The Washington herald., 1920-01-06
MYSTERIOUS y
NAMED BY VAN.
Brother Of Accused Slayer
Tries to Fasten Crime on
Two Other Chinese.


counsel for the defense1of Ziang Sun
Wan. on trial in Judge Gould's court,
Criminal Division No. 1. for murder.
yesterday played probably his final
trump when he endeavored to show
that two mysterious Chinese forged a
5000 check on DR.. T. T. Wong, and
then murdered the head of the Chi
nese Educational Mission and his two
assistants January % last. in connec-
ton with which crime Wan is being
tried for his fife.
Appearing as the first witness for the
defense. Using Tsong Van, brother of
Wan, told of the two Chinese and at
tempted to clear both his brother and
himself of completely in the bogus
check episode.
When Van appeared at the Riggs
National Bank on the day following
the murder, his brother was waiting
clared. and contradicted previous tes-
timony that Wan was outside in a
taxicab.
In the taxicab, he said. were the
two mysterious Chinese. whom Wan
knew as T. p. Wong and Moy.
Story Told By Van.
VANS story substantially was this:
On the previous night, while in
search of a store to buy some pine
apple for his brother. who was i'll in
his room at the Harris Hotel, Van
met two Chinese and inquired of them
where he could buy the pineapple.
He walked several blocks with them.
Next morning Van and Wan were
at Union Station to inquire about
trains for New York. Again Van saw
the mysterious pair. They had a check
they wanted cashed but neither could
speak English. Would Van go to
the bank with them? Van agreed.
On the way to the bank-the Riggs
National-Van was given an en-
velope and told to present 1t as it
was. He did not know its contents.
At the bank he presented it to the
cashier unopened.
Denies Mentioning DIR. Wong.
Van is now under bond for hav-
ing attempted to utter the check.
Previously it had been testified
that Van confessed to this crime.
Prosecuting Attorney Laskey cross
examining him. asked:
when the check was questioned
at the bank didn't you tell them to
call the Mission House?'
NO. / told them to call the house
OF T. P. Wong. not DR.. T. T.
Wong"
Van said he returned to Union
Station in the taxi with the two
Cinnamon.
Wan denied that he had told Detec-
tives Grant and Burlingame he had
attempted to cash the check. He
denied also that his brother had told
detectives in his presence that he.
Wan. had written the forged stub of
the check.
In his opening statement for the
defense O'Shea declared the alleged
confession Wan gave the police came
only after a week Of harassing anC.
cruel treatment that would have
made anyone confess, although in
nOcent of a crime"
Claims Wan Was Benten.
On the Saturday night following
the murders. while Wan and Van were
being questioned at the Mission
House. Van said Detective Burlingame
struck Wan with a coat-hanger and
otherwise treated him cruelty.
My brother asked for a drink he
said, land Burlingame said: What do
you think this is, your homer
Wan then declared he would answer
no more questions. whereupon Burl-
ingame. according to Van, picked up
a coathanger and attacked Wan. The
detective struck Wan on the hands,
he said. and then threw him forcibly
to the floor
Not Allowed to Sleep.
The noise awakened Detective In
spectOr Grant who was sleeping on
a bed. Van said, taking his turn with
Burlingame and Detective Kelly in
sleeping while the two Chinese were
being quizZed continuously.
I'VE were told that if we didn't
tell on ourselves we would be thrown
in a dungeon" said the witness, land
j told my brother we'd better admS
something to keep from being put in
the dungeon"
When the detectives came to have
Wan sign tyrewitten copy of the
confession" Wan was so i'll two
men had to carry him from his cell
to the Red Cross room, where he
signed, Van declared.
Van will resume the stand this
morning at 10 o'clock. 1t is expected
he will be followed by Wan.