Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-19
PANTAGES TRIAL
NEARING CLIMAX
Defense Contends Victims
Death Was Caused by
Anesthetic.
ny the Associated Press.

ny the Associated Press.
LOS ANGELES, September 19.-Trial
Of Mrs. Lois Pantages on a second-de
gree murder charge growing out OF the
death of Juro Rokumoto, japanese, after
an automobile accident, rapidly ap-
preached its climax today as the State
prepared to launch an attempt to re-
flute defense testimony that the mans
death was due to other causes.
Counsel for Mrs. Pantages brought
the defense to a sudden close yester-
day with testimony OF hve physicians
that Rokumoto died OF aSphyxlation
after an anesthetic had been admins
tered during an operation. Several
hours of argument preceded admission
of the testimony. The defense previous
~ had produced witnesses who swore
that the wife of Alexander Pantages,
theater magnate, was not intoxicated
when her automobile struck Rokumoto'S
car at an intersection last June, as the
State had commended, and that the
operation performed upon the Japanese
after the accident was not an en1er-
gency one.
I,5OO-Word Question.
DR.. Alfred e. Gallant, senior ortho-
pedic surgeon at Los Angeles General
Hospital, most prominent of the final
defense witnesses, gave emphatic an
Swer to a 1,50o-word hypothetical ques-
ton propounded by Max Steuer, chief
defense counsel.
In your opinion asked Steuer, after
the hypothetical question had been read
what was the cause of denth?"
Death" DR.. Gallant answered, was
caused by anesthetic."
The four other physicians gave virtu-
ally the same answer.
The State indicated the line to be
taken in its efforts to knock down the
defense barrier built up by Steuer and
his associates by questioning Of its first
rebuttal witness, placed on the stand
just before adjournment OF court.
Mrs. Minnie L. Maxwell, who identi-
fed herself as a close friend Of Mrs.
Catherine Mulcahy, defense witness
who testified that Mrs. PantageS was
not intoxicated, declared that Mrs. Null
cahy had told her she had seen scores
of intoxicated persons and that when
she arrived at the scene Of the accident
and began caring for Mrs. Pantages she
saw the woman was lust plain drunk"
ShuIer Is Scored.
Alleged activities of Rev. Robert p.
Shuler in connection with Mrs. PautageS'
trial were denounced by Los Angeles
County grand jury in q formal state
menC issued a1ber HlVeSLlgaCton OF re-
ports that the militant clergyman had
told his radio audience that the jury
was hung already"
The remarks alleged to have been
made by Shuler, the grand jury state
ment said, were gossip and hearsay,
unproven by any showing Of evidence
or reasonable indication OF evidence"
HE uttered suspicious only" 1t said,
(which by his own words, were i'm"
parted to him by others. Innicent per-
sons, by innuendo and irresponsible
gossip, have been unjuStly suspected
and condemned"
Foreman Elwood De Garmo said copies
Of the jury report were being sent to
Shuler and to the Federal Radio Com
mission at Washington.
Rev. MIR. Shuler's alleged radio state
ments also were investigated by a
special committee appointed by Superior
Judge Carlos Hardy. sitting In the
Pantages case. Both the committee and
the grand jury announced they were
investigating other statements alleged
to have been made by Shuler over the
radio.