Evening star., 1933-03-23
Brooklyn Woman and Bronx
Merchant Testify in
Henry Staying.
FORMER SAYS Defendant
WAS FOND OF READING
Third Person Is Flying From New
York to Present Testimony
for Defense.

An allbi for Charles Harris, now on
triai charged with first-degree murder
In the Staying of Milton w. (Milsie)
Henry on April 81, 1882, was presented
In District Supreme Court this morn
ing by two witnesses and early this
afternoon another witness was flying
to Washington from New York to
strengthen the defense.
The f1rst witness, Mrs. Frank Bren-
ser, Brooklyn, N. Y, with whom Harris
and his wife are said to have made
their home. testified the defendant was
home-loving man who scarcely ever
went out at night. but stayed home with
his wife and played cribbage and read
books. She said Mr.. and Mrs. Harris,
known to her as Mr.. and Mrs. Charles
Berman, were great book-lovers and
visited the public library almost every
day. Police, when they arrested Har-
rls, had alleged he was connected with
racketeers.
Before the Government rested its
case yesterday Assistant United States
Attorney Julian Richards presented
TWO witnesses, one of whom identified
Harris as the man who ran away
from the scene of the killing at Brown
and Meridian streets with a saved
OF shotgun in his hand Another wit.
ness had testified he saw Harris sit
ting In car on several occasions the
afternoon of April 90 The shooting
occurred about $40 am. on April 2l.
Remembers Date.
Mrs. BrenSer said Harris came home
about o'clock in the evening of April
20. She said she remembered the date
because she was expecting a visit from
her brother from Canada, whom she
mad not seen for years, and also be-
cause 1t was the day before the be-
ginning Of the Jewish Passover. He
brought with him, she testified, a din
which further impressed the occasion
on her, she said, since she is a dog
| lover.
The defendant left home after din
ner that evening. she said, and returned
ABOUT II pm. presumably spending the
,, night at home. She saw him the next
evening. Mrs Brenser testified.
Apraham Landau, Bronx shoe store
proprietor, said Harris was in his store
at 1880 am. on April 81. Landau said
Harris frequently visited his store to see
MS brother, Aaron Bernstein.
In his opening statement to the iury
Defense Attorney Arthur Sager of New
| YORK said the defendants real name
was Charles Bernstein. When the case
began Tuesday Prosecutor Richards
read eight aliases for the defendant to
tne Jury: The defendants brother sat
beside his attorney in court this morn
ing throughout the examination of
Landau,
Favorably Impressed.
During her testimony, Mrs. Brenser
said Mr.. and Mrs. Harris came to her
! apartment to live with her and her
husband IN October, 1881, in response
10 an ad In New York paper. She
SAID she selected them from several an
pncants because she was favorablv i'm
pressed by their appearance. Through
| out cross-examination Mrs. Brenser
was positive in her statements. and an
parent attempts by the prosecutor to
| tIlp ner up failed. Before leaving the
stand she said she had never been in
! court before in her life.
Sager attempted to obtain a post
ponement for an hour of the trial. after
MIS-. brenser's testimony, in order to
permit the arrival of the witness he was
expecting from New York. The expect.
eo witness, Sager said, would testify
ne mad had an appointment with Harris
In tne Bronx for am. on April 81.
Under croSs-examination Landau ad-
mitted that although he had been ac-
qualnted with the defendant for a long
time he never knew he had literarv
tastes and had never seen him read a
oook or play cards.