Evening star., 1934-08-09
M|SUNAS IS TAKEN
. TO TRI-STATE TRIAL
HeaviIy-Armed Detectives
Also Escort Fontaine
Woman to Richmond.

Guarded by four heavily-armed de-
tectives, Arthur Misunas, last Of the
notorious "tri-State" gang to be cap
tured, and Mary Elizabeth Fontaine,
sweetheart of the one-time leader Of
the gang, were taken to Richmond to-
day to appear as prosecuting wit
nesses during the murder trial Of two
of their former pals.
MisunaS and the S1-year-old wom-
an, who also is known as Leonora
.Gooslin, left Washington about z
am, accompanied by Detective Sergts.
Floyd Truscott, II. z. (Steve) Brodie
and H. z. Secrest and Detective p. Z.
Berger and Post ONCE Inspector Leo
A. de Ward. The detectives were
armed with submachine guns.
Arrive at 10 AM.
Travelling In o high-powered police
headquarters automobile, Mrs. Fon-
taine and the 3T-year-old gangster,
who turned against his former cronies
in the hope Of getting of with a life
sentence for his part in the Staying of
a Richmond Federal Reserve Bank
truck guard, reached the Virginia cap
ital shortly after 10 am. No date
has been set for MiSunas' trial.
He and Mrs. Fontaine were taken
directly to the office of T. Gray Had
don, Richmond Commonwealth attor-
ney, who win prosecute the other gang
members, William Davis, alias Walter
Legenza, and Robert Mais. Their trial
is scheduled to open at 10 am. Mon
day before Judge John L. Ingram in
Hastings Court.
While Brodie stood guard with a
submachine gun, Haddon read Misu-
mas confession, In which the gangster
named Davis as the gunman who
killed Ewen Huband, the guard, in an
attempted hold-up last March 6.
Misunas, in his confession, de-
scribed the gangs activities in detail
and acknowledged his own part in
not only the Richmond hold-up at
tempt, but also In the Union Station
mail robbery and the Heurich Brewery
hold-up.
First Public Appearance.
The trip to Richmond marked Mrs.
Fontaines first public appearance
since she was shot and seriously
wounded in Upper Darby, Pa, sew
eral months ago-allegedly by Mais
She appeared to be nervous when a
police matron led her into the prose-
cutor's office. where she sat in silence
while Haddon was going over Misunas'
statement. Misunas, it was under
stood, was to be remanded to the
City Jail to await the opening of the
trial
Mrs. Fontaine. after her discharge
from the Upper Darby hospital. was
brought here under a heavy police
guard, and her whereabouts had since
been Shrouded in the utmost secrecy.
In Richmond, it was understood, she
also will be kept in hiding except when
needed in the court room.
Although no formal announcement
has been made as to whom will de-
fend Davis and MaiS, it was under
stood they had retained Charles w
Moss, a member Of the Richmond
House of Delegates.
Killed In Gun Battle.
Mrs. Fontaine's sweetheart, William
B. Phillips, was killed in April in
gun battle with Policeman John A.
Cation, tenth precinct, at Adams Mill
road and Ontario place. She accom-
panied MaiS and other members of
the gang to Upper Darby, where she
was shot during what was described
TO Inspector Frank S. w Burke, chief
of detectives, as a drunken brawl
All members of the gang have since
been rounded up. largely through IN
formation provided by TruScott and
De Ward. MaiS and Davis were
captured in Baltimore. where the for
mer was shot by police; John Ken
drick was caught in johnson City,
Tenn; Herbert Myers was killed BY
New York police and MiSunaS was
{V, Car