Evening star., 1935-02-06
DEFENSE ATTACKS
LADDER THEORIES
Seeks to Cast Suspicion of
Testimony for States
Case.

the fat packages OF L1ndbergh ran
som money into the thin hands Of
the late Isador Fisch. and thereby
exonerate Bruno Richard Hauptmann.
Fisch's erstwhile business partner,
from all guilt in the ransom pay-of
transaction.
Chief Defense Counsel Edward j.
Reilly was out to set up Hauptmanns
alibi for his possession of the $l4,600
ransom currency which police found
cached in his garage after they ar
rested him.
1t is the German defendants dog
ged story Fisch left that money in
shoe box at the Hauptmann home.
December 2, 1888, few days before
he sailed for Germany, where he
died in March, 1884. Hauptmann
professed not to have discovered the
contents of the shoe box until last
August.
Hauptmann came into court list
lessly with his guards. He seemed
more distracted than usual, even
when he held his usual morning con-
versation with his wife.
Court convened at 1901 am.
Among the prosecution staff. the
opinion was expressed the defense
might rest today. In that event, 1t
was said, the case would be In the
jury's hands before the week ends.
The court room scene assumed its
customary appearance with Attorney
General David T. WilentZ and his
aides at the prosecution table and
Reilly, c. Lloyd Fisher and others of
the defense staff at their places
Iindbergh Present
With Friends.
Col. Charles A. Lindbergh sat with
Col. H. Norman Schwarzkopf and Col
Henry Breckenridge back of the State
table
Justice Trenchard stepped down
from the bench, while the defense
was preparing to continue its csse,
and asked Mrs. Verna Snyder about
q slight cold she mad contracted
Blushing, juror No. 3, assured him
she was quite we'll.
Reilly called as his first witness
Sam Streppone, a young man with
a loud voice.
11C llC NUo a 2dNAo ASPoA
living in the Bronx.
Reilly showed him a photograph.
@. Do you recognize that man?
A. I do.
@. Who IS he?
A. ISador FiSch.
Streppone testified he kept records
OF all work performed. He told of
repairing a radio for Isador Flsch
May 10. 1888.
Wilentz questioned the competency
of the repair record.
However, I am not going to OBJ
ject." the state prosecutor said.
Streppone said the radio was
brought to his shop by Fisch and left
five days while So worth of repair
work was performed. Fisch came back
to the shop on Sunday
@. Did Fisch have package?
A. Yes.
Wilentz objected, but the radio man
was allowed to go on.
The now dead German furrier. the
witness said, left the package about
six hours and returned for 1t.
Says Fisch Left
Package With Him.
Streppone described the package as
a shoebox, illustrating the size over
the objection of the attorney general
Reilly released him for crosS-eXam-
ination.
Wilentz took the witness.
@. You were adjudged insane, were
you not?
A. Yes, 1928. Discharged, no
psychosis.
Reilly took the witness for redirect
examination and asked Streppone if ne
had not been discharged as cured. The
witness answered yes.
Wilentz again questioned him.
@. How many times have you been
in an institution because of mental
disorders?
A. I'd make it about five times.
O. Sure it was not eight times?
A. I'd say five.
@. At one time didn't you threaten
bodily harm to one of the ladies Of
charitable organization?
A Yes.
@. And another time you wrote her
filthy letters?
"a <abOo4sC Ao146uoSSJ ySos o4A.
Streppone said he was merely feel
ing depressed" on the occasions he
was in mental institutions, but that
doctors called his ailment maniac
Oppressive psychosis." This was later
corrected in the record of the court
to manic Oppressive pSychosis."
He insisted he was not suffering
from any mental Ill at the moment.
Admits Treatment
For Mental Trouble.
Wilentz brought from Streppone
that he had returned to Bellevue
Hospital in July, 1884, for mental
condition.
stitution since 1928?
A. Yes, sir.
@. You have been in an institution
since you fixed the radio?
A. Yes, sir.
Streppone said he had come to
Pennington yesterday with Malcolm
Weiss of Reillys Office.
He was excused after Reilly ad-
duced that he had been discharged
from Bellevue Hospital in July, 1884,
after five days.
Lieut.. Paul Sjostrom, Investigator
of the State police, was called as the
next witness and an argument ensued
between Fisher and Wilentz on the
whereabouts of the kidnap-ladder.
The defense was permitted to ex-
anime the ladder last night and Will
entz indicated it had not been restored
to the States custody.
Late last night State trooper on
duty at the court house was instructed
by his superiors that no one but Arthur
j. Koehler, Federal wood expert, and
Detective Lewis j. Bornman of the
State police were to be permitted to
see the ladder
Police officers were dispatched to
bring the ladder, which had been ex-
amined second time by two local
business men familiar with lumber.
Pictures Of Ladder
Are Described.
The ladder, having been in the coun-
ty clerks office all night, was
brought in.