Evening star., 1937-12-05

named accused, Walter L. Ross. guilty
Of murder in the second degree as
charged in the indictment and fix
his punishment at 10 years in the
penitentiary."
The verdict was reached on the first
ballot, a juror disclosed.
The only other sound in the crowded
courtroom at the reading of the verdict
was the hysterical weeping of Mrs
Walter j. Ross of Aberdeen, Md, mid
dle-aged mother of the defendant
The rest of the crowd> observed Judge
Coleman's order to maintain quiet.
Mrs. Ross was led from the court
room by her husband and Walters
older brother, James Bernard Ross,
who appeared as defense witness.
The young Marine, the State
charged, stabbed and shot the 52-year-
old attorney on a lonely road near
Stafford Courthouse in the climax to
Ross hitch-hike ride with Davidson
from Washington the night of Octo-
ber 3.
Claimed Self Defense.
Ross testified he acted in self
defense when Davidson sought to force
him to commit an unnatural act.
The defense had put two psychia-
trlsts on the stand in an effort to con-.
vince the jury that man of the
characteristics attributed to Davidson
would be violent if baked in his de-
sires.
The State based its case on the con-
tention that Ross killed Davidson with
robbery as motive. A watch be-
longing to the slain man was pawned
in Baltimore shop by the accused
Marine. The defendant admitted hav-
ing found the watch in Davidson's
car and having taken it to the pawn
broker.
The State in conclusion put a num-
Der Of prominent Washington attor-
neys and Federal employees on the
stand to testify as to Davidson's S
character. These witnesses said
Davidson had good reputation in
the community in which he lived, but
admitted they had no knowledge of
certain sides of his life.
After Davidson had been slain be-
side the Whitewater road, about 2
miles east Of the Westinghouse Rich
mond highway near Stafford Court
! House, his car was driven from the
scene by Ross. The Marine admitted
he He'd in the expensive roadster and
left the car after 1t had slid into a
ditch near Triangle on the Richmond
highway.
Clash Over Confession.
The prosecution and defense battled
over the admissability of a confession
signed by Ross to his superior officers
while in the brig" at Quantico. In
this first statement. the defendant
admitted killing Davidson to repulse
unnatural advances.
The Marine later was taken to the
Jail at Alexandria, where he wrote
and signed another statement. In
this, Ross said he stabbed Davidson
and then went through the attorneys
pockets while he lay on the ground.
Ross said Davidson realized what he
was doing and threatened to expose
him after he emptied his pockets and
took watch from his wrist.
in the second confession Ross was
quoted as having said he put his gun
to within two feet Of Davidson's head
and shot him between the eyes, con-
vinced he could not miss.
The defense contended the second
statement made by Ross while at
Alexandria was produced by police,
who threatened the Marine with the
electric chair, promised him he would
help his own case by talking and told
him he could not have food or see his
parents until he signed the confession
The State, however, put number
Of witnesses on the stand who said
Ross had requested that he be kept
in the Alexandria Jail in preference
to being incarcerated in the Stafford
jail, and there was testimony that
Ross had been well fed, comfortably
housed and provided with reading ma
terial and tobacco.