Evening Star Newspaper, March 5, 1935, Page 5

s DAVIDSON DENIES WIFE WAS SAD Tells Coroner’s Jury She |n: Called “Good Night, Dar- ling” to Him. (Continued From First Page) the husband replied in a firm voice “I had but one drink. My wife had no more than that.” “My wife said ‘Il put the car in the garage’ I said: ‘No I'll do it. The guests went in. We argued about 1t, and finally we both went in, leav- ing the car in the drive. “When we got in the house, I took off her coat and we went upstairs. I asked if there was anything I could do for her and she said no. Then I kissed her good night and went to my room.” Tells of Finding Body. “Have you and she always occupied Separate rooms?” Pruette asked. “I should say about half and half. Sometimes I slept in hers and again she would sleep in mine,” Davidson said. He called good night to his wite, he said, and she replied: “Good night, darling.” “What did you hear next?” “In the morning the butler came in and shook me. ‘My God,’ he said, ‘Mrs. Davidson's dead.’ I threw on some clothes and ran to the garage. “The door was up when I got there. Only the butler had been there be- fore me.” from her Davidson then described how the | doors of the three-car garage slid up and down. He couldn't describe the location of the window and said he cidn’t know whether the garage has & second floor. “My wife was lying on the running board, her head on the floorboards, as though she had tried to get out | of the car. The switch was on.” He said he never thought of feeling the motor to see if it was hot. Couldn’t Feel Pulse. “Her head and wrists were warm, but I couldn’t feel any pulse,” he said. Davidson said he didn't try to lift her into the car. When the doctor arrived, he added, the physician said she must be taken to the hospital at once. This was done, he said. Pruette then switched the examina- | D! tion and asked the husband about their honeymoon. He was told of an automobile acci- dent on the trip. Davidson said he was married once before, to Jessica Allwood. He said they were divorced last year and that the is now living in Berryville, Va., with their three children. He said hs met Miss Statler shortly after the divorce. He admitted giv- ing up his job. after his second marriage, but denied he ever said he intended to live on her income. He said he gave up his job because she wanted him to live in Pinehurst. Wouldn't Read Will. Davidson said he was in Pinehurst, February 15, while his wife was in Boston, Mass., making a will which left him about half a million dollars. When she came back, he said, she handed him the will and asked him to read it. “But I didn’t read it,” he said. “I happened to be in love with my wife and never thought of the idea of her making a will. I wasn't interested in her monetary affairs.” He said he didn't know the contents of the will until a lawyer told him about it. He said he understood it gave him a yearly income, but did not believe it left him any substantial request. He denied his wife was unhappy at the party preceding her death, but said she thought he was “cross” toward er. Davidson said his wife often bruises in athletics. She- recel [ large one on her thigh, he added, when hit by a tennis ball a few days before her death. i Davidson left the stand at 11:30. Emanuel Burch, colored butler who discovered the body, was the next wit- esS. He said he smelled a “strong odor of burned gas” when he went to wash the car, which had been driven into the garage by an unidentified person after the Davidsons left it in the drive- way. Byurch sald he then discovered the body and ran into the house, where he told the maid: “Mrs. Davidson is either sick or dead.” The car motor was not running, he said, when he went to the garage. The butler said Davidson’s bed room door was “pushed to” when he went to call him. Car Had Autoniatic Step. The butler said Mrs. Davidson's car would stop automatically after run- ning half an hour. Burch was nervous on the stand and his voice dropped to s whisper as he assured Pruette he had not touched the body. He sald he hasn't talked to anybody about the case “except the men who came to the house.” Questioned by a member of the jury, Burch sald Davidson did not place his wife’s body in his lap while he was present. Davidson said he did this | after the doctor arrived. It was not | brought out whether Burch was in the ; garage after the physician arrived When Pearl Watson, the dead wom- an’s colored maid, took the stand she was examined by J. M. Broughton, an attorney for the Statler interests. | She said Mr. and Mrs. Davidson at | times occupied the same room, but that so far as she knew Mrs. Davidson never slept in her husband’s room. The maid did not live in the house. She said “Mrs. Davidson didn't ha any definite place to put her clothes” and that she picked them up every afternoon. “Her slippers were by the bureau,’ the maid said, “the hose on the floor and her gown in the bath room. Some | of the underwear was in the bed room and some in the bath room. It looked like she undressed all over the room.” There were two beds in the room, and both looked like they had been slept in as though the tragedy hadn't occurred. She denied Davidson told her nét to talk about the case. Questioned by Davidson's attorney. | she said she saw nothing “out of the | orcinary” in the condition of Mrs. idson’s bed room on the morning | of ihe tragedy. She said the dead woman's blue silk nightgown apparently had been worn. \HUGE GHOULISH SLAYER | 1S HANGED FOR MURDER Colored Man Grins as Noose Is | Put Over Head—Mississippi | Troops Guard Prisoner. By the Associated Press. | CLEVELAND, Miss, March 5.— | Grinning broadly as the black hood | and noose were pulled over his head, Alonza Robinson, alias James H. | Coyner, huge colored grave robber and confessed slayer, went to his death | on the gallows early today. He died for the slaying and mutila- tion of Mrs. Aurelius B. Turner, who with her husband was hacked to | death in their home near here last December. . Between 200 and 300 National Guardsmen with fixed bayonets stood guard outside the jail as Sheriff E. R. McLean sprang the trap that plunged the 40-year-old professed fatalist’ to |his death on the scaffold atop the | four-story Bolivar County ja GROSNER of 1325 ¥ Street Springs ....One’ For SPRING Longer Lapels New Chesty Peg Trousers Soon you’ll be hearing a lot ‘button the bottom button’ don’t try it on your old suit; it won't work. It takes a new lapel, sweep and skirt = if you know what about this style==but i) we mean. COME IN AND SLIP ONE ON! | the act. e THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, TUESDAY, MARCH b5, 1935. BACKED BY COURT U. S. Appeals Tribunal Says Baltimore Corporation Ruling Valid. B the Associated Press. RICHMOND, Vi March - §.— Claude M. Dean, clerk of United Stites Circuit Court of Appeals for the fourth circuit, announced last night that at a special session of the court held at Charlotte. N. C, Saturday an opinion was handed down by Circult Judges Parker and T up- holding the . constitutionality of the Federal bankruptcy act. ‘The decision upheld the ruling of the United States District Court of Baltimore which denied the petition of minority bondholders of the Alle- ghany Corp. to set aside reorganiza- tion plans for that corporation under section 77B of the bankruptcy act. The decision stated that “we enter- tain no doubt of the constitutionality of the statute. It is an exercise of the power conferred on Congress by the Constitution ‘to establish * * ¢ uniform laws on the subject of bank- ruptcles throughout the United States,’ adapted to the conditions pre- :Ifnl;kd y modern industrial legisla- The effect of the decision was to affirm an earlier decison of the United States District Court at Balti- more when it denied the petition of Thomas Campbell, representing a group of minority bondholders, who ccntested the reorganization ,of the Alleghany Corp. on the ground that there was an insufficient acceptance | of the plan on the part of bond- holders, The court held that since 77 per cent of the bondholders agreed to the original plan and empowered the corporation to “do all things necessary or appropriate to carry it out,” and | that they, subsequently did not after | this approval when changes were pro- posed to accommodate the Federal bankruptcy act, that a sufficient | ceptance of the plan had been evi- | denced to meet the requirements of | BEARD PLEA STUDIED BY JUSTICE PROCTOR Jurist Holds Under Advisement | Demurrer and Motion to Dis- miss Gaming Indictments. Justice James M. Proctor of Dis- | trict Supreme Court took under ad- | visement *oday a demurrer and a mo- tion to dismiss a gambling indictment against Sam Beard and 13 other de- | fendants, arrested some time ago in | 2 raid on an office in the Mather Building where there was a telephone set-up allegedly used for horse-racing information. | Througn Attorneys John J. Sirica | and Martin F. ODonoghue, ir.. the | defense attempted to prove there was | nothing to show Letting was trans- | acted on the premises Representing the Government was Assistant United States Attorney | Roger Robb. IBANKRUPTCY ACT ~|CITIZENS OPPOSE NSANITY BILL Takoma Group Against Board of Two Physicians and Lawyer. Opposition to legislationr in Con gress providing a special board of two physiclans and one lawyer: in leu of a jury for trial in_ insanity cases was voiced last night at a meeting of the Citizens' Association of Takoma, D. C. George E. Sullivan, chairman of the Laws and Legislation Committee, stated that no radical changes were necessary in the present law. ‘ Under the proposed legislation the only way a jury trial could be secured would be on demand of the family, friends or the patient himself. Jesse C. Suter thought that there was a demand for some change in the present law and a reform in the handling of patients. Favors Small Loan Bill The association went on record as favoring the passage of the Senate bill to regulate the small loan b ness in the District, with the excep. tion of that part of the bill authoriz- ing the superintendent of insurance to increase the allowable rate of in- terest beyond 2 per cent per month, whereas it should be limited to de creasing the rate of interest charged. The Public Utilities Commission and the Capital Transit Co. were com- mended for the establishment of spe: cial express bus service from Tako Park to the center of the city in a resolution presented by President Wallace C. Magathan. He also pre- sented resolutions opposing the re- moval of the tracks on Kennedy street between Georgia avenue and Fourteenth street and Colorado ave- nue, but approved the rerouting of the major part of the Takoma cars on Third street and Kennedy street via Georgia avenue during rush hours and continuance of the service on ennedy street west of Georgia ave- nue during both the rush and non- rush period. Did Not Approve Line, ‘The association did not approve of the non-rush bus service. which has been ordered by the Public Utilities Commision for the purpose of con- necting Takoma Park with the Four- teenth street line at Colorado avenue and Kennedy street. Mr. Sullivan gave a brief review of the proposed reorganization of the District government by retaining the present commission form of govern- ment, but with the addition of a council. The association voted that the Executive Committee of the asso- ciation consider the matter. Elimination of obsolete street cars in the interest of the public was ad- vocated in a resolution adopted. fol- lowing a statement by Mr. Suliivan. President Magathan was renomi- nated for a fourth term in office, with the following to be voted on at the April meeting: For first vice' president, | bl W. H. Youngman; second vice presi- dent. L. A. Jones: secretary, Willlam H. Parsons: treasurer, Norman E. McIndoo; delegates to the Federation of Citizens’ Associations, Mr. Sullivan 3 We want you to hknow about our New Process for Decarbonizing Your Motor— THEREFORE this Special!—~ We Will Analyze Motor Tighten All Manifold Bolts Test Compression of Each Cylinder Test and Set Plugs Clean Battery Terminals and Grease Remove and Snychronize Distributor and Reinstall Set Ignition with Timing Snychroscope Check Al Meter Remove Have it done right at reasonable 1 Valve Clearance on Vacuum and Clean Air Cleaner -on Carburetor Clean Gas Strainers and Adjust Carburetor DECARBONIZE MOTOR BY THE AMAZING NEW— cost " 24-Hour Emergency Road Service at Low Standard Rates “Little Giant” Process All For— 33.75 eve It or Not ... We guarantee your motor to have more PEP and RUN May we be helpful by arranging - Credit Terms? orrIcIAL LNCO BETTER after this opera- tion, or we will Refund Your Money! TRY this—NOW! AUTO TROUBLE? CARL RPORATED ANY SERVICE FOR ANY CAR Library Gets Modern History Book Herbert Putnam, librarian of Congress (left), receives from Wilfred W. Pry, president of N. W. Ayer & Son, the thge history book, containing first pages of 1,314 daily newspapers on March 4, 1933, date of President Roose- velt’s Inauguration. Martin A. Roberts, superintendent of library reading room, leoks on. The book was given Library of Congress yesterday. the anniversary of the inauguration. P; tory, Vi reported in the newspapers, of the inauguration. = RER S the boukStall the sy, a8 1L Wy —Star Staff Photo. SUPPOSED MURDER VICTIM HELD ALIVE Two Men Are Serving Prison Sentences for Slaying Arthur Robinson. By the Assoclated Press. POPLAR BLUFF, Mo., March 5.— Arthur Robinson, for whose supposed murder two men are serving prison sentences, was reported “alive and well” today. Belmont Ham, 14-year-old orphan, told Sheriff Lester Massingham he recently talked with Robinson. Rob- inson was supposedly slain in Feb- ruary, 1934. Sheriff Massingham said further he had learned another person, a neigh- bor of Robinson, had talked with him in Poplar Bluff only two weeks ago. | An investigation was started in| Stoddard County, where the crime | allegedly was committed. Earl Wiseman pleaded guilty to' charges of implication. He said George Shanks killed Robinson over a girl| while he waited outside the victim'’s | Mountain Valley Mineral Water Met. 1062. 1405 K N.W. | a jury gave him 20 years. received 10 years. cabin. TWIN PRIEST’S CAREER IS BROKEN BY DEATH Pastor of North Andover Church Leaves Brother Who Serves in Cambridge By the Associated Press. NORTH ANDOVER, Mass., March 5.—One of two brothers, believed to | be the only twin Roman Clthollci priests in the country, died here last | night. He was Rev. Michael J. Buckley Before Selling Investigate the Prices We Pay o1d Gold Jewelry of every description, bridgework, silver. No matter how old or dilapidated any of foregoing articles might be you will be greatly surprised at the cash prices paid by us. (Licensed by U. S. Govt.) SHAH & SHAH 921 F St. N.W. Phone NA. 5543—We Will Can Wiseman Shanks and Wiseman were arrested after parts of a body, identified as that of a human being, were found in a fire near Robinson’s one-room pastor of St. Michael's Church here for the past seven years. ‘The surviving twin is Rev. Patrick | | against religionist. J. Buckley, pastor of St. Patrick’s Church, Cambridge. regulate your fire, etc. MAURICE sxs A-S HISTORIAN VISIONS DOOM OF WORLD Christendom Antidote for Impending Debacle, Says Hilaire Belloc. Flanked by dignitaries of the Cath- olic Church, Hilaire Belloc, historian &nd biographer, stood on a rostrum in the bail room of the Willard Hotel last night and predicted the doom of the world unless there is united Christen- dom or a mnew system of thought springing up to take the place of in- tense nationalism, Belloc traced the origins of Euro- pean nationalities from Carthage and Rome, showed how three separate and distinct cultures influence the acts of the continental nations, and described the whole set-up as a powder keg. “If Europe tomorrow were to fall into a suicidal conflict,” the eminent writer said, “America would escape— but England would not escape. Europe is in danger of falling into chaos. Everybody knows it, and therefore no- body takes steps to prevent it. Throughout history you'll find that 0. 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