Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-13
COLORED DOORMAN
HELD FOR Jury IN
NORMAN'S Staying
Coroner'S Jury DeliberateS
Less Than Five Minutes on
Wardman Park Shooting.
VICTIM SHOT IN BACK,
EYE WITNESS ASSERTS
Joseph H. Diggs Declines to Tes-
tify Upon Advice of
His Attorney.

Joseph Henry Digs, eolored door,
man at the Wardman Park Hotel, was
held for the grand jury today on a
charge of murder in connection with
the shooting yesterday of Capt. Will
liam Frank Norman, prominent at
torney, who resided at the hotel.
In deciding to held Diggs, a coron-
er's jury deliberated less than five
minutes.
Norman was shot four times by the
doorman after they quarreled over a
parking space at the hotel. The only
eyewitness account of the shooting was
given by William Pearson, a taXicab
driver Pearson said he saw the at
torney leave the hotel and signal for
his personal car while standing in front
OF the main entrance.
sShOt in Back, He Says.
About a minute later, he said, Diggs
walked up from behind and shot him
twice in the back Norman fell, and
while he was on the ground, the colored
man fired two more shots at him, only
one of which took effect He sald he
saw no quarrel between she two men
Immediately before the shooting.
Diggs, on advice of his attorney
James j. OShea, declined to testify.
The Government was represented by
Assistant District Attorney James F.
Hughes.
1t was brought out at the inques.
that the quarrel which led up TO the
shooting had its inception last Friday.
IT YVES testified the doorman was struck
by Norman in the lobby of the hotel
Monday evening
Norman was former special assistant
to the Attorney General.
D-ggs surrendered TO House Detective
Daugherty immediately after the shoot
ing, explaining, I've just shot a man
out there"
An autopsy performed last night by
Deputy Coroner A. Msgruder MacDon-
aid, revealed two Of the 32-caliber bull
lets were buried beneath Capt. Nor
mans left shoulder. one in his jaw and
tie other in his backbone.
Says Re Was Slapped.
Questioned b. Sergt. James Spring.
mann newly appointed Grief Of the
homicide squad, Diggs is said TO have
declared Capt. Norman slapped him,
According to Sergts. George DRrnelI
eni John Flaherty, however, witnesses
ss5 rted Digs fired upon the attorney
f-or1 behind, apparently without provo
Cai7n.
Diggs ssid his revolver was pnr-
chased Gbout two years ago. This was
contra dicted by Sergt. Springmann, who
declared he had definite knowledge
Diggs bought the gun Tuesday.
Three days before police said. DiggS
warned Capt. Norman's coloT3d caauf-
feur, Enoch Craig. that he was not at
liberty to park the lawyers automobile
IN restricted area behind the taxicab
stand in front of the hostelry.
Quarrel Described.
Informed Of the incident by his driver.
Capt. Norman was said to have slapped
Digs twice, after tslIin.. him it was
none Of his business where the car was
parked. Digs. w'.o has been employed
at the hotel for more than a year.
brocded over the slapping, in the opin-
ion Of the detectives
When Capt Norman fell after the
first two shots, witnesses declared, Diggs
stood over him and shouted, II knew
I'd get your He pulled the trigger
two more times, they said, despite the
wounded mans plea, Please don't
shoot me any moTel"
Pearson took Norman to Emergency
Hospital. where he died a short time
later After surrendering, Diggs YVES
taken to the fourteenth precinct po-
lice station, where he was charged with
murder.
Capt. Norman's secretary, Miss Beryl
Roberts. 1916 Kilbourne place, collapsed
when she learned Of the shooting. She,
too, was treated at Emergency.
Miss Roberts, who was Capt. Nor
mans fiancee, said funeral arrange
ments had not been completed but ten
tative plans call for burial in Arlington
National Cemetery Saturday. Final ar
rangements. she said. await the arrival
Of the dead mans brother, Capt. Louis
Norman. who was motoring through
Des Moines, Iowa, at the time of the
tragedy.