Evening star., 1922-07-09

RERNARD FRANCIS CASSON.
Eve believe the police officers were
justified in shooting this man IN SELF
defense and In line of duty" was the
verdict of the jury at an inquest held
at the morgue yesterday afternoon
in tho case of Wilfred Michaud,
eighteen years old. 432 Manor place.
who was shot to death early yester-
day morning when found in the rear
Of store of the Sanitary Grocery
Company at 3O5S Mount Pleasant
street.
W. ]. Mahaney and D. A. Gourley'
members of the tenth precinct com
mand. told the coroners jury tna1
they discharged their weapons When
they saw that Michaud was armed
and heard the clicking OF the nam
mer of his pistol They SAID they
were certain their lives were en-
danrered, 1t developed that Mi
chaud's weapon missed fire. however
but the cartridges in 1t. the Jurors
were told. showed evidences OF At
temptS to shoot
The two policemen VINO oid tns
shooting and Policemen w A fehn
and H. r. Hodge. who were In 'front.'
of the store when the shooting oc-
Cured. told the jury their versions OF
the affair. and c. r Unger. looo
Irving street. who discovered tne IN.
and had his wife notify the police,
also testified
Caason Doesn't Testify.
Bernard Francis Casson. nineteen
years old. AS Newton place con-
fessed accomplice of the dead young
man. listened to the testimony at the
inquest. He was perfectly willing to
make a statement OF his alleged con-
nection with the AFFAIR. but members
of the jury deemed 1t unnecessary 70
hear him. He had made statement
of his connection with Michaud TO
the police, il was stated. and nothing
he could say would have any bearing
on the jury's finding.
Mr.. CnGer. who notif1ed the ponce,
said he awoke shortly before O'Clock
and that his attention was attracted
nv a tapping noise coming from the
direction Of the Sanitary company
store. Then a. milk wagon appeared
in the alley in rear of the store. one
in front Of the store having previously
attracted the attention of the tntruders
and caused them to cease operations:
Appearance of the wagon In the
rear of the store was a signal LOT
the safe. and Mr.. Unger looked from
the window to see II he could learn
lust what the noise was ABOUT he
saw the form of one of the men move
through the yard The uespSssea
looked over the fence to see II the
coast was clear and returned to the
store.
Telling Mrs. Unger of what he had
seen. Mr.. Unger said he. would Keep
watch while his wife telephoned the
police. A few minutes later the men
after scaling the fence were cornered
by Policemen Mahaney and Gourley
and commanded to surrender. The
shooting followed.
Youths Wore Gloves.
Detectives and policemen found yes
terday afternoon that the young men
had worn gloves while visiting the
numerous business houses they listed
TO rob.
Casson increased the number Of
robberies he said he and M1cha I'd had
committed, recalling additional places
each time he was questioned. Early
last night police of the tenth precinct
reported that they had list OF
twenty-eight places Casson ADMITTED
he and his companion had visited
during the fiye months of their ac-
Quaintance.
Yesterday afternoon Casson was
measured and photographed at police
HEADQUARTERS and was returned to the
tenth precinct police station to be
held for further investigation and his
later appearance in police court. 1t
is expected by the police that the
prisoner will be able to recall addi-
tional places he and his companion
visited.
Six charges of housebreaking and
one of joyriding had been preferred
against Casson by the police last
night. No bond has been fixed for
his appearance in police court, and
the police last night said they
thought no effort word be made to
had had a preliminary hearing in
court.
BODY Is Taken Home.
After the inquest at the morgue
yesterday, the body of Michaud was
taken to S. H. Hines undertaking
establishment and late last night was
carried to the home. The funeral
will be held from the home Tuesday
morning at o'clock and will be pri-
vate. Services will be in charge of
Father Mcnamara of st. Gabriel's,
and burial will be at Mount Olivet
cemetery.
Shortly before the casket arrived,
one Of the boys sisters came to the
home and upon greeting the grief
stricken family collapsed.
There was little gathering of
sympathetic friends and naighbors at
the home to bring their consolation,
and with one accord they iGined in
the testimony to the esteem in which
Michaud had been held in the neigh
borhood. The fathers statement that
his son had always been a good boy,
and he. could not believe that Wiifred
had turned out to be a burglar. was
corroborated by all in the home,
while parents of the boys youthful
friends testified he had been held in
highest esteem by his young neigh
bors.
Michaud. it developed at the rome
last night. had intended to spend the
evening in canoe on the river with
girl friend, and was planning to leave
the home for the Potomac after his
return from an errand
Having studied at Central High
School and at Eastern High School,
from which he recently graduated. the
boy lad planned to obtain work for
the summer. and then enter George
town Law School this fall.
Plans for Legal Career.
Plans for his legal career had been
considered early In his Central High
school days. it was learned. and the
1921 "Brecky" annual of Central High
school had this to say about the.
sWilfred. our witty New Enslanders
wlf repressnt Central In the law, and