Evening star., 1935-01-21

asked relatives in Germany to find
Flsch's correspondence with the sig
nature. John"
But, I do not expect to go to
Pennington to testify" she said. Il
have too much work to do around
home"
Mrs. SchwarZ was also examined by
Kress. Neither she nor her husband
has consented to testify in the de-
fendant's behalf.
Says Fisch Acted Funny.
Mrs. Schwarz said Fisch's name and
address. as recorded during the voyage
in her husbands address book. were
John Fisch. JohanstraSSe As, Leipzig. "
She said Fisch was extremely
nervous when he disembarked at
Hamburg, December IS, 1888.
He acted terribly funny" she said
when the customs inspectors came
on beard, FisCh turned out pale and
shaking
He looked as though he were
almost about TO collapse. and his
nervousness seemed to make the in
spector suspicious.
They gave our luggage just the
usual examination. but they looked
through F1sch's baggage very care
fully.
LAS I remember, he had only a
suitcase and a handbag, but he
trembled so much that he could
scarcely get them open.
He had two boxes Of chocolate.
The inspectors were so suspicious
that they tore the corners of the tops
OF the boxes to see If he had any
thing sealed in them.
"Fisch had talked with us good
deal on the trip, and we noticed that
on the day prior to our landing he
seemed to be in good spirits and
health.
But he could scarcely get down
the gangplank, he sort Of wobbled
down it and had to be helped"
During the ride from the pier. he
continued to be sick and nervous"
Mrs SchwarZ said that throughout
the trip Fisch gave every evidence Of
suffering from tuberculosis.
Fisch went to Germany with Henry
Uhlig of New York, who is prepared
to testify for Hauptmann. Uhlig has
said several circumstances surround
ing the mysterious F1sch indicate
Hauptmann unwittingly stored part
Of the ransom money for Fisch.
State Reduces Witnesses.
The State. in its final drive for con-
viction, cut ruthlessly into its list Of
witnesses, eliminating 18 alone In the
number to testify about Hauptmann's
bank and brokerage accounts.
Two certified public accountants,
Ernest Weller and Albert Bauer. both
Government men, were called to
establish the contention that ransom
money financed Hauptmann's dabbling
in Wall Street.
The prosecutors, at conference in
Trenton during the week end recess,
also decided to call only one more
Federal agent to tell of the trail of
the ransom bills that led to Haupt-
mannS arrest.
The kidnap ladder. considered by
the State its best bit of evidence
against Hauptmann, assumed an i'm
portant part in the closing days Of
its case.
HE has got this ladder right
around his neck" the State has in
sisted to the eight men and four
women of the jury. HE took part Of
that attic of his and built the ladder
with it.
"One rung of that ladder, one side
of that ladder comes right out Of that
attic, put on there with his tools, and
we will prove 1t to you"
Another bit of wooden evidence was
the panel from closet in Haupt-
mann's Bronx home. It bore in the
carpenters handwriting, authorities
said, the penciled notation Of two
ransom bill serial numbers-Serial
numbers which through some over
sight never were included in any list
made public after the $4,000 ransom
was paid.
Defense Blocked Ladder.
The State has tried several times to
have the ladder accepted as evidence.
but each time, urging technical legal
objections, the defense kept 1t out Of
the case.
Hauptmann, the small-time carpen-
ter dabbling in Wall Street, was Dor
trayed carefully in the last phases Of
the prosecutions case. BY way Of
prelude the State intended to show
the Bronx alien was fascinated by the
market, playing 1t In a quiet, con-
servative way before the ransom was
paid.
There was testimony that at one
time prior to the kidnapping Haupt-
mann,s brokerage account carried
stocks valued at $4,000, and that
day or so after the ransom payoff,
April IL, 1882, he closed out an ac-
count listing so shares of stock and
received an equity Of $500.
It was an entirely different story
after the $50, 900 ransom was paid, the
State contended, with transactions
totaling $35O.o0O in the next 80
months.
In mixing surprise witnesses with
this testimony, the State borrowed
freely from the stage and motion pic
ture technique Of a flash back" The
idea was to show how Hauptmarn
was enjoying the fruits Of the famous
crime, and then to keep the minds Of
the jurors reverting frequently, by
testimony, to the contention that hi