Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-16
KRE|TzER'S PLEA
TO Be ACCIDENT
Two Witnesses, Present
When Ryon Was Shot, Deny
There Was Row.
BY GEORGE 8. PORTER,
STAFF Correspondent Of The star.


UPPER MARLBORO. Nd. April
i6.-Defense Attorney M. Hampton
Masruder. In his opening address to the
jury in the trial Of Henry Kreitzer,
charged with the murder Of N. Melvin
Ryon~ December Is last, indicated that
accident Would be the defense, and his
cross questioning of State witnesses was
in line with that view.
Lyle Simmons and Bernard Watkins,
two of the mutual friends Of the men
who were in the Kreitzer home at
Bowie the night Ryor was fatally shot,
were the first witnesses, and admissions
were obtained from them that no quar-
reling or drinking preceded the firing
of the shot. The party was in q
friendly mood, they testified.
Jury Is Selected.
Before a courtroom crowded with
spectators eager to learn the INSIDE
story" of the mysterious shooting Of
Ryon at Kreiter's home, the defendant
entered plea of not guilty when the
trial commenced with his arraignment
by Summerfield D. Hall, clerk Of the
Circuit Court The task Of selecting q
jury was then begun.
With the prosecution and defense ex-
ercising their rights of challenge, the
following jurors we're selected: Charles
Pritchard, Laurel; John F. Empey, Seat
Pleasant; Irving B. Trabane. Marlboro;
Robert Tilch. Oxon Hill; William S.
Chichester, Aquasco; j. Turner Ba-
den, Aquasco; George and w. ]. Wyvill.
William Burroughs and Vincent Wells,
all of Upper Marlboro; w. T. Richard
son, Mellwood, and Louis Seger, Not
tingham. Baden was designated fore
A rAn.,frad
The unusual circumstances under
which Ryon was shot and the versions
obtained by police of the shooting led a
coroners jury to order KreitZer bound
over to the grand jury at an inquest
held shortly after the occurrence.
Note Payment Mentioned.
According to the testimony given at
the inquest, Ryon visited the Kreitzer
home the evening Of December Is. After
some social conversation mention was
made Of payment of a note due on an
automobile, 1t was testified.
In searching for the note, Kreitzer
came across pistol, the coroner's jury
was told, and began pointing it at per-
sons in the room. AS he leveled the
gun at Ryon, the latter is said to have
declared, You haven't nerve enough to
shoot"
Thereupon, according to the testi-
mony, the gun was discharged. Only
one shot was fired, and Ryon fell dead
Witnesses at first did not realize what
had happened.
A few minutes later, however, they
fled. Kreitzer placed his victims body
in his automobile and drove to dense
clump of woods about mile from his
home. Abandoning both the body and
machine, he returned to Bowie, where
he was arrested by County Policeman
v. M Nichols. When taken into Gus.
tody he led the officer to Ryon's body
Ryon was 80 years of age and ar
engineer Of the Bladensburg Suburban
Sanitary Commission.
Kreitzer was held at the Marlboro
Jail for several days, finally being re-
leased under $4,000 bond. Upon being
indicted by the Prince Georges County
grand jury last week his bond was in.
creased to $1,000. He is represented
by Attorneys M. Hampton Magrudel
and Frank Hail.
Prosecution of the case is being con-
Quoted by States Attorney j. Frank
Parran. Judges Joseph C. Mattingly
and William M. Loker are on the
bench. =
Witnesses for the State are Lyle
Simmons, Bernard Walker. Robert
Walker, Herbert Jones and Edward
Gasch. Persons summoned by the de.
tense include Fred Pohlman, Herbert
Jones. Lewis Pascault, Policeman v
M. Nichols. Bernard Maenner. ST.; Mrs
Bernard Maenner, Frank TOmpkinS
Bernard Lauro, Stanley Hicks. Julius
Cramer. Leslie Basin and John Ber-
brick, ST. All reside at or near Bowie