Evening star., 1926-11-16

scarf, which lent a touch of color to
the ensemble
Ringold Hart assistant corporation
counsel, appeared, representing the
District of Columbia. since Scrivener
vas an employe of the District.
John NJ. Littlepage. also Of the Dis
trict attorneys office, appeared with
Mr.. Horning as representative of the
District attorneys office.
DR.. Joseph u. Rogers, deputy coro-
ner. who performed the autopsy on the
body of Scrivener on October 10. was
the first witness sworn. DR.. Rogers
exhibited to the jury the course the
fatal bullet took when it entered the
left side of the victim.
At the request of Coroner Nevttt,
DR.. Rogers exhibited the light over
coat worn by Scr!Vener and explained
to the jury the gunshot tests which
We're made at the morgue, showing the
Jury the overcoat riddled with bullets
Or Rogers explained at what range
each one of the bullets was fired. He
said that the bullet fired closest TO
the coat made the hole which CORE
sponded almost identically with that
made hy the bullet which caused
/ Scrivener's death.
Dr. Rogers said that the overcoat
was not rumpled and that the bullet
| entered the chest under the fourth
rib. passing on the other side under
| the fifth rib. fle sa i'd that Scrivener's
| death was due to the bullet wound in
his heart
Shows How Pistol Could BE Held.
| While Scrivener's coat was being
shown to the jury ito demonstrate the
effects Of firing pistol at ranges
from point blank to - inches, Cor
oner hewitt invited the jury's atten-
| tion to the similarity between the
! SINCE on the coat made on the right
| lapel at a 10inch range during the
i tests and the Singe from the death
| bullet on the left lapel.
DIR. Rogers interjected that 1O.inch
range seemed conclusive"
The word suicide" first came into
! the inquiry when DIR. Rogers was
asked to demonstrate the manner in
which the pistol could he held by one
attempting suicide. He held the
| pistol in his left hand in an awkward
position with the barrel uppermost,
stating that this was the only way
in which it could so be held. The
thumb was on the trigger and the
fOrefngers We're twisted around the
butt of the pistol in a tense, stra ined
way. He did not attempt to shNw
the jury that the pistol could have
been held with the barrel lowermost
and butt uppermost. thumb on the
trigger. which was demonstration
made hy other investigators earlier
in the case.
Dr. Rogers stated that it was i'm.
proba bile that a pistol held In such
manner would inf1ict such q wound
az found in Scrivener's body and
added that the aim also would he in
accurate.
Holds Gun Defective.
Dr. Herbert f. Martyn, deputy cor
oner. was the next witness called. He
testified that he was present at the
above tests. He pointed out that
when the tests were male the gun
was defective and could only be fired
after one discharge by turning the
cylinder into position. lie stated that
| If the bullet went straight with the
! gun held in the left hand it would
describe the same sort of course as
that found in Scrivener's body.
A detailed description Of the scene
in the alley off n street when Scriven-
ers body was found was given by DR..
Charles \. T.ally Of Georgetown Uni
versity Hospital. the next witness.
He WAS called in the morning Oc-
toher "a. he said. by policemen from
the Seventh precinct. He fonnd. he
testified. the body lying on It's back
| with its feet three feet from the en-
trance nf the alley and q pistol on the
ground between the outstretched feet
| He identified the neckte found in
Scrivener's right hand and stated tha {
| the fingers had clenched il in post.
! mortem spasm. He noted that the
| portion of the tie above the knot was
/ very small. He said he finished his
examination of the body At about 40
o'clock--ahout 30 minutes after death.
The word suicide" again came into
| the inquest with the testimony Of Pvt
| A. s. Rohrer Of the seventh precinct.
| first policeman on the scene
Il turned in At :2s that morning
| and was told over the wire that a ma n
was drunk or sick in the alley near
| Wisconsin avenue and y street
| rode there and found three or four
men on the sidewalk. I parked my
| motor cycle and saw the body with
| the feet stretched out slightly into the
| light \ citizen said. Officer. this
| man must have committed suicide ="
! He described the scene in detail He
added that he looked at the tie In the
| hand Of the dead man and saw that
| a necktie was about his neck: so. he
! 50 Id. he figured ii was murder"
/ al sS,~ tx@a -l.A