Evening star., 1933-11-08
EYE-W|TNESSES
TELL Of KILLING
Coroner's Jury Hears Testi'
mony Concerning NaIIey
Staying.

Employees and patrons of the "Wunder
Mite Club Tenth and U streets. were
called upon by coroner's jury today
to give eyewitness accounts Of the slay-
ing of Joseph F. Nalley, alleged gambler.
gunman and hold-up man. who was
shot down while attending a beer party
there early yesterday.
Seated in the prisoners chairs in the
inquest room of the. District Morgue
when the inquiry opened were Charles
r. tRags) Warning, "a. named by one
witness as the killer: Donald K.
Whitley Wallace, 26, and Victor
(Smitty) Juliano "a, identified as mem
bers of his party at the time OF the
shooting.
The three men surrendered to police
yesterday, less than six hours after
Nalley dropped to the floor Of the night
club with three bullet holes in his chest.
Pending the verdict of the coroner's
jury, however, no charges have been
placed against them.
Two Hundred Persons Present.
Although approximately 200 persons.
both white and colored, were in the
night club at the time OF the Staying,
members Of the homicide squad. work
ing 1inG-r the direction of their chief.
Dete-tive Sergt. George E. Darnall. were
able to round up only a few eyewit-
neSSeS.
One of the eyewitnesses, according
to Capt. Bernard w. Thompson, assist
ant chief of detectives. after viewing a
lineup in the homicide squad room at
headquarters. picked Warning as the
gunman. Several other eyewitnesses
identified Wallace and Juliano as the
alleged slayer's companions, Thompson
added.
Two .32-caliber bullets, picked up in
the night club by Detective Sergt Floyd
Truscott, were expected to be intro
duced in evidence at the inquest, along
with the statements of the witnesses.
obtained by Detective Sergt. John w.
Wise.
Underworld Is Questioned.
Meanwhile, detectives were question
ing gamblers. bootleggers and other
members of the underworld in an effort
to establish motive for the killing One
report under investigation was that
Nalley and Warning engaged in q fight
recently in q downtown speakeasy: an
other was that Nalley slaShed two of
Warnings friends in speakeasy battle
several weeks ago.
According to the eye-witnesses. how
ever, there was no hint Of impending
violence in the conversation between
Nalley and Warning Immediately before
the shooting. They talked quietly in a
corner OF the night club for about 25
minutes, the witnesses said then re-
turned to their respective tables. The
shooting occurred moment or two
later.
Altogether four shots were fred. one
of them going wild, and two OF the
others tearing through Nalleys chest.
Nalley made death-bed statement
to detectives, but they refused to re-
veal what he said. Immediately after
their return to headquarters from the
hospital. however. descriptions of War
ring, Wallace and Juliano were flashed
to all precincts.
Three Men Surrender.
While the police were hunting them,
the three walked into the third pre-
met station, accompanied by their at
torney, Myron G. Ehrlich, and surren-
dered to Detective Sergt. Joseph w.
Shimon. Although questioned extern
sively at headquarters later. they de-
clined to make any statement.
Nalley, who was "a and lived at 1908
M street northeast, had been arrested
about SO times, according to Inspector
| Frank S. w. Burke, chief of detectives
and was to have been taken into Gus
tody again yesterday for investigation
| In connection with the alleged use OF
"strong-arm" methods in bootlegging
and gambling places
Warning lives in the $500 block Of X
street. Wallace in the 1900 block of
Pennsylvania avenue and Juliano in the
2l00 block Of Fourth street northeast