Evening star., 1932-05-13
NOT GUILTY PLEA
MADE BY MEANS
Rover to Press for Trial on
Charge of SWindling Mrs.
+ Mclean Before June 80.

Castor B. Means this afternoon en-
tered pleas OF not guilty to two in
dictments charging larceny and en-
bezzlement of $104,000 from Mrs.
Evalyn Walsh McLsan-money which
Mrs. Mclean gave him, she said, to
effect the return Of the Iindbergh
/, baby.
Means was arranged before Justice
James M. Proctor in Criminal Divis-
ion No. l, and following his pleas, hear
United States Attorney Leo A. Rover,
who is prosecuting the case, tell the
court that he proposed to go TO trial
as soon as possible.
Rover told the court that he under
stood Means proposed to use ef1orts 10
have his trial postponed until the Fan,
but that his office was going 10 olrece
every energy toward bringing Means
before the bar prior to the end Of the
present term, June 80.
Time Asked for Inquiry.
- Rover's statement was made after j.
spuiIlara Tomlinson, counsel for Means,
!. had asked for some time in which TO
make certain Investigations for the pur-
psse perhaps of attacking the indlct,
fnent. Justice Proctor in reply SAID
that he would allow until TUESDAY.
Means was accompanied only by ms
attorney when he came into court, ana
he entered through the PACK o,ot,
avoiding crowd that had gatnereo 10
see him. ..;ao
So many spectators lined up outside
the court room to get glimpse OF the
portly defendant that court attaches les
those first in line in, and then oarreo
the doors to others.
Means was in court just a rev
moments He waived the reading OF
the indictments, and entered his plea
of not guilty in low voice.
Earlier in the day, Means had 1or-
feited SOS collateral in Police Court as
the result of row yesterday aIternooH
with Lee Somers, Times reporter u,
Schultes Cigar Store, in the NaVionai
Press Building. .,,,+
on Sorners with drunkenness ano as
orderly conduct. He forfeited sou on
tbe assault charge in the United states
branch and $40 on the drunkenness
and Is on the disorderly conouct
charges in the District branch.
No Attachment Sought.
when Means failed to show up before
Nudge Gus A. Schultz IN tne ohiOeo
States Branch, the Judge saiu an az
f0nhn1RnJ
Ilesired by the District attorneys once
Assistant United States Attorney M r.
Keoeh. in charge of the prosecutor,
said however, that Somers was content
to let the matter drop and tnat no az
tachment would be sought
Somers. who had been held IN 80 col
lateral on a disorderly conduct cnarse
for his part in the affair, was dismissed
when his case came before Judge Jonn
p. McMahon in Police Court. After
hearing several witnesses, mcluolng
Traffic Oficer H. II. Hartman, VINO
made the arrest, Judge McMahon salo
that he saw no evidence OF olsoroer On
SolnerS' part.
charge against Means is larceny and
enbezzlement. Specifically, the mdict-
ments returned Tuesday charge fraud
ulenE diversion and secretion OF a Sloo,-
OOO ransom fund, and $4,000 for ex-
penses of the ''kidnapers."
Efforts to Recover Money.
The money was obtained, Mrs. Nc
Lean alleges, when she enlisted the
services Of Means few days after
Charles Augustus Lindbergh, jr., had
been stolen from his home, in an effort
to restore the child to his parents.
When weeks passed without any re-
suit, Mrs. Mclean asked through coun-
sci for the return of the money, and
when It was not Forthcoming the
charges followed.
The trouble yesterday afternoon came
about, according to Somers, when
Means naistook him for q Department
of Justice agent. The newspaper man
also was required to post SIS collateral
on a disorderly conduct charge.
Somers told other newspaper men he
had an appointment to meet Means in
tht Willard Hotel, but when the latter
failed to appear. he left the hotel and
walked across Fourteenth street
Then" Somers continued, Il saw
Means near the National Press Build
ing He invited me inside the drug
store to have a drink. When we got
inside, he demanded to see my creden-
tials. Then he said was a Justice
Department man. He struck me in the
chest during the argument"
Locked Up by Police.
Means was with his wife at the time
he met Somers. She left him, however,
when police took him to the first pre-
cinct.
M G. Johnson. the manager of the
store, called Traffic Oficer H. H. Hart
man from the corner when the argu-
ment grew heated and the arrest fol-
lowed, Means being locked up.
Allowed to talk to newspaper men,
the heavy-Set Means was brought out
OF the cell block into the entrance hall,
where he was interviewed. Minus tie
and belt, which had been taken from
him when he was placed in the cell,
he stood in front of the cell block door
and denied he had struck Somers.
II had an appointment with r. M.
Easley (of the National Civic League)
in the Willard Hotel" Means began.
I'VE went across to the drug store TO
get drink ! had just sat down when
a man came up to me and said ne was
from the Washington Times. l asked
to see his credentials. He had no ere
dentials.
Wife Posts Collateral.
'I Immediately turned to my wife,
grabbed him and held MIN for the po-
lice telling her 10 cali the officers.
Il thought he was an uncercover
agent I was perfectly justified in
holding him. didn't know him.
Then the officers came and arrested
both of u.s." Means chuckled.
When they locked me up told my
wife to bring all the political pressure
to bear that she could to get me out"
Means was held couple of hours
and then released when his wife posted
the $65 collateral demanded by Capt.
w. E. Holmes of the first precinct
D4 E4- D.