Evening star., 1932-11-30
DEFENDANTS DENY
ANYPART|C|PAT|ON
IN TEA HOUSE CASE
Wallace and Zalenski Take
Stand in Own Behalf at
Murder Trial.
ALIBl is OFFERED FOR ONE
OF TWO ACCUSED MEN
Other Claims He Knew Nothing OF
Crime Until His Arrest Seven .
Months Later.
By a staff Correspondent Of The Star.


connection with the Old Colonial Tea
House shooting last November, took the
stand in their own defense today and
denied having had any connection with
the staying of Grover Arnick, Washing
ton filling station attendant
Zalenski, the first defendant to tes-
ttfy, said he knew Wallace only by
sight, having seen him driving a taxi
cab in East Baltimore several times.
He was unable to recall where he was
at the time of the shooting, explain
ing he was not called upon for an alibi
until his arrest seven months later.
As for Thomas Simone, who took the
stand as a State witness yesterday and
accused Zalenski and Wallace of plot
ting the hold-up that resulted in the
killing Of Amick, Zalenski said he had
never seen the man until they met in
the Upper Marlboro Jail after their
arrest. He also denied knowing Joe
Hoffman, Joe Reno and Indian Nuts, !"
named as other members of the hold
up gang.
Wallace's Testimony Similar.
Somewhat similar testimony was
offered by Wallace, who admitted know
ing Mae Dix and Jean Gordon, In.
mates of the Bladensburg resort, but
"
as testified by the girls. He was ar
rested four or FIVE days after the shoot
ing, he said, but was released the fol-
lowing day, after having been questioned
extensively in Baltimore police station.
He was rearrested last June 4, about
the same time as Zalenski.
Shown a sawed-off shotgun and a
.45-caliber automatic, found at the
scene of the shooting and identified as
his by Miss Dix Miss Gordon and other
State witnesses, wallace emphatically
denied ever having seen either of the
weapons before. gun resembling the
shotgun, however, was kept In q dis
orderly house in Baltimore which he
formerly managed for Herman Valenti,
q State witness, he said.
The accused men were called to the
stand upon completion OF the testi-
mony Of several character witnesses.
Two witnesses testified today that
Wallace was at a shore resort near
Baltimore until q short time before the
gunplay.
The witnesses, Morris Hyatt and Phil
Felicetti, both Of Baltimore, were called
by the defense shortly after the State
rested its case at 10:55 am.
Hyatt told the Jury he accompanied
Wallace to the shore, where they re-
mained until about ! am, less than
two hours before the hold-up in which
Amick, Washington filling station at
tendant, lost his life His testimony
clared he met him and Wallace at the
resort. Il was expected that other de-
tense witnesses would attempt to ac-
count for Wallace's whereabouts be-
tween the time he left the shore and
the time of the shooting.
Proprietor on Stand.
The first defense witness was Charles
(Doggie) LeaNtt, proprietor Of the tea
house, now serving a six months SEN
tence In the Maryland House Of Cor
rection for operating a disorderly
house. He also was fined $500 on the
same charge.
Leavitt testified he has known WAL
lace for six or seven years, and zalenski
for nearly twice that long. Wallace, he
said, visited him at the Bladensburg
resort three or four times before the
shooting. He did not see either Wallace
or Zalenski, however, among the half
dozen gunmen who raided the place. he
added.
Under cross-examination by Special
Prosecutor Frank NJ. Hall, Leavitt de-
clared the bandits took $3.50 or s17o
from his pockets and more than 5000
from closet in the kitchen. They also
took two guns from the closet, he said
Defense Attorney J. Wilson Ryon, In his
direct examination OF Leavitt, brought
from the witness identification of gun
alleged by the State to have been used
by Wallace, and found at the scene OF
the shooting. Leavitt at first identified
the gun as one OF those taken from the
closet, but later retracted the identifi-
cation.
Denies Signing Statement.
He denied having signed statement
introduced by the prosecution, insisting
he had merely affixed his signature tc
by Lieut.. Cornelius Roche and Sergt
William Feehley, Baltimore detectives.
The only statement I signed" he
asserted, twas written by Roche on 9
yellow piece Of paper. When l signed
the other paper there was nothing on II
except the words Baltimore Police De-
partment' printed at the top"
LeaVitt's testimony also included Q
charge that Herman Valenti, one OF the
star witnesses for the State. visited hin
numerous times in an effort to induce
him to become a prosecution witness
valenti, according to Leavitt. explained
he was mad" at one Of the accused mer
for having punched his sister-in-lav
in the eye
lenti. who identified 45-caliber auto
matte and sawed-off shot gun, ALLEGED
to have been used in the gun battle, a:
weapons shown to him short tims
previously by Wallace.
The weapons previously had beer
identified as Wallaces by Thomas ST.
none. 80. also under indictment fol
murder in connection with the shoot
ing, and Mae Dix and Jean Gordon
inmates Of the road house at the time
of the gunplay.
Tells Of Hold-up Plans.
Taxing the stand as State witness
Simone, able to walk only with the
aid of a crutch-like cane as result Of
his wounds, readily admitted his par
in the hold-up that precipitated the
shooting He named Wallace, Zalen.
ski, Joe Hoffman, Joe Reno and 9
man known as Indian Nuts" as thu
other members Of the bandit gang. AL
but Simone, Wallace and Zalenski still
are at liberty.
At Wallace's invitation, Simone tes
titled, he Hoffman, Reno and "Indiar
Nuts" drove from Philadelphia to {
snore resort near Baltimore, where th'
accused pair met them. After discussing
the hold-up plot, he said the grouI
headed for Bladensburg.
There Wallace and Zalenski removed
the distributors from all the automo
biles parked in the yard OF the tei
house. Simone continued, while he ant
the three other men went inside.
They. were met at the door, he said