Evening star., 1937-12-10
Judge Cautions Prosecution
to offer All Its Facts
in Opening.
DEFENDANT EXPLAINS
BANKRUPTCY DETAILS
Denies knowledge Of Transfer
of 1000 Bank Account He
Shared With Wife.
BY IRVING F. LASH,
Staff Correspondent of The Star.

ALEXANDRIA, Va, Dec. 10.-Clos-
ing arguments were the only bar
riers today between the jury and the
case OF former Mayor Emmett c. Davi-
son, on trial in United States Court
for the Eastern District of Virginia
since Tuesday on charges Of conceal
ing assets in bankruptcy proceedings.
In charging the jury prior to the
final statement, Judge Luther B. Way
cautioned the Government to present
all the facts in its opening statement.
At the trial last March, which ended
in hung jury, defense counsel con-
tended the Government withheld some
Of its argument until rebuttal, leav-
ing the defense no opportunity to
reply.
A long line of Government, State
and city officials were paraded as char
acter witnesses for the 59-year-old de-
fendant yesterday.
When the defense completed its
presentation at an overtime session
yesterday, though, Justice Luther B.
Way demurred at any further intro
duction Of character witnesses Those
presented included Representative
Norman Hamilton Of Virginia, Rob-
ert Fechner, director of the Civilian
Conservation Corps; Judge William
Woolls of Corporation Court here and
a number of others
Dawson Takes Stand.
The final day Of regular testimony
saw Mr. Dawson take the stand for
several hours and explain what led
to his filing petition in bankruptcy
in November, 1885, an act that re-
suited in two indictments charging
him with perjury and concealine
more than $4,000 in assets. A mass
of figures embodied in checks, bank
ledgers and income tax returns was
introduced in evidence by both the
defense and Prosecutor Sterling
HutchesoE
High lights OF Mr.. Davison's testi-
mony were: Denial of knowledge OF
the transfer a month before he filed
the bankruptcy petition of a $4,000
bank account he shared with his
wife to the names of his wife and
daughter and recounting of visit
paid him while he was very sick
man" by two Justice Department
agents, who questioned him concern
ing disposal of his salary as an Off
cial of the International Association
of Machinists for November, 1885.
Appeared Rational.
The Government agents had told
the court Mr.. Dawson said he lost
from his pocket nearly s400 he had
drawn in mid November from the
machinists' organization. They said
he appeared rational when they called
on him at his home.
The former mayor testified he hao
been confined to bed for six weeks
prior to the agents visit and that
he was sitting up then for the first
day. He said they were allowed te
enter by Mrs. Dawson when they
pretended to be friends on a socia
call.
Mr.. Dawson denied saying he losi
the money, declaring he was too veal
to have done much talking. He sale
he was suffering from high blooc
pressure, at the time and had a physi.
cisn in attendance. The doctor diet
shortly before the trial opened, it wa.
brought out.
Regarding transfer of the checking
account, Mr.. Dawson said this wa!
done between his wife and daughter
He said he was informed of tn.
switch shortly before Mrs. Dawson
was scheduled to go to the hospita
for a major operation. Mrs. Dawson
told him she put the money in {
joint account with her daughter, Mrs
Laura Heflin, SO the daughter couls
take care Of household expenses Will
she was away from home.
Mrs. Dawson and the daughte,
later substantiated Mr.. DAWSON
testimony. In answer to a direc
question by Mr.. Leahy the wife deniet
entering an agreement" with he
husband to conceal assets" She ais
said she had known nothing of he
husbands intention to file the bank
ruptcy petition. MIR. Dawson ex
planned he had not revealed his plan
because Of the precarious state of hi
wife's health.