Evening star., 1937-04-27
D|RECTEDVERD|CT
FOR MRS. KR|EGER,.
FRO0KS REFUSED
Defense Closes Case With
out Placing Woman
on Stand.
MOTION is OVERRULED
BY JUSTICE LET'S
New York Lawyer Tells Story,
Denying Part in Alleged
Blackmail.

Justice F. Dickinson Let's today re-
fused to direct a jury in District
Court to render verdict of acquittal
for Mrs. Mary Krieger, former teacher,
and Samuel L. Frooks, New York law
yer, on trial for alleged blackmau Of
the late Carroll Pierce, Alexandria
banker.
Justice Let's acted after the de-
fense had closed its case without
placing on the witness stand the
blond, 35-year-old former Oklahoman,
who, the Government charged, at
tempted to extort s2,500 from the ell
derly banker
The other defendant, Frooks, told
the jury he acted merely as lawyer for
Mrs. Krieger in pressing an alleged
claim growing out Of Pierce's failure
to employ the woman for life in his
bank.
Motions for a directed verdict in
favor Of the pair were made just be-
fore the luncheon recess by John j.
McGinnis, attorney for Mrs. Krieger,
and William R. Berkson, counsel for
Frooks. They declared in support Of
the motions that the Government has
failed to show that the defendants
made any threats to expose Pierce's
alleged intimacies with Mrs. Krieger
'if any such existed"
Motions Overruled.
Justice Let's overruled the mo-
tions without hearing objections Of
United States Attorney Leslie C. Gar.
nett and his assistant, Roger Robb.
Let's also refused defense motions
to strike from the record testimony
concerning Mrs. Krieger's alleged in.
volvement in two other cases.
The jury was excused during the
argument over the motions and DUR
ing later consideration of prayers for
instructions to be given the jurors.
Frooks was called back to the stand
briefly this morning to deny asser-
tions by Government witnesses that
he had given permission to officers to
look in his brief case following his
arrest last September. Frooks ear
lier had claimed that several papers
vital to his defense were missing from
the brief case after it had been ex.
amined by Robb and Detective Sergt.
Earl P. Hartmann.
Hartmann, called in rebuttal BY
the Government, denied seeing in
the brief case an affidavit which
Frooks testified contained Mrs. Krie.
gers claim" against Pierce.
TeStifieS for Frooks
The final defense witness was John
P. Griffin, New York attorney, who
asserted Frooks is "one of the high
est and most honorable practitioners
before the bar in New York"
Mrs. Krieger had been reported
extremely anxious to testify, and her
attorney said late yesterday he plan.
ned to call his client for question:
ing.
Garnett was under the impression
at the close of yesterdays session
that the defense did not intend to
place Mrs. Krieger on the stand, and
he began the Governments rebuttal
on that premise.
Four character witnesses" testified
yesterday afternoon for Frooks. They
said he had good reputation. Among
them was James E. Van Zandt for
mer national commander of the Vet
Grams of Foreign Wars.
Questions Rebuttal Witnesses.
The Government questioned two
rebuttal witnesses yesterday after
noon. Clifton M. Hodgson, night
manager of the Willard Hotel, denied
that Robb or Hartman removed papers
from Frooks' brief case following the
latter's arrest.
Stephen P. Haycock, clerk in this
district attorneys Office, told of con.
ferences with Frooks and Mrs. Kriege;
he witnessed at Garnett's Office the
night the pair were arrested.