Evening star., 1925-03-31
SHEAN IS TR|PPED
IN CHAPMAN TRIAL
Went Into Burglary for All He
Could Get, Says Prosecu-
ton Witness.
Ry the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press
HARTFORD. Conn. March 81
Matter f. Shean, son OF wealthy
Springfield, Mass, family, the State $
principal witness against Gerald
Chapman, charged with the murder
of Patrolman James Skeuy during
the looting of New Britain store
last October. took the stand today
for cross examination.
Shean, obviously nervous and
answering questions hesttatnGly,
said he had met Chapman, known TO
him as Waldo w. Miller, by the lat
ter's telephone appointment.
Chapman told me he was friend
OF George Browns" said Shean
3 At this point Frederick J. Groehl,
chief counsel for the defense, brought
cut that Brown was a known peter
man or safe blower, who now Is
In the Federal prison in Atlanta.
> Accented Chapman n Friend.
Shean said he met Brown four
years ago and knew him for eight
weeks, when he disappeared. lie haa
not seen him since, he said. Yet. he
admitted he had accepted Chapman
in friendship, although he knew
Brown was crook.
Groehl, during his cross-examina-
ton, often consulted with Chapman,
sNxho took many notes as Shean tesu-
fled.
Shean admitted he had had trouble
sover a stolen bond case. Joseph Mar
shall. a Springfield race bookmaker.
he said, told him that he had 100000
worth of stolen bonds and asked
Shean to help him dispose of them
Shean said he stalled" Marshall un-
Iil he had time to telephone the De-
partment of Justice at Washington
10 inform that bureau of the stolen
bond offer Government operative
called on him. but Shean had neglect
ed to get Marshall's address, and the
bonds never were recovered nor was
Marshall arrested.
One Contradiction Seen.
Shean partly contradicted fea-
ture of his direct story yesterday.
This occurred when Groehl asked
sShean sarcastically il he had gone
lnto the New Britain burglary with
Chapman on a burning desire TO help
,he Government" Shean answered:
II went into the burglary 10 get all
the money I could get out OF it.
Shean testified yesterday that he
had not known of Chapman's plan 10
rob the Davidson 81 1.eventhal store
until a few minutes Delore inc lOo
loery. Groehl stressed this point and
got Shean to admit that he knew
Walter T. Carrigan, fugitive from
Justice, with whom Shean was ac-
cused of having illegally gotten s4o'-
600 from Nicholas Baker Spring
feld restaurant man.
II Admitted Issuing Checks.
: The witness admitted that he had
issued many fictitious checks through
his advertising concern and that ms
moor old father had to make good
for them" He was unable to explain
the appearance of the name of Joseph
Marshall written in Endorsement on
the back of one of his checks Shean
first denied his signature of the
check, but subsequently admitted he
had written it. The check was drawn
July IS, 1924. Shean previously had
testified that he had not seen Mar
shall since three years ago, when he
was offered the 100000 in stolen
bonds.
Groehl was trying to prove that
MARSHALL, in reality, was Shean him.
self and that it had been cashed by
q Mrs Cunningham, maid in the
Hotel Somerset, New York. Mrs.
Cunningham called on Shean in jail
and pointed him out as the man who
had given 1t to her and accepted her
money She knew him under the
name of Marshall. Groehl contended.