Evening star., 1932-04-07
Photographs to Show Sus-
kin-PoIice Clash Details
of March 26.
SEPARATE HEARINGS
OF OTHERS TO FOLLOW
Walter Gellhorn, Private Secretary
of Justice Stone of U. S. Supreme
Court, Volunteer Witness.

The trials of four Communists
charged with aSsaulting police during
demonstration near the Japanese en-
bassy March 26 got under way in a
jury branch of Police Court this aft
ernoon with the calling of the case
Of Albert Suskin of Philadelphia.
The three others, Ivan Kastrow and
James L. Kennedy of Philadelphia and
Joan Hardy Of Baltimore, are to go on
trial separately Immediately after the
Suskin case
Awaiting in a witness room to testify
during the trial of Miss Hardy, an I8-
year-old girl, was Walter Gellhorn, pri-
Vate secretary to Justice Harlan Fiske
Stone of the United States Supreme
Court. Gellhorn, who said he witnessed
the riot staged when police attempted
to break up the demonstration, volun-
teered to testify in the girls behalf
because he charged in a letter to
Charles A. Ford, defense attorney, that
the police we're brutal in handling
this defendant.
Assault of Police Charged.
Miss Hardy, who is 5 feet inches
in height and weighs approximately
100 pounds, is charged with having
assaulted a 200-pound police sergeant.
al b41C CdSC Vi GAdoILOWy ll1C QClEIlSG
is expected to depend on photographs
taken while the riot was in progress,
to show that Kastrow was beaten by
four policemen while they held him
on the ground, Mr. Ford said. This
defendant emerged from the fight with
a broken wrist and head and chest
bruises which required treatment at
Gallinger Hospital.
Kennedy is alleged to have struck
policeman who was in the act of
Snatching a placard from him.
Shortly after the Suskin case was
called Judge Gus A. Schuldt declared
a recess for lunch. At his trial, with
20 other so-called Communists, last
week on charges of parading without
permit, and disorderly conduct, there
was wide discrepancy in police testi-
mony. Sergt. N. o. Holmes testified
that it was he who pulled Suskin from
the fighting mass, while Detective
William Shiman of the third precinct
declared on the stand that it was he
who arrested the defendant, and not
Holmes. They testified that neither
saw the other at the scene.
Picture as Evidence.
The defense admitted that Suskin
Attorney Ford, by introducing a news
paper photograph showing Suskin
being held around the neck by Sergt.
Holmes, attempted to aid the police in
clearing up this discrepancy The pic
ture failed to show Shiman.
Upon this testimony the defense
seeks dismissal of the assault charge
against Suskin, who is now serving so
days at Occoquan Reformatory on the
other two charges
The prosecution, by placing about 20
policemen on the stand, intends to
show that the police were attacked by
the communists when they attempted
to take placards from them. The de-
fense expects to prove, through Cell
horn and other witnesses. that the DO
lice used their clubs freely, and if any
blows were struck by the marchers
they were in self defense.
At the previous trial a number of
policemen testified they were struck
by the marchers, but none testified
they used their clubs, nor were they
able to identify any member Of the de-
partment who resorted to alleged vio-
lence.