Evening star., 1937-04-02

Frank Bynes, roomer.
NEW YORK, April F).-Joseph
Gedeon, 55-year-old upholsterer, was
held in $4,000 bail today on charge
Of possessing a revolver illegally, as
detectives continued their frantic
search for the slayer of his artist
model daughter "Ronnie," his es-
tranged wife Mary and Frank Byrnes,
a roomer, Easter morning.
Appearing in Magistrate Michael
Ford's court for preliminary hearing,
with bruises showing on the right side
of his face, Gedeon, through his at
torney, Peter L. F. Sabbatino, asked
that nominal bail of $50 be set.
Police are just bounding this old
man" Sabbatino told the magistrate.
They are barking up the wrong tree" !"
$4,000 Bail Asked.
Assistant District Attorney Ray Leo
argued against Sabbatino's request,
asked $4,000 bail, and said:
II understand this man is the prln-
cipal suspect in the Gedeon triple
murder"
Magistrate Ford then set bail at
$4,000, and ordered the case up for
hearing at pm. in Felony Court.
Sabbatinos request that four physi-
clans be permitted to examine Gedeon
in Tombs Jail was granted by Magis-
trate Ford, but an additional request
for permission to photograph the little
upholsterer's body. which Sabbatino
said was badly bruised during the
two-day police questioning, was re-
fused.
Assistant District Attorney Leo eX-
planned to the court that pictures
taken in the routine of booking by the
police showed four sections of Gede-
on's body.
Gedeon looked puny before the bar,
despite detectives frequent assertions
that he is extremely powerful in his
arms and wrists He was neatly
dressed, freshly shaved and had found
another pair of glasses to replace
those he broke when fleeing from
questioners early in the investigation.
He wore no tie.
Right Temple Bruised.
His right temple, near the eye, was
obviously red and bruised Policemen
who accompanied the prisoner to court
said Gedeon had collided accidentally
last night with an iron gate in the
jail
No effort was made Immediately to
raise the bail. and Gedeon was taken
back to the Tombs.
Sabbatino, heading for the prison
to watch the physical examination Of
his client, hotly charged the police
with brutality" during their pro-
tracted questioning.
Hes a mass of bruises" he said.
They used the old back room tactics
on him"
Referring to the possibility of
Gedeon being connected with the
battling triple murder, Sabbatino said:
Il am sincerely and positively GER
tain that my client is not guilty of any
connection with the crime. AS mat
ter of fact, he and I are the only two
who seem willing to help solve the
mystery.
Furthermore, he is absolutely
sane"
Sabbatino said that he was consid-
ering asking at the afternoon hearing
that police officers who questioned
Gedeon be prosecuted for their "bru-
tality"
Gedeon went to sleep at 10 o'clock
last night and did not awaken until
5:25 this morning, despite large
light in his cell, No. l in police head
quarters.
DO you feel like anything to eat?"
asked Patrolman Andrew Kiel. the
regular attendant.
Yes; I feel like having coffee and
some cake" Gedeon replied.
A container of coffee and a cheese
bun were obtained from a nearby
restaurant and Gedeon ate his break
fast with relish.
Search for Weapon.
Meanwhile the city's sewers in the
Beekman Hill vicinity were searched
in an effort to find the answer to the
question of who killed the glamorous
"Ronaie," her mother and roomer
in their home.
Hairs from Gedeon's face we're sub
mitted to the police laboratory for
comparison with those taken from
beneath the fiingernails of his dead
daughter.
Denies Gedeon Maltreated.
Denying third degree methods De-
tective Capt. William T. Reynolds said:
mo, no, no, of course not. He has
double hernia and no one would
think of striking him"
Reviewing police theories, as de-
veloped in their two-day questioning
of Gedeon, Capt. Reynolds said:
1T was evident from the first that
whoever committed these murders not
only was familiar with the layout of
the Gedeon apartment, but also was
frequent visitor This was indicated
by the actions of the Gedeon Pc
kingese dog, Touchi, which made no
disturbance during the time of the
killings, but on arrival of detectives
ran about barking and trying to bite
every one.
"Gedeon was very friendly with his
daughter, Mrs. Ethel Kudner, a friend
liness that was entirely absent in his
attitude toward his wife and daughter
'Ronnie'
Mrs. Kudner agreed with the old
man, and did not approve of the life
which her sister was leading, and the
fact that her mother allowed her to
do so. This was Gedeon's attitude,
although he continued to visit his wife
occasionally"