Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-16
HEARD
T0PR0VE MOTIVE
FOR TRIPLE KILLING
Government Brings Out Facts
Surrounding Death of >
Three Chinese.

The government today continued the
weaving of the net of circums stances
in which it is sought to entrap Ziang
Sung Wan. the young Chinese student,
who is on trial in Criminal Division /
Wan is indicted for the triple murder
of DR.. T. T. Wong and his assistants
G. H. Hsie and Ben Sen WI. at the
Chinese educational mission, a023 Kali
Drama road, January 20 last. but is
being tried now for the death of WI
only.
The motive for the crime, as claimed
by the prosecution, was the forging
of check for $1,000 on the account
OF the mission at the Riggs Bank
and the covering up of the forgery
by the death of the members of the
mission. The bulk Of the testimony
adduced by the government today re-
lated to the check and the attempt
of Tsons Ing Van. younger brother
Of the accused. to cash the forged
paper.
Before introducing these witnesses
United States Attorney Laskey and
Assistant United States Attorney
Laws called to the witness stand
Chinese legation. The witness said
beb, with DR.. Wong, the two assistants
and number Of other celestials. at
tended banquet at the Nankin res
taurant on 9Th street early on the
evening of the tragedy.
He explained that when the gather
ing dispersed he and Director Wong
took car for home. Mr.. Hsie was in
advance of them and caught the car
ahead.
Walked to Apartment.
When witness and DR.. Wong left
the car they walked to the apartment
of witness at 1884 s street northwest.
where "good-nigfts" were exchanged
about 1880 pm. DR.. Wong walked
alone to the mission eight blocks
away, said the witness.
The testimony of Mr.. Wong supports
the claim of the government that
Wong. who was the last of the three
residents to reach the mission. 1t is
claimed that WI was killed about $50
pm. Hsie about 1890 and DR.. Wong
a short time afterward.
Robert Lee Carter. colored. elevator
boy at the Harris Hotel. identified
the prisoner as a guest of the hotel
January 20, where he arrived shortly
after midnight. =. Another Chinaman.
supposedly the brother. accompanied
him.
John Griffin, postman, testified to
making three vain attempts on each
of the two days succeeding the kill
ing to get response to the door bell.
at 1923 Kalorama road. He told Of
finding newspapers and milk bottles
before the door Of the mission.
Testimony concerning the attempt
to cash the forged check was fur
nished by Henry F. HALEY. a taxioa.b
driver. and by George o. Vass. Robert
Taylor. officials of the Riggs National
Bank.
HALEY said he drove the prisoner and
his brother, Van. from Union Station
to the Riggs bank. between $3.50 and
10 o'clock on the morning of January
the cab while the brother went into
the bank.
The bank officials told Of the offer
Of a check for $4,000 by the younger
brother. purporting to be signed by DR..
Wong and Mr.. Hsie. He also presented
they testified, letter Of introduction
signed like the check. When payment
on the check was refused. Van left the
bank taking both the check and the let
ter OF introduction. it was testified.
Introduced Wan at Bank.
After The Stars report closed yes
terdays Fohan H. Chen. Chinese
student at the University of New
York, testified that he knew Wan
since 1917. Last summer, he said. the
accused asked where witness kept his
bank account and on being told de-
clared. he had just received $4,000
from his people in Shanghai, China,
and wanted to open an account. Chen
introduced Wan at the United States
Mortgage and Trust Company.
Charles; Diehl, connected with the
United States Mortgage and Trust
Company, testified to the account of
the accused at that institution. In
January last out of the $4,000 depos-
tied Wan had a balance of only SAL,
the witness stated.
Israel Weinberg. a New York real
estate broker, told of the purchase by
Wan Of the moving picture place in
Brooklyn and of the failure Of the
venture.
c. D. Radcliffe, vice president Of the
Munsey Trust Company. testified that
Ben Sen WI. the deceased. had an ac-
count at that institution. It was on
this bank that the two checks which
the government says WI lent to Wan
were drawn.
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