Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-29
ADAMS DESCRIBES !
AUTO Theft WAYS
At MURDER TRIAL
AIibi Efforts Are Features of
Sandy Spring Case at
Frederick.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

thieves in altering numbers of stolen
cars were explained in court this
morning by Clarence J. Adams, Cam
den. n. J., indicted with Joseph
Thomas Pendergast and John w.
Mitchell, both of Philadelphia, on the
charge of robbing the Sandy Spring
Savings Bank and the murder of Fran
els NJ. Hallowell, director. Adams was
testifying in his own behalf.
He began at the opening of court
this morning. and was still on the
stand at noon adjournment. Adams
admitted that he stole a car on April
% and sold 1t to Charles A. Bouhl, a
hotelkeeper of Beverly. n. J. He ex-
planned how he had altered the num-
bers on this car to prevent it's detec-
| ton.
This is his alibi that he was not in
, Montgomery county on April Is, when
| the Sandy Spring crime was COM
| mitted.
Adams confessed he had done no
| work for the past seven years. with the
exception of the year he was in the
Philadelphia shipyards at double pay.
Adams Record.
Adams admitted he had served a
year and a half in the penitentiary
for larceny in Philadelphia.
He broke into a store from the rear,
while a policeman was on duty out
side. cracked a safe and took out
something over 500.
Adams was educated at Swarthmore
College. He started life as a stock
broker and during his early years
| speculated in stocks. He put in some
time as a building contractor. and at
delphia.
Adams fatty denies that he was in
Mount Airy, Md, on April % and "a,
slthough two witnesses. Mrs. Mar
garet D. Selby. boarding house
! keeper there, and Mrs. Mary Piquett
| of Mount Airy said that Adams had
been in their town.
Mrs. Adams and their twin children.
] John and Ruth, were in court this
morning, following the testimony.
Testimony Affecting Alibi.
Clarence j. Adams alibi that he had
been in Philadelphia on April 26, the
date of the Sandy Spring murder.
| was affected yesterday afternoon by
conflicting testimony of some of the
defense's witnesses.
In the morning the defense's coun-
sci, John A. Garrett, Rockville. Md.
had established through John w.
Hesser. sales manager Of J. H. Jolley
& Co. Philadelphia timers, and Will
liam Bunker. a clerk, that Adams
purchased a sixty-five-c cent piece of
zinc. cut out a square ski inches.
and, after writing his name in pencil
on it, threw it into bin, to be called
for later.
In the afternoon. Mrs Frances B.
do, 1T
children, Ruth and John Adams.
thirteen years old, testified that
Adams had been at their Camden,
n. j.. home from 5 o'clock the even
ing of April % until the afternoon
of April IS, when he, accompanied
Philadelphia.
They told the court that Adams had
become Infatuated because his son
John and daughter Ruth were late re-
turning from church on Sunday night.
The girl is professional dancer,
Yesterday she read from her diary,
which showed entries indicating that
Adams was home several days before
the Sandy Spring affair, and had been
there until noon of April 26.
Under cross-examination by States
Attorney Thomas l. Dawson, the girl
admitted that several of the entries
had been erased and others inserted.
AutOmOD1le case.
| The defense also introduced testi-
mony to the effect that Adams had
| stolen an $1,S00 automobile from
| Everett Andrew. Woodbury.. N j., on
April %. and sold it at o'clock am,
April "a. to Charles A. Bouhl, a Bever-
~, N. J.. hotel keeper. Bouhl, his
mother and George Murphy. the last
named an automobile dealer of Fair
! view. n. j.. sought to prove that
Adams spent each day from that time
until April IS at Bouhl's hotel.
! Bouhl and his mother said that
Murphy introduced Adams as a "Mr.
Walters" Murphy said he gave the
| name of johnson in presenting
! Adams. Bouhl claims that Murphy
participated in the conversation when
the stolen automobile was sold, which
Murphy denies.
when she testified that Capt. William
Schregler of Camden, N. j., police force
took the stolen car from them and told
them that Adams was the man who
stole it. and was wanted for crime at
Sandy Spring, Md.
Then. continued Mrs. Adams, she went
to Philadelphia, purchased a copy of
Philadelphia paper April 26 to read about
the Maryland robbery and murder. She
was positive about the date, and said
murder. with the name Adams as one
of the "auto bandits"
According to Mrs. Bouhl. she deter
mined to aid Adams in obtaining his
liberty because he (Adams) had been at
her home that day.
1t was brought out by the court that
the paper Mrs Bouhl spoke of was pub
lished about thirteen hours before the
crime was committed at Sandy Spring.
Examined by States Attorney.
States Attorney Dawson asked Mrs
Adams if her husband had written
her after his arrest. telling her to do
away with six sticks of dynamite and
box of fuse strings, hidden under
the floor of the cellar of their home.