Evening star., 1926-05-03
W|TNESSSAYS WAN
IS SUPERST|T|OUS
Former Employer Cites Fear
of Cat's-Eye Pin by
Accused Student.

The superstitions of the Orient to-
Justice Hoehling in Criminal Division
of District Supreme Court. where
Ziang Sun Wan Is being tried the
third time for the murder of Ben Sen
WI, one of the three Chinese slain at
the Educational Mission here seven
years ago.
Hugh A. ODonnell. assistant busi-
ness manager of the New York Times
and a former employer OF the defend
ant, said Wan worked for him for
about three months in 1918. One day,
however, Mr.. O'Donnell appeared
wearing cats eye scarf pin. Wan,
the witness said, threw his hands be-
fore his eyes and cried out that a cat S
wearer and all persons associated with
him. The Chinese resigned immedi-
ately. Mr.. ODonnell said
The witness was called to testify to
the good character of the defendant
and his tale Of Vans superstition was
one OF the few interesting features Of
otherwise drab proceedings.
Story Causes Commotion.
The courtroom was crowded, wom-
en-, as usual, making up its larger
part. The cat's-eye story brought
amazed comments, forcing the bailiff
to rap for order.
The trial opened this morning with
resumption of the cross examination
of Wan, who was on the stand all day
Friday. The prosecution sought to
prove that the defendant made mis-
statements as TO the time he took a
train for New York about the time
the murders are supposed to have
been committed.
Wan, however, insisted that when
the detectives said he had admitted
boarding a train at S:16 pm. for New
York, they were referring to a state
ment in which he intended to say that
he had taken the train for Baltimore
Wan contended that the detectives
simply took 1t for granted that he
meant New York.
A hot fight between counsel for the
defense and the prosecution ensued
when Wilton j. Lambert, chief of de
fense counsel, sought to introduce
photographs showing Wan to have
been a weak. overstudious young man
on the verge of a breakdown at the
time of the murders. The pictures
were admitted, but the fight had an in
teresting sequel a mintue later.
Prosecutor Is Questioned.
Mr.. Lambert startled courtroom
habitues when he ordered George ID
Hornine, jr., assistant United States
attorney and first assistant prosecut
ing attorney in the present trial, tt
take the stand as witness for the
defense, Mr.. Horning smilingiS
Obliged The defense counsel ther
sought to prove by examination thai
the prosecutor had indicated during
the verbal clash over the pictures thai
the prosecution was Withholding some
"phvsical evidence in a safe in the
of,ce Of United States Attorney Pey
ton Gordon.
Mr.. Lambert tried particularly tt
prove that the prosecution had done
away with the watches the murdered
men were supposed to have worn. de
did succeed, however, in making Mr.
Horning admit that pair OF spec
tacles found in the mission after TN
murder had disappeared completely
IT was intimated that these glasses
MIGHT have been worn by the muir
derer. Mr.. Horning explained tina
| the spectacles had been turned ovel
to the late Inspector Grant, chief OF
| the Detective Bureau. After his death
the witness declared, the glasses dls
| appeared. e..
| The court recessed for lunch aftel
hearing a large number or men ane
| women, who came here from tns
Ohio Northern University where
| Wan was a student, to testiIy as u
| his character. Mrs. Eva Mcklll. Wh'
| knew Wan at the university. de
| scribed him as zone OF the mos
| noble hearted boys / ever saw