The Washington times., 1920-01-05
VAN SEEKS TO
SAvEBROTHER
Chinese, on Stand, Denies Ac'
cused Slayer Gave Him
Forged Check to Cash.


chargss that ziang suns Wan had
been subjected to police suggestion
which would have made anyone stu
sted as he was confess, although IN
nocent OF a crime" and the testimony
Of Tsong Ing Van. brother OF the de-
fendant, that Wan did not give MIN
the $1,000 check bearing the forged
signature OF DR.. Theodore i. wong
were the outstanding features OF the
trial of wan before Justice Gould
and a Jury in Criminal Division, NO.
]. today
In opening the Ie for the defend
ant this morning, Nttorney james a.
O'Shea, OF counsel for Wan, charged
that the defendant was cruelty treat
ed, harassed and annoyed for week
bv detectives and that the defendant
held out as long as he could" before
making the admi issions discriminating
him OF completely in the slaylngs OF
the three members OF the Chinese ed
ucational mission last January.
The defense also atte npted to show
that two mysterious Chinese had pos
session OF the check and that they
probably were the men responsible
for the triple slayings.
Threatened with Dungeon.
The defendant was a victim OF po-
Scenes were enacted at the mission
house by the detectives, who suggest
ed Just how Wan could have cohmit-
ted tho triple crime. And they told
him We are going to bring you here
every night and finally put you in
dungeon IL you don't confess The
defendant was In III health and his
condition became SO acute that ne
would have confessed to anything
should IL result In his being let alone
by the detectives"
The defendants brother, Van, vas
on the stand this afternoon. After
relating details of his arrival in the
United States, he testified that Wan
had no connection whatever with his
going to the RIGGS National Bank
on January 80 last with the $4,000
check. bearing the forged signature OF
DR.. Wong.
Names other Chinese.
The defense through Van is at
tempting to show that Wan had no
knowledge Of the check forgery until
the brothers returned to New York.
Van this morning testified that the
forged check had been given to him
by another Chinese. named T. p.
Wang. who asked that he go with
him to the bank and get the money.
"I met Wang and another man,
named Moy, in front of the postoffce
bn January. 29," he said. '"The next
day i met them In Union Station.
Wang, who looks q great deal like my
brother, but who is little taller,
asked me to go with him to the bank.
The second man summoned taxicab
and Wang and I went to the Riggs
Bank.
"I had been given an envelope con-
tanning the check, and was told that
IL any questions were asked to tell the
bank officials to telephone to mission
house. After the officials refused to
cash the check, 1 returned to the
Union Station, there met Wan, and he
upbraided me for being away. j did
not tell him, then, and not until we
had gotten to NewsYork, hours later.
that had been to the bank for Wang.
Seek to Disprove "Confession."
1t is evident the defense will at
tempt to show that despite Vans al
legged confession that he had written
the check for $4,000, forging the name
Of DR.. Wong, that statement was
false. The prosecution has contended
that the written confession which
Justice Gould allowed into the record
is substantiated by testimony of ad-
missions made personally to detec-
tives.
In his testimony, Van declared that
Wan at no time was financially en-
Sbarrassed, stating that both he and
his brother frequently received funds
from their parents in Shanghai,
China. This testimony was brought
out bu the defense to Offset the the
ory of the prosecution that the mo
tive for the triple Staying was rob
berry; that Wan needed funds to re-
coup losses incurred in a moving pic
ture concern which he had leased in
Brooklyn, N. Y. This is admitted in
the alleged confession made by Wan.
Wan Had $1,000 Gems.
In his efforts to show through Van
that the defendant had funds and
valuablcs, O'Shea had the testimony
given by Van that Wan, at the time
of his arrest, had several pearl scarf
pins, valued at $1,000.
Had he needed money" said
O'Shea, "the defendant could have
disposed of these valuable pearls
which Van stated were as large as
peas"
In explaining why he came to Wash
ington on January 2s, Van stated he
mad received two kilograms from his
brother, and believing Wan was seri.
ously iii he came here. He attempted
10 prove an alibi for his brother on
January 20, the night fthe triple
Srime, by stating he left his brother
in his room about S o'clock at the
Harris Hotel, and that upon his re-
turn to the hotel at about IL o'clock,
Wan was in bed.
1--WE went out for a walk returning
about IL o'clock" testified Van.
S0I n Rim IS CHARGE