told Blackwell to get a license for his own protection. Horsley testified he told the blind man to move on before he arrested him. Blackwell said the officer asked CHURCHES HOLD MASS Feast of Immaculate Conception Is Celebrated. ‘Washington Catholics this flocked to church to hear mass in celebration of the Feast of the maculate Conception, & holy obligation. . 2 For the benefit of workers, churches, including 8t. Pal ‘Tenth and G streets, scheduled paseas at 12:10 pm. The Feast of the maculate Conception commemorates the mystery leading to the many trick’ Im day of to 'S, Takoma express bus line. Elgen said he was convinced suit- able routes could be adopted, but the to what the routes should be. Prediction that the commission would order abandonment of car tracks on Third and Kennedy streets and the substitution of all-day bus service were made following a recent public hearing on the issue. James L. Martin, executive secretary of the commission, and Hinmon D. Folsom, assistant corporation counsel, made the trip with Elgen and Keech, taking & bus at Grant Circle at 10 am. The Capital Transit Co. asked for the change and was joined on most points by a Mass Transportation Joint Committee for North Washington, composed of representatives of inter= | ested citizens’ associations. The case has been before the com- mission for about a month, public hearings having been held two weeks ago. Final arguments on the appli- cation of the transit company were EF GRABS 'STORE THI Rear of Store to Remove Tray From Showcase. A well-dressed, florid-complexioned man walked into the antique store of Adam F. Arnold, 1306 G street, late yesterday and, a few minutes later, fled with a tray of diamonds and & bar pin valued at several thousand dollars. Pretending one of several customers in the store was his wife, the thief waited until Arnold went to the rear of the establishment before removing a tray containing 16 antique rings and a bar pin from a show case. The man crammed the gems into his pocket and ran before Arnold could interfere. ‘Two attempted robberies resulted in head injuries to Samuel King, 55, manager of the Wohlmuth Tailoring Co. store at 1136 Seventh street, who was struck with a brick by a man posing as a customer, and the capture of a colored youth who snatched the pocketbook of Miss Florence Ronken, 1825 New Hampshire avenue. King was taken to Casualty Hospital. % THOUSANDS IN GEMS Waits Until Proprietor Goes to Served with the bench warrant when he returned to the Post Office Build- 'an late yesterday, Duke freely ad- mitted to the court that he had earlier handed Joseph L. Crupper, the jury foreman, a sealed envelope in which he asked the jury not to return an indictment against him ‘“on mere hearsay evidence.” Denies Impropriety in Action. Mamtaining that there was no im- propriety about his action, Duke in- sisted before the court that “any citizen has a right to appear before a grand jury.” that the considera- tion of an indictmert against him nhere yesterday was “an attempt to hurry | this decision” and that he was “try- ing to prevent the grand jury from |acting in a matter in which it had 0 jurisdiction,” because the scene of his alleged offense was Richmond. Before passing judgment in the contempt proceedings, Judge Way gave United States District Attorney Sterling Hutcheson and Duke until today to produce authorities as to the propriety of Duke’s act. Duke gave Foreman Crupper the envelope after the grand jury had been impaneled and as it left the court room for the jury room to con- sider 47 indictments, among them the one charging Duke with having nar- bored and concealed Representative John H. Hoeppc and his son, Charles J. Hoeppel, who are now in Lorton Reformatory. Harboring at Richmond Charged. The indictment assetts that Duke harbored, at Richmond, the Hoeppels, “for whom bench warrants had been issued by the District Court of the United States for.the District of Co- lumbia, so as to prevent the discovery and arrest” of the Hoeppels, “which harboring and concealing was done and performed after notice and knowl- edge on the part of him, the said Jesse C. Duke, of the fact that the aforesaid bench warrants had been issued The $1,000 bond on which Duke is at liberty under the harboring charge was continued until today. After first setting a bond in the contempt case at $300, Juage Way later last night agreed to the release of Duke on his personal cognizance in that matter until this morning. Duke has been disbarred by two courts in the District of Columbis. He told the court he has practiced law in Virginia for 31 years. Mrs. Randall, Firemen’s Friend, Leaves Estate of Over $136,000 Leaving an estate slightly in excess of $136,000, the will of Mrs. Charlotte Randall, X 5 : Squad. The i residence were left to Bernard John i ¥ g i ; i H i wening Star WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION JAIL CONGESTION Promises Early Conference With Officials After Per- " sonal Inspection. Richmond | DEPLORES CONDITIONS AT-ANCIENT INSTITUTION Hazen Heartened as Attorney General Recognizes Real Prob- lem to Be Corrected. BY REX COLLIEK. Gratified at the promised help of Altorney General Cummings in the.r efforts to solve the problem of conges- | tion and its attendant evils at the District Jail, District = autherities planned today an early conference with Cummings at the Justice De- partment. The Attorney General, impressed by the “manifest inadequacies” he saw during a tour of the 60-year-old in- stitution yesterday afternoon, an- nounced he had agreed to & proposal of Commissioner Melvin C. Hazen | for such a conference “within a week.” Hazen made the suggestion as he Joined with other District officials in escorting Cummings and a group of other Justice Department officials about the jail buildings and grounds. Cummings Deplores Conditions. Cummings, in a voluntary state- ment to reporters at the conclusion of his tour, deplored the overcrowded conditions, antiquated buildings, lack of facilities for outdoor exercise and other factors which, he said, make up a “very real problem.” “The Department of Justice.” he | pointed out, “has no authority over | District penal institutions. I v.hmki it “would be improper for me at this time to speak definitely or finally with regard to my opinions regarding this matter. What I could say would be purely advisory. “Commissioner Hazen has suggested that I confer with him later, and I have agreed to do so. If we can be of any help, we will be glad to be of service. “This is an old institution, erected in 1876. Naturally it has manifest inadequacies which strike one at first glance—old, outmoded buildings that make administration difficult; too | much population, absence of outdoor | | facilities for maintenance of health |of the prisoners and other things | obvious to any visitor. Goes Beyond Money. “These things present a very real problem that goes back to questions of money, of appropriations, of whether the present institution can be adapted to meet the needs or whether new buildings should be erected. “I will be very glad to be of any help I can to the District authorities in studying these questions and find- ing a solution to them.” Cummings paid a compliment to- Jail Supt. Thomas M. Rives on the “cleanly conditions,” which, he said, showed the “administration of the jail has been painstaking.” He thanked the Commissioners for inviting him to visit the jail. Accompanying the Attorney Gen- eral were Sanford Bates, Federal di- rector of prisons, Ugo Carusi and Henry Suydam, aides to Cummings, and Alexander Holtzoff, a Special as- sistant to the Attorney General. Suy- dam and Hotlzoff had visited the jail previously and reported their findings unofficially to Cummings. Welfare Officials in Party. Representing the District, in addi- tion to Hazen, were Frederick W. Mc- Reynolds, chairman; Judge M. M. Doyle, vice chairman, and Elwood Street, director of the Board of Pub- lic Welfare, which has supervision of penal institutions here, and Capt. M. M. Barnard general suerintendent of penal institutions. ‘The Justice officials were told by Rives that the ocongestion reached its peak in October, when 815 prisoners were jammed into the establishment. ‘The average population in September was 721 and in October 715, whereas the jail was designed to accommodate 500 persons. The population yes- terday was comparatively low, but groups of prisoners arrived as the officials made their tour, and Rives predicted that some prisoners would have to sleep on the floor last night. Cummings seemed especially con- cerned over the fact prisoners in the north wing dining hall must eat in the District'’s electrocution “cham- ber.” He was shown the chair, in an alcove at one end of the room, to wheh it is moved after an electro- cution. The brass electrodes in the dining room floor are in plain sight of the jail diners. ‘Women’s Quarters Crowded. In the white womens dormitory he saw 35 women confined in a room designed to take 19 cots. The cots are made into “double-deckers” to meet this situation. In the men's “misdemeanor cell block” he observed rows of cots placed so close together prisoners cannot stretch their arms without disturbing their neighbors. In the infirmary he learned there are facilities for only 16 patients at a time, with no X-ray equipment, no isolation ward for contagious diseases and no facilities for operations of se- rious nature. Operation patients, Rives explained, must be sent to an unlocked ward at Gallinger Hospital— and the jail has no extra guards to | send to the hdspital to stand watch over such patients. Cummings, during & circuit of the grounds, commented that = there seemed to be room enough for an out- side exercise yard if proper fencing were provided. At present the prison- ers are exercised by walking them through dark corridors. | accountant in the Treasury Depart- AUGHTERS of half the lands of the world will dance and sing in gay native costumes tonight in the drab red-brick building where, each day, they go to learn English and the political philoso- phy of the American Government. The festive spirit marks the close of the eighth annual international bazaar of the Americanization 8chool in the old Webster School Building at Eighth and H streets. From 7 p.m., when a dinner of innumerable foreign dishes will be served, until 10 p.m, when the last dance is ended and the last song sung, the school will be a sort of “League of Nations” hall of folklore. ‘The bazaar, which is a sale of dolls, embroideries, shawls, jewelry, dresses and toys made by the students at the school, has been so successful, Miss Maude E. Aiton, the principal, report- ed, that most of the articles were soid by the end of the first day. The sale | opcned yesterday and closes tonight. There are dolls from Russia, cover- lets from Germany, handkerchiefs from Greece, toys from Great Britain, bedspreads from Italy and shawls from | South America. The Daughters of the American Revolution and the Federa- tion of Women's Clubs also have tables to sell articles made by their mem- bers for the occasion. AN BOARDING GAR IS HIT BY TRUCK Believed Near Death After Accident—Traffic Toll Reaches 90. John Schuckers, 65, of 60 M street, was critically injured shortly before noon today when knocked down by a |indictment for robbery and named by | truck while boarding a street car at New York and New Jersey ave- nues, according to police. He was taken to Sibley Hospital, where physicians said he was near death. Further details of the ac- cident could not imm e diately be learned. Meanwhile, the District's rapid- ly=mounting traffic toll for 1936 had been raised to 90. The latest victims were Mrs. Gridley { by a bus, and Mrs. Lida M. Gridley, 55, wife of Leonard C. Gridley, an ment, who was struck and killed in- stantly by an automobile as she started across Virginia avenue at Eighteenth street yesterday. ‘Traffic crashes in the District have taken a toll of nine lives within the last seven days. All but two of the fatalities resulted from accidents which occurred this month. The Tate boy was the ninetieth victim this year. Several hours after Mrs. Gridley was killed, Miss Lila Walsh. 32, of | Elmhurst, N. J, died in Casualty Hospital, the victim of a head-on collision between two automobiles on the Baltimore Highway, near River- dale, Md., Sunday. Mrs. Gridley, whose son, Richard L. Gridley, is financial editor of the Pittsburgh Press, was pronounced dead at Emergency Hospital. The machine which struck her, police said, was driven by James R. Shoemaker, 18, of 1507 Rosedale street, who was re- leased under $500 bond, pending action of the coroner. Leaves Son in Cleveland. Mrs. Gridley also is survived by an- other son, Stanley T. Gridley, Cleve- land. Her husband is employed in the Financial Report Division of the Treasury. Their home is at 5425 Con- necticut avenue. The machine in which Miss Walsh was riding was driven by Girard Lit- tlefield of New York, according to Maryland police. John M. Maggitti, 48, of 1214 K street, listed as the driver of the other machine, is in Casualty Hospital with a fractured leg, authorities said. Two other persons were injured in traffic mishaps in the city last night. Charles C, Brown, 32, of 418 C street northeast was injured about the face when his machine collided with two other cars on K street, between ‘Twlefth and Thirteenth streets. After receiving treatment at a hospital, Brown was taken to the first precinct and charged with driving while drunk. Knocked Down by Truck. Knocked down by a truck at Sixth street and Massachusetts avenue, John Morrison, 70, of 806 Sixth street was taken to Emergency for treatment, and later transferred to Gallinger Hos- pital. He suffered cuts and bruises. A coroner’s jury today was to in- vestigate the accidents which claimed the lives of Dr. Oliver L. Fassig, 76, retired meteorologist, ‘and George Ward, 70, of West Swanzey, N. H. . Dr. Fassig, who iived at the Cos- mos Club, died in Emergency Sunday night of injuries received November 20 when a car driven by George H. Horton, 55, of 1301 Fifteenth street, struck him. Injured Saturday Night. Ward was injured Saturday night when knocked down by a machine operated by Joseph N. Benner, 39, of 738 Quincy street. He died in Garfleld Hospital the following day. Roscoe J. Wolf, 21, driver of the car in which Frank Reider, 33, was killed in & two-machine accident at ‘Van Buren street and Blair road Sun- day, was absolved of blame by a coroner’s jury yesterday. Supt. Rives told reporters he has ! ded erection of an entirely new jail plant in a different location. McReynolds indicated the Commis- sioners are reluctant to ask for so much money at one time and have suggested as a temporary compromise enlargement of the old building. . It is expected that Cummings, Bates and Hasen will discuss the various proposals for remedying conditions at the. forthcaming _conference, with & view to ascertaining General in rendering | by Trammel's car st Pirst street and | control torney should go d Wolf told the jury the car with which he collided was barely visible because of the fog and rain. Bernard K. Tolson, 51, of 6911 Sixth street, driver of the other car. also was re- leased by the jury’s verdict. Both the youths, rommmates, lived at 932 K street. £ 1In @ second inquest yesterday Robert P. Trammel, 40, street car motorman, was held not responsible for the death last Thursday of James Jones, colored, r-old James Tate, killed today | i figure skuter, Sonja Heine. School bazaar. Wedding Shifted To Church From Precinct Station | The Robbery Suspect to Be| Accompanied by Police Guard. To avoid the stigma of being mar- ried in a police station, plans were made today to have the wedding cere- mony of Jack Joseph Kurz, 21, under | | police as & member of the “Boots and | Spurs gang,” performed at St. Dom- inic’s Church, Sixth and E streets southwest. The marriage of Kurz to Miss Hilda Crampton, 18, of Edmonston, Md., was to have taken place yesterday, but the ceremony was postponed pending sanc- tion by the Catholig Church. Special dispensation by Archbishop Michael J. Curley of Baltimore was necessary, because Kurz is a Catholic and Miss Crampton a Protestant. This | dispensation has been given. | Edward Buckley, attorney for Kurz, who is making the arrangements for the wedding, said the ceremony will be performed today if his plans are carried out. | _If the marriage takes place at St. | Dominic’s, police said, Kurz will be | accompanied by a guard. He is being held at the sixth precinct. Under indictment with Paul Burger, 19, and William Beck, 21, in the rob- linked with a series of other crimes, including the abduction of a Fort Myer sentry. 'POLICE PROBE FAILS TO UNCOVER GRAFT Maj. Brown Still Awaits Report of Inquiry on Detective Bureau. An inquiry under way since last Summer has uncovered no evidence | indicating uniformed policemen have accepted graft, Maj. Ernest W. Brown said today. - The police chief added, however, that he has received no reports on the Detective Bureau, though persistent rumors have come into the bureau. This phase of the inquiry is in the hands of Inspector Bernard W. Thompson, chief of detectives, he said. “Each time an investigator runs out one lead, there is another that must | be looked into,” Maj. Brown explained. Meanwhile, the police superintend- ent has ordered an investigation to | determine whether any members of the force have been derelict in their duty in checking robbery cases. | He said his attention had been |on the official records, when it was | known that the defendants could | have been located through successful police follow-up work. In these cases, he believes that the officers failed to make a thorough investigation. WEDDING DATE SET Son of Senator Neely to Wed Singer Christmas Day. John Champ Neely, son of Senator Neely of West Virginia, and Blossom Gay, 18-year-old night club singer, will be married in Long Beach, Calif., on Christmas day, according to an Associated Press dispatch from Salem, W. Va., where Miss Gay is visiting her mother. Miss Gay, whose real name is Luetta Sutton, said the wedding date and place had been fixed in a tele- phone conversation with Neely. He is now in Reno, Nev, where he re- cently obtained a divorce from Mrs. Kathryn Faust Neely. May Use The Commissioners today abolished an order of 22 years’ standing and au- thorized District department heads to accept and use gift calendars bearing advertising slogans as a means of saving an annual cost of from $150 to $180 for the purchase of official calendars from the Government Printing Office. The old prohibition was removed because of the smallness of the fund appropriated out of District revenues for printing and binding purposes. In recent years several steps have been taken to remove charges against this fund, among them being diminution of the extent of department reports printed at District expense. ‘The order advertising or advertising calendars how far the Ate | 60, of 122 D street. Jones was struck | any buildings or rooms under the the Commissioners December, 1514, of was adopted in bery of a T street market, Kurz also is | called to certain cases marked “closed” |* Camille Cosimano, from Southern Italy, looks at dolls shown her by Irena Chodaniewicz, from Warsaw, Poland. One of the dolls was made by a Norwegian to represent the famous scene is at the Americanization —Star Staff Photo. D.C.AIRPORTBOARD 10 FINISH REPORT Commission Meets Secretly for First Time Since Early Summer. Working in absolute secrecy, the District Airport Commission, created at the last session of Congress to work | out a solution of the 10-year-old air- port problem, is planning to hold several meetings in the immediate future to complete a report which it will submit to Congress next month. After a lengthy session of the com- mission yesterday afternoon—the first since early Summer—Senator King of | Utah, commission chairman, said he | had no statement to make except that | several additional meetings will be heid. Report Voluminous. It is understood the commission re- | ceived a voluminous report from a special subcommittee composed of Maj. | Gen. Oscar Westover, chief of the Army Air Corps: Senator Austin of Vermont and Representative Nichols | | of Oklahoma. The nature of the re- port was not divulged. | The subcommittee was created to | formulate a plan of action and to determine the kind of airport Wash- ington should have, how large ‘he airport should be and the physical re- quirements to be met. Representative Nichols, secretary of both the commis- sion and the subcommittee, appeared at the meeting with an armful of papers, representing the work of the subcommittee since last Spring. Seven Members Present. Seven of the nine members of the commission were present at yester- day's meeting. They are Chairman King, Senator Austin, Representatives Norton of New Jersey and Nichols and Cole of New York, Gen. Westover and Frederic A. Delano, chairman of the National Capital Park and Planning | Commission. The absentees were Sen- ator Copeland of New York and Col. | Dan L Sultan, District Engineer Com- missioner. The plan of conducting all delibera- to forestall the controversy over sites which always has resulted in the past in defeat of congressional airport leg- islation for Washington. It also is intended to prevent real estate specu- lation over sites which might be con- sidered. —_ LORTON OFFICIALS SEND FOR ESCAPED PRISONER Peoria Resident Claims He Fled From Institution 15 Years Ago. Lorton Reformatory authorities to- 39, who surrendered to Illinois police and told them he escaped from the institution 15 years ago. “It was impossible for me to lead a good Christian life with this sin forever in my mind,” Allen was said to have told Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Clendenin. Allen escaped from Lorton December 2, 1921, while agsigned to a building construction gang. only a few weeks of his 3-year term. BAND CONCERTS. By the Navy Band Symphony Or- Yard at 8 o'clock tonight. Lieut. Charles Benter, conductor; Alexander Morris, assistant. By the Soldiers’ Home Band, in Stanley Hall, at 5:30 p.m. today. John S. M. Zimmermann, bandmaster; Anton Pointner, assistant. Old Order Gone, D. C. Building Gift Calendars Calendars have been purchased from the Government Printing Office at a cost of 9 cents each. In recent years as many as 1,800 to 2,000 have been bought. Apparently, rooms of the District Building will not necessarily be plas- tered with calendars which advertise & wide variety of services or products since, it is reported, the Municipal Employes Group Insurance Associa- tion has volunteered to supply about | 1,800 of. the 1937 calendars. Half the cost would be paid by the mem- tions of the commission in strict | secrecy is understood to be an effort | day sent to Peoria, I1L., for Prank Allen, ! He had served | chestra in the sail loft at the Navy| PAGE B—1 U. 5. FRAUD TRIAL PLANS EXPEDITED INJUROR DECISION Supreme Court Declares U. S. Workers Can Sit in Crime Cases. ACT PASSED LAST YEAR IS HELD CONSTITUTIONAL Two Silvermans, Ryan and Wil- liams Expected to Face Charge at Early Date. BY JOHN H. CLINE. Plans for an early trial of four men under indictment in connection with an alleged plot to defraud the Govern- ment in the War Department lobbying case were being made today as a result |of the Supreme Court's ruling yester- | day that Federal employes can be qualified as jurors in criminal cases. The high court's decision upheld constitutionality of a congressional statute passed last year to lift the ban on Government workers as criminal Jjurors merely because they are em- ployed by the United States or the District. It has been estimated the ruling affects approximately 100,000 prospective jurors. As a result of the decision, it was understood, United States Attorney Leslie C. Garnett will move imme- | diately for the trial of Joseph Silver- | man, jr, his brother, Nathan Silvel man; Thomas Jefferscn Ryan, former’ a member of Congress, and form-r Brig. Gen. Alexander E. Williams, They are charged with keeping Frank E. Speicher, automobile tube salesman, away from the House Miltary Affairs Committee when he was wanted as a witness. Trial Held Up by Garnett. Gen. Willilams was dismissed from |the Army for allegedly accepting a $2,000 loan from Speicher. ‘The personnel of the grand jury thet returned the fraud indictment in- cluded several Government workers, After the Court of Appeals had de- clared unconstitutional the law quali« fying them for jury duty, Garnett dr- cided to hold up trial of the case unt'] the Supreme Court could announce i3 decision. The 5 to 3 opinion of the court was delivered by Chief Justice Hughes in the case of Raymond Wood, found guilty of petty larceny in the Polica Court by a jury composed in part of Government workers. Contending the presence of the Fed eral employes deprived him of his | right to a trial by an impartial jury, | since the Government was a party to | the case, Wood appealed to the Court j of Appeals, where the conviction was | set aside. After discussing the historical back« ground of the qualification of jurors, | Chief Justice Hughes, in his opinlon, asked: “Why should it be assumed that jurors, merely because of employment by the Government, would be biased against the accused? In a criminal prosecution the Government is acting simply as the instrument of the publia in enforcing legal laws for the protec tion of society. In that enforcement all citizens are interested. It is diffie | cult to see why a governmental ema | ploye, merely by virtue of his employ« | ment is interested in that enforce | ment either more or less than any good citizen is or should be.” Full Inquiry Permitted. After pointing out that the law re- | moving the disqualification permits | full inquiry for the ascertainment of actual bias on the par‘ of a juror, who may be barred from service if bias is shown, the Chief Justice added: “It 1s suggested that an employe of the Government may be apprehensive of the termination of his employment in case he decides in favor of the a cused in a criminal case. Unless the suggestion be taken to have reference to some special and exceptional case, it seems to us far-fetched and chie merical. It does not rise to the dig- nity of an argument to be addressed to the power of Congress to provide a reasonable scheme with respect to the qualifications ot jurors.” In conclusion, he said: “Nor are we impressed with the con- tention that the qualification of gove ernmental employes for jury service in criminal cases in the District will impair the public respect in which the processes of the law should be held. On the contrary, we think that the spectacle of the exclusion en masse from that service of a body {of citizens otherwise highly desir- |able in point of intelligence and | character—solely by reason of their | employment by the Government— and the imposition in consequence of & heavier burden upon other citi« zens, whether that exclusion would be in deference to a supposed ancient |rule or because of conclusive pree sumption of bias against an accused, would constitute a serious reproach to the competency and efficiency of the administration of the system of jury trials.” Application to Pensionaires. The ruling concerning Federal workers also was made applicable to those receiving pensions and gratuities from the Government. Associate Justices McReynolds, But- ler and Sutherland dissented, holding the Wood case was controlled by the Supreme Court’s decision in the Craw- ford case, in which a conviction was set aside because the trial judge seated as a juror a clerk in charge of a subpostal station in a drug store. That case, however, involved a prose- cution for a conspiracy to defraud the United States in relation to a contract with the Post Office Departe -ment. The ruling disposes of questions as to the eligibility of jurors raised in two important convictions obtained here during the last year. These were the conviction of Samuel S. Mont- gomery and 16 co-defendants in the largest liquor conspiracy case uncove ered here since repeal, and the cone viction of Morris E. (Dutch) Irwin, well-known gambler, on gaming charges.