Evening star., 1937-01-14
GIRL 'SLAST HOURS
TOLD BY MOTHER
Mrs. Sullivan Describes Gay
Party That Ended in
EIIen's Death.
BY the Associated Press.

NORWICH, Conn, January IA
gray-haired. soft-spoken woman, Mrs
Maude Sullivan, told today how she
and her husband took their 17-year-
old daughter Ellen and two other
girls to the Danceland Casino at
Ocean Beach the night the State ac-
cuses Robert A. Simpson. orchestra
leader, Of causing young Ellen Sulli-
vans death.
While neighbors and friends crowd
ed into the court room, Mrs. Sullivan
said the gay youngsters went to the
dance from her home In New London
shortly before 9 pm. She and her
husband left them at the Casino and
returned home.
About 1890, Mrs. Sullivan said. she
was in bed when she heard the front
door open. 1t was Ellen.
"Is the dance over?" Mrs. Sullivan
asked.
mo. mama" answered the 17-year-
old telephone operator. Il came back
to change my shoes. They're killing
me-"
Next Saw Her Dying.
Mrs. Sullivan said she did not see
Ellen again until the girl was dying
in a hospital from injuries suffered,
the State charges, when Simpson,
keeping a "date" with her after the
dance, criminally attacked her in the
darkened Casino hall and forced her
from window. She fell to a sidewalk
rs feet below.
Ellen was second-year high school
student in 1885, when she left school
to go to work as a telephone operator
in New London, Mrs. Sullivan testified.
The night she fell to her death she
left home wearing a white jacket with
big orange buttons down the front
and brown skirt, and was very hap
py," her mother said.
On the way to the dance, they
dropped of Ellen's sister Jane at the
Lawrence Memorial Hospital, where
the sister was in training as nurse.
Ellen was taken there after the fall
and died there two days later.
Frances Duchette. a pretty. young
brunette, and with Mrs. Corinne Cas-
tsnza, companions OF Ellen at the
dance, told how they filled in the
hours before the young telephone
girl kept her rendezvous with Simpson
after midnight. She testified that
Ellen had one glass of beer at a beach
restaurant, went home just before
intermission at 1890 TO change her
shoes and get her bathing suit. went
swimming for half an hour and then
told the other girls:
I'm going to meet Bob"
DO you mean Simpson, the ac-
cused?" asked State Prosecutor Arthur
NJ Brown.
YES" s1d Miss Duchette.
Testimony Conflicts.
Conflicting testimony about Ellen's
condition after drinking beer with
Band Leader Simpson was offered.
Joseph Castanza of New London,
saxophone player in Simpsons band
at Danceland Casino at Ocean Beach.
IL miles from here, said she was
feeling good, but not intoxicated" "
He said all six in the party at Izzy's
Restaurant on the beach drank from
one pitcher of beer.
But Margaret Mary ONeill Of New
London. meeting Miss Sullivan that
night for the first time, said: ELLEN
was under the influence of liquor. She
was loud. She said she didn't want
to go home because she didn't have
to go to work the next morning. She
cried when Bob Simpson wouldn't buy
her more beer"
The defense seeks to prove that
Miss Sullivan was intoxicated. 1t
contends that Simpson took Miss Sui
livan to the dance hall to sober her
up" that she became hysterical, and
threw herself from the window while
he went to find some one who would
help him quiet her.