The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-03-28
Promoters Wife. Rex Beach
and Major DreXel Biddle
Testify for Him.
ALIBI DEFENSE STRONGER
Sheriff Suspends Deputy for
Taking Defendant Out of
Tombs to Dinner.

bSbASu ytolCIddy llttl lie Was guilty
of the crime for which he is on trial.
He was on the stand all the afternoon
and was questioned by his counsel,
Max D. Steuer. and later cross-exam-
ined by the prosecutor, Ferdinand Pc
cora, chief Assistant District Attorney.
The boxing promoters answers con-
stituted series Of denials of much of
the testimony of Sarah Schoenfeld,
aged Is. the complaining witness, and
of Nellie GaslSo, aged IL, called in cor
roboration by the prosecution last
week. He also supported the alibi de-
Tense introduced by Mr.. Steuer last
Friday
Under cross-examination, however.
the prosecutor appeared to gain some
ground on two points, one dealing with
Richards conversation with the jani-
tor of the West F'orty-seventh street
apartments and the other by the de-
PENDANTS vagueness in answering
questions concerning Walter Fields, in
whose apartment Richard is alleged to
have entertained the girls.
The morning session of the trial. pre-
sided over by Justice Wasservogel OF
the Supreme Court was devoted chiefly
to testimony of character witnesses pre-
scented by the defense. These included
Mrs. Mary Richard. wife OF the defend
ant; Rex Beach. novelist. and Major A..
J. DreXe1 Biddle OF Philadelphia, am
Extortion Hint Is Excluded.
What appeared to be an attempt by
Mr.. Steuer to introduce testimony con-
corning a plan to extort $4,000 from
the defendant since his arrest was pre-
vented by the court. When William ].
keleher, an agent OF the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children. was
called to the stand he was excused by
Justice Wasservogcl on the ground that
his testimony would not be relevant to
the case.
Richard took the stand early in the
afternoon, and in answer to his lawyer
told at lergth his movements for the
last twenty-five or mere years. Mr..
iecora made frequent objections on the
ground that all this mass of detail was
Richard. which caused Mr.. Steuer to
close with a series of questions. all
answered in the negative, about Rick
ards relations with the two girls.
Did you ever see Nellie Gasko or
Sarah Schoenfeld on the premises of
20 or "A West Forty-seventh street or
in any other apartment asked Mr..
Steler.
NO" Richard replied
Did you ever hand a piece of paper
with either of those addresses on 1t,
together with bills or money to either
of the girls?"
NO"
Testimony Of both girls previously
tolG of Richards making dates with
them in this manner. The lawyer con-
tinued asking a series of questions bear
ing on the girls testimony and the
specific acts charged in the indictment
TO all OF them the defendant gave an
unqualified No"
During the period of almost four hours
that the boxing promoter was on the
stand. he spoke in a low voice that
scarcely carried to the jurymen farthest
from him. Mr.. Pecora was obliged sew
eral times to request the court that he
be instructed to raise his voice.
The principal line of questioning fol-
lowed by Mr.. Steuer in asking Richard
to tell about his life in Alaska. Nevada
South America and other places was to
show his honesty and aloofness from
women. The defendant told OF conduct
ing saloons and gambling houses in
Nome. Alaska, in Goldfield and Raw
hide, Nevada, and other places. Never
said Richard. had he employed women
In conjunction with these places nor had
he ever been accused of running
'ciosed door" establishment. On many
of his gambling houses. he said. he had
lost money.
Aided Girls Convict Brother.
Mr. Steuer spent quite a long time in
quizzirg his client about the efforts he
had made to help out Samuel Schoen-
field, brother OF Sarah. who is said to be
serving five year sentence for burglary
In Wisconsin Jail. The defendant testi-
fled that Mrs. Schoenfeld. the mother.
had offered to work a year for Mrs.
Richard for nothing II her son was
freed from prison.
The attorney introduced into the evil
dence letter purporting to have been
written by Richard 10 the Governor OF
Wisconsin about the boy and also
record of the boys offense. trial, SEN
tencc, etc. purporting to have been
given to Richard by Sarah. The pro-
inoter told of having had four visits
from the girl. once with her mother. in
his office at Madison Square Garden.
Mr. Steuer then led up to the events OF
Armistice Day and the Saturday fol-
lowing. November IL. the date mem
toned in the Indictment. Richard said
he didn't see either girl on that day.
Did you make an appointment on
armistice day to meet the girls at either
OF tho West Fo".y-seventh street apart
nents the sext day. November 1872
asked Mr. Steuer.
mo"
The defendant then recounted all his
movements on November 10. which in
euded time spent at the Garden in the
morning. at the football game at the
polo Grounds In the afternoon, q dinner
IN the evening a. his home and con-
versation with his wife. confined to her
room through illness. later In the eve
ming He denied. to the best of his
knowledge that either of tho girls had
aver been in his automobile. as they had
testified.
Mr.. Steuer also disclosed. smiling as
he put the questions. that Richard had
been arrested on three occasions--once
for carrying revolver In Chicago and
twice for transporting boxing films