Evening star., 1937-03-03

that Morvan, Mrs. Cato. Joan and
another child, 2-year-old George Nor
van, visited the Magnussen home Sum-
day afternoon.
The youngsters were put to bed up
stairs, little Frank told the detectives.
Howard, accused Of the crime. also was
sleeping up there at the time.
Soon, the boy said, the family down.
stairs heard little Joan screaming.
Everyone rushed up the stairs. and he
said the little girl, whom he called
"Jo." was writhing in bed.
There was blood everywhere" po-
lice quoted him as saying.
Morvan, . painter. was out Of the
house at the time, helping friend re-
pair an automobile.
Stains on Car Tested.
Morvan and Mrs. Cato. police said.
borrowed the car and returned home
that evening. Police today were test
ing stains In the back of the small car
to ascertain If they were bloodstains.
Little Joan's condition brought
George Magnussen, father Of the ac-
cuSed. back to MagnusSen home, and
finally that evening he called for a
doctor.
An ambulance responded and the
child was declared dead. Detectives
who investigated that night accepted
at first Mrs. Gatto's story that the
child had been injured falling down.
stairs.
Charges of felonious assault against
Morvan and Mrs. Cato are based on
the terribly bruised condition the
child's body. Police said many Of the
scars and bruises were old, and ap-
parently had been inflicted by hair
brushes. sticks and metal combs
There were over a hundred scars and
marks on the body. they said.
Woman Ex-Convict
Mrs Cato, divorced several years
ago by her husband, also served term
in Hampstead. Long Island. for shop.
lifting, police of11cials said. Morvan
was named correspondent in the suit
for divorce. Mrs. Cato has one son, 6
years old.
Morvan, separated from his wife
who lives now in Mortified, VT, was
charged with burglary two years ago
and received a suspended sentence Ia
Suffolk County, police said.
Howard Magnussen, q cookbook
ing young man, also admitted, police
said, that he had been having
improper relations with three younger
sisters, one IL, the second IL, the
third IA. The Magnussen children
number 10. With the oldest. 81, ar
inmate Of Queens Park sanitarium
Police said Howard Magnusser
sought to justify his conduct by re-
lating other examples of improper re.
lations within the family in which
he did not take part.
The three accused were brought te
Manhattan for the police lineup by
Sergt. John Hulson. After examina-
tion they were returned Immediately
to Queens.
The three accused. who were ques.
toned all night in Jamaica before the
police, said Howard Magnussen con.
fessed the crime at Z am. this morn.
ing, said in answer to questions in the
Manhattan police lineup that ths
statements they had made to Queen.
district attorneys were true.
Attack After Beating.
Although the statements were moi
made public, the police said bott
the father and Mrs. Cato admitted
that the little girl, when attacked wa!
in bed at the Magnussen home becaus.
Of . beating earlier with hair brush
The child was being beaten, the 20
lice said, to cure her Of . functiona
weakness during sleep. So savagely
had she been battered, the medica
examiner said in his report, that on<
toe nail was torn of.
Inspector Joseph Donovan con
Quoted the questioning OF Howard
Magnussen in the lineup. Hi.
measurements were: Height, feet
inches: weight. 118 pounds. He wor,
a shabby brown suit and red sweater
His hair was long and black.
"How did you come to do this?" In
spector Donovan asked.
II don't know" Magnussel
answered.
Mrs. Cato wore black coat with .
FUR collar. She weighed ITO pounds
moderate height, is willowy and sallov
Of complexion. She said Morvan
father Of the girl. was present "onl,
part OF the time" when she ad
ministered the beating. Police, ques
tioning neighbors, said they learne,
that little Joan had been crying con