Evening star., 1933-10-24
Sigma Chi Prosecution Loses
important Bit of Floor
Mat.
FELT TAKEN FROM CAR
LAST IN POLICE HANDS
Discrepancies Appear in Stories
Smith and partition Told of
Alibi Trip.

A ripple OF excitement was injected
today into the fraternity house arson
trial OF H. Albert Smith, 26 and Ed
ward j. PARTON, %. when Assistant
District Attorney John j. Sirica re-
vealed the mysterious disappearance of
an important piece of Government evi-
dence.
A small square of felt cut from the
floor pad of Smiths car, which the two
youths are alleged to have used to
carry gasoline to the Sigma Chi Fra
ternlty House prior to serious fire
there early on July 9, was to have been
oHered In evidence today, Sirica said,
put ne informed Justice Peyton Cor
don the exhibit could not be found.
according to Detective Sergt. w. F.
Sager, second precinct, said to be the
last person to handle the exhibit. IL
was locked in the evidence room at
MS home station house. but disap-
peared sometime before the case was
brought to trial
The felt was subjected to expert
chemlcal analysis after Sager and Act.
Ing Inspector Raymond C. Roberts of
the Fire Department removed the pad
from the rear of Smiths car. 1t was
the prosecutor intention to show the
same kind Of gasoline was found on the
rug as was discovered in a can in the
rear OF the fraternity house after the
fire.
PARTON Identified.
Charles H. Kersey, filling station
attendant, yesterday identified PARTON
as the man to whom he said he sold 10
gallons of gasoline at about 8 80 am. on
July 8. He said the gasoline was put in
can similar to the one later discovered
near the fraternity house at 1912 N
street.
Existence OF a shortage of S1O6 in the
fraternity accounts, which Smith han
dled as president Of the George Wash
lngton University Chapter was revealed
To-Day by the testimony of Richard s.
Memorial Association, an alumni organ.
lzatlon OF Sigma Chi. Doyle said por-
tlon OF the discrepancy apparently was
carried over from the past, but that the
major portion had come into existence
during Smiths regime. He said the sit
uatlon was settled by payment of $40.
A surprise witness at the morning
session was Miss Anna Mae Wylie. who
was working as a waitress at a res
taurant near Gunpowder Falls, Md, at
the time the fire occurred The defense.
IN offering an alibi to place the two
boys more than 81 miles from Washing
ton a short time after the fire broke
out mere, was to call the proprietors of
the restaurant and store at Gunpowder
raIis 10 testify the youths stopped there
that morning
Accompanied Defendants.
William Ross. an executive Of the
Robert Varnum Association, who UNDER
TOOK an investigation of the case and
Went on a trip with Smith and PARTON
10 give them the opportunity to confirm
the story they told of being out of town,
teStl1led today he went to the Gum
powder Falls place with the two bows
and that PARTON left the room with
Miss Wylie as she went to get a glass
OF water for him.
In recolnting her conversation with
PARTON at that time, Miss Wylie said
TINS morning that ~he remarked to her.
would you do favor to held a pal?"
She said she replied. Il wouldn't
mno doing favor if it won't get me
into trouble"
Then if they ask you anything
were here between 4 and 4:3O on Sun.
DAY morning" she said PARTON told
her.
Followed Conversation
1t was brought out on cross -axamina-
tlon by defense counsel, however. that
Parlton's remarks are supposed to have
followed a conversation in which Ross
asked Miss Wylie if she had been at the
restaurant early on the morning sof the
ninth, and she told him she had not.
The Government is expected to con-
clude its case today.