Evening star., 1932-12-01
Sisters of Wallace and Ia
Ienski Hysterical as Deci-
sion Is Announced.
COURT ROOM HEAVILY
GUARDED BY OFFICERS
Pair Face 5.to.20-Year Sentences
in Old Colonial Tea House
Killing.
BY PHIL LOVE,
Staff Correspondent OF The Star.


court room in which a special detail
OF policemen, deputy sheriffs and con-
tables kept the crowd under constant
surveillance, John Wallace and James
Zalenski were convicted of second-de-
gree murder last night in the Old Co.
lonial Tea House shooting, in which
Grover Amick, Washington filling sta
tion attendant, was slain on November
%, 1881.
AS the verdicts were read by Francis
v. Wheatley, foreman of the jury of
Charles County business men and farm
ers, one Of Wallace's five sisters ran
screaming to the jury box andtollapsed.
At the same time, Zalenski's sister be-
came hysterical and was assisted from
the court room, crying: "I want my
JimmyI''
While court attaches and spectators
were administering to wallace's sister,
Miss Agnes Wallace, he and Zalenski
were handcuffed and taken to the Office
Of Sheriff Robert " Cooksey. From
there the convicted men were trans
ferred under heavy guard to the Charles
County Jail, about 100 feet from the
court house, where they will remain
until sentenced by Judges william M.
Loker and Joseph C. Mattingly.
Face to 20 Year Sentence.
The sentences probably will not be
pronounced until the first part Of next
week, the convicted mems attorneys
having three days in which to file
motion for new trial. The verdict,
returned by the jury after less than an
hours deliberation, makes Wallace and
Zalenski liable to sentences Of from
5 to 20 years In the Maryland Peni-
tentiary.
Their attorneys. Wilson Ryon,
Paul Mules. John Mudd and State
Senator Walter j. Mitchell-were to
confer with members of their families
today regarding the advisability of
seeking a new trial.
The verdict against ~Zalenski was an
nounced first. As Wheatley intoned
the decision-@Not guilty of murder in
the first degree. but guilty of murder
In the second degree'-Zalenski's sister
screamed
The verdict against Wallace was
pronounced few moments later. Miss
Wallace, who had been sitting next to
Zalenski's sister, rose and ran toward
the jury box. Almost directly in front
of the foreman she halted, threw her
arms IN the air, screamed once and
dropped to the floor. She was carried
to an ante-room, where she was re-
Nved.
Wife Weeps at Verdict.
Wallace's wife and other sisters re-
ceiyed the verdict more calmly, as did
his mother and father. His wife weps
softly, but other members of his family
showed little emotion. A friend took
Mrs. Wallace's 6-month-old baby from
her arms while she made her way
through the crowd to watch her hus-
band and zalenski being led from the
court room.
The convicted men showed no emo
ton when the verdicts were announced.
Zalenski sat with his arms folded, look
ing toward the jury box. while Wallace
fingered the lapels of his coat as his
eyes roved around the court room.
They were escorted to the jail by
eight policemen and deputy sheriffS,
and an extra guard was placed around
the lookup. They. will be heavily
guarded until sentenced, it was said,
and then will be taken to the peniten-
tiary in Baltimore under heavy guard.
Sought to See Brother.
zalenski's sister hovcred around the
jail for more than half an hour, begging
officers to permit her to have word
with him. Although Sheriff Cooksey
assured her she could see her brother
this morning she refused to leave until
Mudd and Ryon told her it was i'm
possible to gain admittance to the Jail
until today.
The case was placed in the hands
Of the jury at 5:55 pm, after the
defense had devoted the greater part
Of the day attempting to build up an
alibi for Wallace.
Taking the stand In their own de-
fense, Wallace and Zalenski denied
having known each other, except "by
sight" prior to their arrest Wallace
admitted having visited the BladenS-
burg tea house several times prior to
the hold-up that resulted in the kill
ing of Amick, but denied having any
knowledge of the crime.
Demands First Degree Verdict.
Special Prosecutor Frank M. Hall.
In his closing address to the Jury, de-
manded verdict of first-degree murder.
pointing out that, under the Maryland
law, any Staying perpetrated during the
commission OF felony constitutes first
degree murder, whether the killing is
premeditated or not. Under the Mary
land legal code. he said, all members
or group staging robbery in which
some one Is killed are equally guilty,
Hall conducted the prosecution In
collaboration with States Attorney
Alan Bowie of Prince Georges County
and States Attorney Edward j. Edelen
OF Charles County The trial was
moved to La Plata from Upper Marl-
boro on change of venue requested
by the defense.
Amick was shot when q gang Of six
bandits held up the resort and robbed
the proprietor. Charles (Doggie) Leavitt,
Of nearly S400. Leavitt and four other
persons, including woman entertainer,
were wounded in the gun battle.
One OF those wounded, Thomas
Simone, 80, Philadelphia, also is under
Indictment for murder in connection
with the case. He testified as a State
witness Tuesday, the first day OF the
trial, declaring Wallace and Zalenski
were members of the hold-up gang.
Under cross-examination, he said Bowie
had promised to nolle press the indict-
ment against him If he appeared as a
prosecution witness, bu. no action has
been taken along this line yet.
n~rn%x- - AJI-..