The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-11-07
.D'CROOT MURDER.
 TRIAL STARTED. IN DIST. COURT.
,elf-defense Plea of Slay- CT of Abe Hanson,
 Murder Charge
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 statement. asserted that DeGroot would show that he shot in self defense. On the other hand, G.. w. Folta, Asst United States At torney said the testimony would show that Hanson was unarmed when he was shot and that De- Groot was standing in the fore castle and Hanson on the deck of the Wa Wa, McIvers boat, when the fatal shot was fired.
 Both sides agreed that Mrs. De- Groot had been living with Hanson for several months in cabin near the Hirst Chichagof mine. She had visited her husband here at least once during that period, re- turning to Hanson's place. The defense claims that DeGroot wrote her a number of times in an ef- fort to get her to return home.
 Goes To Place
 He left here on March IT, with McIver and two others aboard the Wa Wa for Chichagof. The boat anchored at Chichagof and De- Groot went over the trail to Hirst Chichagof. He bucked snow, was held on the beach one night by storm, but eventually reached the Hanson cabin where he spent about two days.
 During that time, the defense claims, he was repeatedly threat ened with death by Hanson and that finally he agreed if Hanson would transport him to Chichagof where he could rejoin the Wa Wa he would return to Juneau and Mrs. De Groot might remain with Hanson. He was then taken to Chichagof.
 Is Threatened Again
 On the short trip, the defense said the testimony would show that Hanson, who was armed with a revolver, threatened DeGroot again and attacked him with the gun, and would have shot him had not Mrs. DeGroot intervened. On arriving at Chichagof Hanson tied his boat alongside the Wa Wa and he and DeGroots went aboard to visit McIver, who was alone at the time.
 On the stand this morning, Nc Iver said they spent about three hours. Hanson, shortly after com ing aboard, asked for a ySrink of whiskey and when he was told there was none aboard, he went back to his own craft and got two bottles of moonshine liquor which he brought to the Wa Wa.
 The contention of the defense is that Hanson had been armed with his revolver when he first boarded McIver's boat, carrying it beneath his coat, probably under the waistband of his trousers. It further contends that when he re- turned to his own vessel for the whiskey he laid it aside and for got to pick it up again when he went back to the party on the Wa Wa.
 Did Some Drinking
 After spending some three hours there in general conversation, about which McIver was not questioned this morning by MT. Folta, and during which some drinking was done, Hanson and Mrs. DeGroot started to go back to Hanson's boat. while DeGroot was to re- main in the Wa Wa.
 Mrs. DeGroot left the forecastle first. followed by McIver and then Hanson came behind. AS McIver was assisting the woman over the rails of the two vessels, he heard shot behind him.
 Sees Hanson Down
 He whirled, he said, and saw on the deck, sort of curled up, the body of Hanson, whose head was about 18 inches outside of the entrance to the forecastle. Han son neither moved nor made any sound after McIver turned, he said.
 He hurried to the door of the forecastle and saw DeGroot stand ing about the middle of the cabin with rifle in his hands. He ask ed DeGroot, What in Hell's go- ing on hereT', to which the latter replied: eHe threatened me" and T shot him. McTver said he kept DeGroot and his wife aboard ..I., L.. l.n9 r,,v,, 4, A., aa 4tx1, yr,.;4.