Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-25
PIANIST QU|zzED
ON HER EARLY LIFE
Former PoIiceman's Name Is
Brought Into Case by
Answers.
Continued From First PAGE

Continued From First Page.
cerned, Prosecutor Fowler said he had
several other questions to ask her and
would proceed unless there was an OBJ
lection by the defense. Hearing no
objection he handed her two documents
and asked her if she could identify
them. She studied them carefully and
replied, Eyes, sir"
Identified as Receipts.
These documents. she explained. were
receipts for the interest she had re-
Perpetual Building Association which
Representative Blanton had closed out
for her. One of the checks was for
81, which she said. Capt Burlingame
had let remain to her credit in one
account when she gave him check
for $1,000 so that she would be able
to collect the interest. The defense
counsel then examined the receipts and
made no objection against their intro
ductlon as evidence under the agree
ment reached Saturday between the
opposing counsel that all evidence in
troduced would be used for The sole
purpose Of showing the association and
comradeship between the palmist and
the police officer.
The cross-examination of Mrs. Bla-
lock was then started. Leahy, chief of
the defense counsel. at the very out
set called her attention to statement
in morning newspaper quoting her
as declaring that as long as she had
started the ball rolling" she would
remain in Washington, and see the
thing through
The palmist replied she did not recall
Of =;
recall of having any interview with a
newspaper reporter since the trial began.
The newspaper men did not inter-
view me, but wrote me note" said
the palmist do you consider that an
interview"
Leahy asked her what the note con-
tanned and she answered that it was
a request for her to pose for a picture.
She explained, however, that she had
given the newspaper men nothing to
indicate her plans for the future.
AS Defense Attorney Leahy progressed
with his cross-examination of Mrs. Bla-
lock. the atmosphere of the trial room
became charged with expectation as the
name Of former Policeman Orville Sta
pies was dragged into the hearing, and
as the details of Mrs. Blalocks past
life were wrung from the unwilling
witness in an effort to blacken her
character.
Tendency to Forget Details.
Mrs. Blalock. who made an excellent
witness while testifying on direct ex-
animation Saturday, evinced a surpris-
Ing tendency to forget details today as
Leahy tried to pin her down to definite
statements as to her relations with
staples, Congressman Blanton, and
other men.
Mrs. Blalock said that she came to
washington without knowing whether
she was to appear against Capt Burlin-
game or not. She said that she came
mere because she believed Congressman
Hianton wanted her, but insisted that
she did not know whether she was
wanted as witness in the police case.
or whether he wanted to question her
IN regard to some of her real estate
transactions
Leahy asked her whether she knew
OF the charges made against Capt Bur-
hngame. Il don't remember" she re-
piled This was followed by a search
ing cross-examination as Leahy tried
70 md out from the witness Just when
she nrst learned of the charges. Mrs.
Blalock sidestepped all of his questions.
insisting that she was not sure WHY
she was wanted here until she was
served with subpoena to appear in
the case.
She denied emphatically that STAPLES
nad ever urged her to cooperate with
him so that the two of them could
break Capt. Burlingame."
MRS. Blalock said she went to
Bethesda, Md, of her own volition to
seek Staples. She said that She had
never met him before, but felt sure he
could tell her how she might commune
cate with Mr.. Blanton. She said she
made the visit in November, 1928, and
That Staples, after listening to her
story, told her to 60 to his house and
wait there. Later that evening. she
said, he took her to the police station
at Bethesda, where she made an
Afhdivtt before Representative Gibson.
She said that she never saw Staples
after that evening.
Tells of Couples Visit.
Some time later, she continued. a
man and woman came to her place of
business, on Seventh street, and the
woman asked for palm reading. She
told the woman, she said, that she was
closed for the evening anG could not
give the reading. During the time they
were there, Mrs Blalock said. the man
remained in crouching position behind
was unable to see his face She denied
ever identifying this man as Staples in
subsequent conversation with Capt.
Burlingame.
She admitted that on another occa-
sion she was visited by a second man,
described by her as having a mouth
ful OF gold teeth and grinning like a
sheshire cat" She said the man asked
for reading and that she refused be-
cause she served only women.
Mr.. Leahy then tried to force her to
admit that she told Capt. Burlingame
she believed this man was an emissary
of Staples, and that he also tried to
persuade her TO make a statement
against Capt. Burlingame. Mrs Bla-
lock denied this. asserting that she
brought the matter to Burlingame's at
tention because she recognized the man
as being one she had seen in group
picture with Capt. Burlingame, and be-
cause she thought Burlingame himself
might have sent the man to her
Now" Mrs. Blalock said, does that
satisfy you?'
No. 1t doesn't" Leahy replied. But
II that's your explanation I'll have to
take it,"
Early In her testimony Mrs. Blalock
had said she first met Blanton when
she walked into his Office as a stranger
to enlist his support for her. Later on,
however, she said she met Blanton for
the first time when she went to him in
Abilene, Tex. Mrs. Blalock when ques-
toned by Leahy, explained her first
statement by saying that in using the
word "ofice" she meant his law Office
IN Abilene, and not his Office here
The cross-examination then turned
seward Mrs. Blalocks past life She
said she married william Sheay' in
1902, They had one son. she said who
was adopted by an outsider after Sheay
divorced her in 1906
Can't Remember Hotel.
You lived for a time in jacksonville