The Washington times., 1935-11-30
DEATH PENALTY
TO BE ASKED
. FOR POWELL

veteran accused Of the "chisel
murder" of an Eastern Shore
woman's estranged husband, said
today that he wanted to make a
confession, and then changed his
mind.
Watched by a suicide guard,
placed over him when he gave
evidence of extreme nervousness,
the accused man this morning
asked to see States Attorney F.
Kirk Maddrix, announcing that
he wished to confess the murder
Of Arthur A. Dize, husband Of Mrs.
Grace Die, in whose home at
Crisfield he had been living.
BY the time the States Attor.
ney arrived, however, Powell ap.
parently had decided against the
confession, making a routine state
ment denying the Staying, for
which he is held in the county
Jail here on a first-degree MUIR
der charge.
Expects Confession
Emerging from the cell, Mr..
Maddrix d clar ID the accused
man is cracking" and added:
IT expect a confession at any
time.
There is no question of Pow
ellis guilt.
I'VE have an ironclad case. I
will ask the death penalty. be-
cause in a case like this the State
must demand it,"
Describing the murder as
brutal, cold-blooded and premedi-
tated." the States attorney as
serted all the facts in the case
so far point to the fact that
Powell planned Dies death.
"The fact that Powell asked for
the chisel in the afternoon Of the
day Of the murder, and then spent
quite a time looking for 1t, shows
definitely that the murder was
premeditated," he declared.
Suicide Feared
In placing the suicide guard
over Powell, authorities removed
his necktie and belt, fearing he
might use them in an attempt to
hang himself. They also removed
the electric light bulb from the
cell so the accused could not slash
his wrists.
Mr.. Maddrix said Powell Is ex-
tremely nervous and that he was
pale and trembling when the
States attorney spoke to him in
his cell.
Mrs. Die and her son, Charles,
10, who authorities said witnessed
the killing of his father, were re.
leased on bond from the jail last
night as material witnesses after
making statements.
Speedy trial of the case will be
sought and the death penalty
asked, the States attorney an
nounced. .-..~
Police say both Mrs. Die and
her son told them that only fear
Of death sealed their lips after
Die was slain in a ratinfeSted
waterfront apartment early Sun
day morning.
Jealousy is ascribed by Mr.. Mad
dirk as the motive for the murder.
Powell. he said, was intensely jeal-
GUS of Mrs. Die and killed her
husband, fearful that the woman
would leave him and return to her
former home.
Married 20 years ago, the Dies
separated about six years ago.
Placed in Hospital
Die drank heavily for several
years, and finally was committed
to the State hospital at Cam
bridge. He was released about
a year ago.
Meanwhile Mrs. Die had been
working as a waitress.
About six months ago she and
Powell started living together in
the apartment on the water.
front. BY coincidence, the killing
of Dize came just 10 years after
the killing of burglar in the
building.
Saturday night Die, who au.
thorities said had recently started
drinking again, went to the apart
ment to beg his wife to return to
him. He remained in the place
Saturday night. Sunday afternoon
a fight started, and according to
police Powell was heard by two
persons to say:
I'm going to kill you"
He struck Die in the face.
Police were called but left after
Powell agreed to quiet down. That
afternoon he asked Mrs. Dize
where his chiSel was, according
to Mr.. Maddrix. She said she did
not know, but he hunted for some
time and finally found it, placing
it beneath the mattress.
The Sons Story
All retired about midnight, Die
alone in one room, Mrs. Dlze and
Powell in another and the son,
Charles, on the floor in that room
Charles told Maddrix, according
to the latter's recital:
II woke up about o'clock ir
the morning when I heard Powell
get out Of bed. I saw him reach
under the mattress, take the
chisel and walk into the room
where my father was asleep. ]
got UP and followed him.
Il saw him reach over the bed
and hit my father three times on
the head with the chisel.
Il ran back and pulled the Gov
ers over my head, because I was
afraid he would kill me-"