The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-01-31
Defense Tries To SholD Gang Did #
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along the road.
 c. Tell the jury just what you did and saw7
 The witness said two men drove up and asked the directions to the Lindbergh estate. He gave them the directions
 Q. Was either of them this de- fendant? 4. No.
 c. WbAt was fin the car? A. A ladder.
 c. Anything else? A. Yes, card board box about feet long.
 Tt was daylight" he said, land got good look at them"
 He said he was taken to the Llndbergh estate after the kidnap- ing and saw the same ladder he had seen fin the car with the two men.
 The kidnap ladder was brought into court and placed against tho wall.
 C. show you the states ex- hibit. Was the ladder you saw in the car of that description? A. Ii was something like that.
 c. It was a ladder of this de- scriDtion? A. Yes.
 The witness demonstrated how 1t was IylDB III tue car
 c. On March Z. how many seo- tions of this ladder were up against the LIndbergh house? A. l think they all were.
 Wilentz crosS- sS-examincd.
 He said he had lived iu Prince ton after coming from South Car olina. until 1927 when he moved to Trenton, working at odd jobs nd as n IuIiknnn
 c. How long did you work for the dairy? A. (Thc witness grinned). Well 1 quit couple of times and just took vacation.
 Harding admitted having been "conyicted of crime" twice, once for assault and battery. in 1881.
 c. When were you convicted? A. In 1881.
 c. As result of the conviction where did you go? keilly's objec- ton was overrulcd.
 C. l was in Railway. "A state reformatory is in Rahway.)
 c. You were in Hallway for Il second conviction? A. Yes.
 WilentZ: We'll look Tt the rec ord, but while we're looking 1t up. I'll ask you another question. .. How long were you in the Mndbergh home? A. Rbout three hours ! guess.
 c. Could you pick out the state policemen who questioned you? A. If they were here I could.
 WilentZ asked the witness 10 step down from the stand. Harding pointed to q man who identified himself as Sergeant Kelly" of the state police.
 Q. Don't you know that Ser geant Kelly never Hpent minute on the Lindbergh case? A. 1 don't know who spent any minutes on the case.
 Q. Weren't you convicted of rape? A. My lawyer told me to please mon vult."
 c. You were convicted of an attack on q woman? A. It wasn't an attack. Tt was 'carnal abuse"
 c. How many times were you in Rahway? A. once.
 Q. Where were you on the sec ond conviction? A. Tn the Mercer county wOrkhouse. c. How long? A. 43 days. c. When was that? A. don't remember. I was in the workf1otISe this year.
 c. Oh, in the workhouse again this. year A. Yes. this very year.
 c. Now was this q sedan or coupe you saw? A. No sir, 1t were no sedan.
 c. Was 1t a pleasure car? A. Well. sir, guess you could use 1t for pleasure.
 The witness described the car, waving his hands, and turning to the judge, showed how the seats were arranged.
 0. What kind of ladder was 1t. Can you tell me something about 1t? A. It was just a ladder. WiIcntz asked the witness If he couldn't describe the ladder. Tt was just a ladder he re- psated waving his hands, c. You can't remember any thing about the ladder? A. l can remember seeing 1t in the car. c. Are you sure what you Saw was a ladder? A. I am sure it was a ladder. l saw the steps on it.
 q. Was 1t high ladder? A. No. about 8 or feet long. c. Was 1t Il ladder of sections? A. It wag like you could pull it | apart.
 Harding said when the car stop
  | looked inside the machine. spying | the ladder on the floor of the car. c. You looked at the ladder and | the men for about minutes? A. Yes. I took n glimpse of the lad der.
 c. only d. glimpse of the lad der? A. Yes, C. You couldn't swear to the width Of the ladder? A. No. but 1 snw the length. c. Could you swear to the length. A. No. I couldn't swear to the length. | C. When you got to the Lind bcrgh home did you walk into Il door. A. Yes. Q. Was ths door on the side where the ladder was placed? A. Yor.
 c. The ladder at the home waH how high? A. I'd say between 25 and 30 feet.
 c. But you never saw this lad der before, had you? A. No.
 C. Just one more question, did you know Col LiRdbergh? A. IVe seen him twice. He shoo"' hands with ne.
 c, What do you mean? A, Somebody said Meet Col Lin! bcrgh" when we wer nt his house.
 c. NBy Reilly) )--Wna it the only ladder you saw fin car on March 1? A. Yes
 c. And those men were inc only men you SAW that day. A, | Yes.
 The witness was excused and Ii | fly" minute recess was ordered. 1 The usual Hnuptmunn recess chut "hs three way affair with th" prisoner. his wife and his guard, Lieut.. A, r. smith of the state police, joining in. Reilly, when the session resum- cd. called j. N. Trendley, East St. Louis, handwriting expert as the first defense witness in this phase of its case.
 Lean and gray haired. Trendley took the stand. portfolio under his arms.
 C. CBy Reiily.) Where do you live? A. East St. Louis, I'll. | He listed Il number of cases in