The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-09-14
WitneSSThreatened
by Prison Official
CONTINUED FROM PAGE oNE)

The assistant district attorney seemed
to be questioning the officials pres
ent, and kept Shahian and his at
torneys out.
At 1890 Price summoned Shahian
into his office. When Attorney Kuntz
rose to go with him Price shook his
head.
81 don't think it will be necessary
for you to accompany him." the as
sistant district attorney said suavely.
Seek to Bar Attorney
In the meantime Shahian was al
ready in the room with the wardens
and other officials glowering at him
in silent fury. When they heard
through the open door that Price was
trying to keep the LID. attorney
out, the Harris Island warden began
to fling questions at the witness.
"Why, they are already questioning
him without you even being present"
Kuntz protested vehemeltly. Il in
sist that you stop that Immediately
and that I be permitted to accom-
pany him"
The assistant district attorney
shrugged his shoulders at this and
finally said that he saw no harm in
the attorney being present.
With the LID attorney present, the
assistant district attorney ordered the
warden to stop questioning the wit
ness.
"Why didn't he tell me that he was
struck by a keeper" the warden
growled furiously.
Because no prisoner can see you
except Sunday afternoon at o'clock, /"
Shahian retorted. Besides 1 knew
what I'd get if I said keeper knock
ed my teeth out, while was still in
Jail"
The district attorney took up the
questioning about the assault upon
Shahian and the Matthews murder.
Shahian told the story, as it appeared
in the Daily, backed by his own af-
fidavits.
When Shahian finished, Price
turned upon him sharply.
isn't it true" he demanded, that
you had reported that you had fallen
while walking up the stairs with a
cigarette in your mouth and knocked
out your three teeth that way?"
Price looked at a slip of paper on
which this report had been made ap-
parently at Harris Island.
(The official report in Correction
Hospital which the Daily Worker re-
porter saw stated that he had got
ten into an alteration with several
inmates who knocked his teeth out.')
Shahian denied that he had ever
reported his injuries that way.
WELL" said Price meditatively,
didn't you have a fight with a fell
low inmate who knocked your teeth
out?'
ct did not" Shahian retorted.
81 have an affidavit from an in
mate saying that he had fight with
you and that he knocked your teeth
out" the district attorney said sharp
ly.
Price did not say when that affi-
davit was secured nor who signed it.
After some Is minutes questioning
Shahian and his attorney were asked
to leave the room. The Welfare
Island officials remained. While
waiting to be called again the detec-
tive from the family court who had
arrested Shahian for non-support,
which resulted in his being sent to
the Island, appeared and walked into
the room where the district attorney
was presumably questioning the Of
ficials.
Shortly after this Shahian and
Kuntz were called to nearby room.
Some IL to IA men were lined up.
They were dressed in civilian clothes.
The warden and other officials
crowded to the door while the dis
trict attorney dramatically waved an
arm to the assembled men:
"Can you identify from among
these men the one who struck you
with blackjack or the one you say
assaulted James Matthews?
"It was none of these men," said
Shahian studying them carefully.
These men are all too short. The
man who struck me and the keeper
who killed James Matthews were
much taller. In addition men in civil
liam clothes look different than when
dressed in uniform. I don't think
it's fair to try to trap me this way.
Get your keepers in uniform so 7
can see them as I remember them"
Shahian and his attorney were
again asked to leaves the room and