Evening star., 1934-08-26
HEADLINES RULED
BY CRIME NEWS
IN OLD DOMINION
Conviction of Tri- State
Gangman Among Sem
SationS of Week.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
RICHMOND, Va, August 25.-Crime
news captured the larger Virginia
headlines this week. Conviction Of
Tri-State Gangster Walter Legenza,
alias William Davis, and his prompt
sentence to death October % for the
hold-up murder of E M. Huband, a
Federal Reserve bank truck driver, oc-
CURED in Richmond.
Legenza was convicted by a Rich
mond Hastings Court jury after SO
minutes deliberation, which followed
is consecutive hours Of testimony and
argument.
Next Monday the trial of Robert
Mais, in the same case, will begin.
Arthur Misunas, who admitted his
Tri-State gang activities on the wit
ness stand in the Legenza case, was a
star witness then and Is expected to
be a principal in the Mais case He
has pleaded guilty to participation in
the fatal hold-up on March 8. Two
women admitted being girl friends Of
the gangmen.
Aid Given Police.
washington police and post office
authorities, headed by Inspector Leo
De Ward, aided Richmond police in
the apprehension of the trio and in the
conviction of Legenza.
washington and Richmond police
are now working together on the in
vestigation of the death of 14-year-old
Dalton Poindexter of Richmond, who
was found in a temporary washington
home with hangman's moose around
his neck and the odor of liquor on his
lips. j. D. Poindexter, lodged in a
Richmond Jail, said his son had died
in Washington, the victim of hang
ing murderer.
Five long-term felons, three colored
and two white, escaped from the Vir-
ginia State Penitentiary and were re-
captured in a nearby rural section a
few hours later.
James William Parson was found
stabbed to death in Dinwiddie County.
A lifelong friend was placed in a
Petersburg jail for investigation. Both
were farmers.
Danville had a hunt for a North
Carolina outlaw killer. City police
Joined in the search for the murderer
of Sheriff Godfrey Kimball of Iredell
County, N. c. North Carolina police
later arrested Ralph Davis, 25, at
Concord, N. c.. for questioning.
Two dynamite explosions which
shook Luray Tuesday left the police
puzzled. The explosions destroyed the
fence and partially wrecked the home
of Silas T. Rosser, 81, and his 30
year-old blind wife.
Two Wounded and Taken.
Shot down as they emerged from a
mountain cabin, Lowell Massie, %,
and Roland Earl Allen, 81, were cap
tured in Nelson County and turned
over to North Carolina authorities for
questioning as to what they knew
about the murder of well-to-do
Salisbury farmer, William Reeves.
One headline brought good news to
q large number of residential electric
power users. A reduction in the light
and power rates to its residential users
in Virginia amounting to about $780,
800 a year, or about Is per cent of the
total now paid by these consumers,
was granted by the Appalachian Elec-
trio & Power Co. The first decrease
will become effective October /,
amounting to $4,000 and affecting
approximately 10000 customers.
Announcement was made by the
State Corporation Commission follow
ing its release of an Allen j. Saville
Investigating Committee report show
ing the earnings of the company in
1888 on the valuation of properties
for rate-making purposes was approx
mately per cent.
A Supreme Court test of the Vir-
ginia miik-control act was virtually
assured when Judge Frank Sutton Of
a Richmond law and equity court
granted a temporary injunction re-
straining threatened violation of regu-
lations. The case originated from
Staunton, and counsel for the con-
testantS are expected to move during
the coming week for dissolution of
the injunction.
DR.. Sidney B. Hall, State superin-
tendent of public instruction, at
meeting Of the State Board of Edu-
cation at Virginia Beach reported the
State school system has been main
tanned in the 1933-34 year with saw
ing of 100000, and that Federal aid |
through F. E. r. A. funds amounted |
to $4,000. He said the saving was
made through economy that did not |
hamper functions. The balance will |
revert to the State treasury.
Authority Of Probe Denied.
Attorney General A. p Staples, in a
communication to State Auditor L. |
Mccarthy Downs, explained and clari-
fed previous ruling holding that the
auditor had no authority to inquire
into the ability of public Official to
meet his Indebtedness to the State at