Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-04
WAN TAKES STAND
|NOWN DEFENSE
Denies Being in Mission Two
Days Before Murder, as
Furnace Man Charged.

The trial OF Ziang sun Wan sud
denly switched into the closing stage
this afternoon when without previous
announcement or indication Wilton j.
Lambert, chief defense counsel, placed
the accused Chinese on the stand 10
testify in his own behalf
When Wan. who is charged with
first-degree murder OF Ben Sen WI of
the Chinese Educational Mission here.
January 90. 1919, was beckoned by
Mr.. Lambert to take the witness chair,
he walked with rapid step to the
box, and, after being sworn, sat down
and called for a glass of water. The
prisoner was perceptibly nervous, and
when Mr.. Lambert asked him to state
his name. hardly any one in the court
heard his reply. In answering the
question Of his place Of birth, Wan g
voice also was very faint.
Justice Wendell Phillips Stafford.
who had been leaning toward the wit
ness. interrupted and in a sympathetic
voice said to Wan: Don't feel nervous,
take your own time TO answer the
questions"
Tells of Visit Here.
Wan testified his family, composed
OF his mother, brother and sister, wa 8
very we'll off in Shanghai, China, and
Il4fat i4c tdIlAe ~ lIllS country with Dr.
I. I. Wong, one OF the murdered
Chinese.
After recirtng his education In Ohio
and OF his motion picture failure in
New York, Mr.. Lambert, who care
fully conveyed Wan over the long
testimony, brought the witness up to
his visit TO Washington In response
TO an invitation from DR.. Wong head
of the Chinese mission.
Denies Mission Visit.
Wan declared during his visit here
he recovered slightly from a painful
illness which had affected him for
some time and between January %
and the eth he saw the sights of
Washington. Becoming III again, and
owing 20 the scarcity Of domestic
servants due to the war. Wan said, he
did not want to be a burden on his
friends, and therefore took a room ar
the Harris Hotel January q about
noontime.
He did not return to the mission
shat day and fatty denied the charge
made by prosecution witness on the
stand that he told u furnace man
wednesday afternoon not to fix the
hfe as all We're going away. The fur
mace man was James T. Snead. col
ored, who had testified 10 that for the
Government. Wan declared he was
not at the house that afternoon and
furthermore never had seen the col.
ored man, who performed odd Jobs
apout the mission, according to the
iatters testimony at the time
vans appearance brought the
courtroom into a high tension, and
the large number of spectators yir-
tually sat on the edges OF the benches
to catch every word he said. The wit
ness voice was soft and cultured
his pronunciation good and his Eng.
hsh excellent. From time to time he
swallowed or gulped, this seemingly
being provoked by high collar, which
appeared to fit him too snugly. He
was dressed in a blue serge suit, wore
a black tie, white shirt and black
shoes.
Tremendously clinging TO a story on
which the defense pins all it's hopes
10 have Wan acquitted Tsong Ing,
van, brother of the defendant, occu.
pied the stand for virtually the entire
morning session of Criminal Division
z today and never for a moment
hinched from the singing barrage Of
cross examination fired by II. s, At.
torney Peyton Gordon
Maj. Gordon concentrated his az.
tack on the story told by the witness
during direct examination yesterday
afternoon OF now a Chinese stranger
Continued on Page s, Column ~