Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-03
FRTGAR TELLS STORY
OF. KILLING BOLAND
Man Accused of Murder in Park
Swears He Did Not Shoot
Deliberately
PISTOL FIRED IN FIGHT
Insists He Was Defending Woman
Motorists Corroborate His
Testimony

Ellis II. Frigar again took the stand in
his own defense before Judge Vessel in the
Court Of over and Terminer today. and said
that he had not deliberately fired the shot
that killed Edward Boland on the night Of
August 20 last on Neil drive in Fairmount
Park
Frigar. who is being tried for the muir
der of Boland insists that he acted in de-
'ehse of Miss Amanda Sykes. his fancee,
who was in his automobile when Boland and
his crowd attacked him.
walter Broughton grabbed my revolver
while ! was standing in the road" said
FrIgar II was pushed and hauled about,
ana the gun went off The shot wasn't de-
lihera'ely aimed and fired | didn't fire It
deliberately, the gun was cooked and 1t
may be that the other man pulled the trig-
ser while We We're struggling.
Il got the gun in Mexico, while I was
working for the Mexican Petroleum Com
pany. My employers advised that buy it,
as raids were expected from McNicans."
Then Frlgar described his ride with Miss
sykes in the ear to visit his sisters fanny
at toncordvilc, the visit to Green Tree Inn.
West chester. for supper. and the return
10 philadelphia by way of Media and Fair
mount Park. ON Neil drive the engine be-
came oNorheated, he said. and he stopped To
give ii time to cool.
This he said was about 1920 y. m. lie
turned out all lights but one to save the
said. and three men ya;ne alongside. THESE
are nice goings on here. one said I guess
we'll run you over to Sedgley guardhOuse
Then Walter BrougntOn drew out Il
notebooks and pretended to take the cars
license number told them | was going
to proceed. and BrouGhton asked me where
! was going
"Broughton jumped on the running board
and grabbed Miss sykes by the arm, and
| leaped from the car to run around to
her assistance. grabbed my gun from
a side pocket the other men jumped on
the running board. too. and the man near
est me made pass at my head with a
bottle
Then three Of them attacked me. I was
pushed and hauled about Broughton haN-
ing grabbed my revolver which was way
inE about over our heads. and which was
discharged in the struggle. | didn't see
anybody fail. | fired two more shots into
the air the crowd ran. and 1 drove the
car away
WITNESS TELLS or ROBBERY
Just before F'rigar was called to the
stand Herman Goldner. fifty years old.
testified that he had been assaulted and
robbed Of Sl7 after leaving saloon at
| Twenty fourth street and Ridge avenue
several months ago. He identified Wil-
liam Downey. of East Park drive, one
OF the men who had taken his money.
DoWney was member of the Boland
crowd the night Of the murder Edward
Greer. Of | II stanton street. another mem
ber of the gang. was called for by Congress
man John r. X Scott chief counsel for
Frigar. but he was not in the courtroom.
Three motorists. who passed along Neil
Drive in Fairnbunt Park just before Frigar
shot and killed Boland testified at the trial
that Walter Broughton one of the Boland
gang tried to hold them up.
The testimony Of the motorists and their
positive identification Of Broughton are con-