Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-12
M|STR|AL IS SEEN
IN CALHOUN CASE;
PLEA WITHDRAWN
Birds Counsel Offered Mo-
ton After Complaining
Witness Left Stand.
FALSE REPRESENTATIONS
BY MOBILES ARE CLAIMED
Couple Misled Mrs. Hillenbrand,
Complainant Claims-virtually
Asks That She Be Exonerated. .

A mistrial appeared imminent today
in the trial of five persons charged
with a blackmail conspiracy but the
case proceeded after a defense attorney
withdrew such motion
Charles w. Arth, counsel for James
F. Bird. made the mistrial motion
after Mrs. Cornelia D. B. Calhoun,
complaining witness. remarked on leaV-
ing the stand: They've been trying 10
break me down for three days and
they've failed" The statement was
made in the presence of the jury.
After Justice Jesse c. Adkins OF Dis
trict Supreme Court had indicated ne
would grant the motion II all OF the
defense attorneys joined in the request
Mr.. Arthur withdrew his demand when
counsel for the other defendants mace
it apparent they were opposed 70 .
The defendants. in addition to Bird
are Mr.. and Mrs. w. Clark Noble, MRS
Anna Hillenbrand and Stephen a
Armstrong, 1r.
Says Mrs. Hillenbrand Was M1sled.
A virtual request for the exoneration
of Mrs. Anna Hillenbrand, one OF the
five defendants, was made by MRS. Cal
houn. who told the jury Mrs. AllIen-
brand had been "misled."
Mrs. Calhoun. under croSS-examina-
tom by Paul Sedgewick, counsel for
Mrs. Hillenbrand, testified she believed
IMPRISONMENT of the latter while await.
ing trial was unjustif1ed. She aooeo
she would have arranged bond for MIS-
Hillentrand had not Department OF
Justice officials objected.
The witness charged Mr.. and Mrs:
Noble were responsible for the alleged
plot to extort 10000 in exchange Tor
promises not to involve them IN a scan.
DIAL. Mrs Calhoun said she oeleveo
Mrs Hillenbrand had been induced to
participate in the conspiracy through
false representations by the Mobiles.
Sedgewick brought out that Mrs. Hill
lenbrand had remained in jail many
months awaiting trial because she was
unable to post bond, while the Mobiles
and other defendants, James r. BIRD
and Stephen A. Armstrong, 1r., had OBJ
tanned their release through arranging
bail.
Asked About Conference.
Arth cross-examined Mrs Calhoun
at length concerning the circumstances
az q conference which eliminated In
the arrests.
Isn't it a fact" Arth demanded,
that YOU we're leading Mr. Noble into
thinking he was to get 100000?
THAT probably is what he thought,
but the plan was arranged by the De-
partment of Justice; not by u.s." Mrs.
Did you see the check?" Arth pur-
sued.
mo"
"You carried it there, didn't you?"
"Yes, but it was in an envelope, and
didn't look at It.
why didn't you look at It?
why should look at check when
knew what 1t WASP"
Did you sign it?"
mo. my husband signed it.
What bank was 1t drawn on?"
1.-The Continental Trust Co."
How do you know If you didn't
look at it?"
why, my husband told me. Must
you keep on asking me such questions:
That's the fourth time I've answered
that question"
That's all right. You answer the
questions and leave those other remarks
of"
Arth then asked Mrs Calhoun II she
had not heard Noble rise and shout,
IT will not ever take any blackmail or
tainted money" when he was asked by
Samuel w. Hardy. a Department OF
Justice agent. posing as an attorney Tor
the Calhouns. to sign an agreement re-
leasing the Calhouns in exchange for
$4,000. :
Those are noble sentiments. but
don't remember them" Mrs. Calhoun
said He did say something Of the
sort when the marshals came in"
When Arth attempted TO elicit from
Mrs. Calhoun the names Of various or
Plantations for promotion Of woman
hood with which she had been con-
nected. Irwin Goldstein, an assistant
United Statese attorney, objected on the
ground that the defense attorney wa:
wasting time.
Wasting time!" Arth shouted. This
is serious matter and I'm not goint
TO be choked of here"
Denies Posting Stenographer.
Justice Jesse C. Adkins ruled Mrs
Calhoun should answer. She then ex.
planned she had been affiliated witt
the WomanS Memorial Foundation, thu
Woman's Universal Alliance and TIT
Mothers Foundation.
Mrs. Calhoun, under examination b.
K. K. Spriggs. another defense attor
ney. said she never did see Armstrong
until the day Of the arrests.
The witness also denied she had post.
ed a stenographer in an adjoining room
to take down a conversation she hal
with Sedgewick in her home som
months ago. She frankly acknowledge
Yesterday, however that Stenographer
had been placed beneath bed and be
hind a door to keep a record OF wha
was said at earlier conferences in tn
Calhoun home between the Calhoun
and the Mobiles.
4