Evening star., 1938-03-12
10 OR MORE FACE
CALL TO STAND
IN KEYS Staying
Second Inquest Is Expected
to Stay in Session Until
Late Today.
SISTER OF VETERAN
CHANGES HER STORY
Admits Discussing Case With
Several Persons-Points
Out Two Men.

After nine hours OF exhaustive
cross-examination and conflicting tes-
timony, the second inquest into the
shooting by police Of Leroy Keys, 3S,
colored, a demented World War vet
eran, was to reconvene at the morgue
today with at least half of the score
of witnesses yet to take the stand.
The second inquest opened yester-
day at 1880 am. and went on until
almost midnight, with recesses for
luncheon and dinner 1t was indi-
Gated the hearing might continue until
late today, thus being one of the most
protracted inquests since a coroner's
jury probed the murder of Beulah
Limerick seven years ago.
Conflicting testimony developed
when Lottie Mitchell, sister of the dead
man, admitted to the second jury
that she had changed her story since
she testified Wednesday at the first
inquest, which ended in hung jury.
Admits Discussing Case.
Under cross-examination by Assist
ant United States Attorney Roger
Robb. the Mitchell woman admitted
she had discussed the case with sew
eral persons who came to her home
for that purpose after she told her
first story.
Can you point out those persons?"
Robb demanded The witness nodded,
and. after moments hesitation,
pointed out two men.
Coroner A. Magruder Macdonald
asked them to identify themselves
One man explained he was John
Davis. executive secretary Of the Ma
tional Negro Congress. which had sent
formal complaints to District officials
charging bias in the conduct of a
representative of the district attorneys
office at the first inquest. The other
man identified himself as William H.
Kelson, colored, representing the
Joseph Reese Europe Post of the
American Legion.
Mr.. Davis obtained statement from
the Mitchell woman which varied from
her original story to the jury, as did
Mr.. Kelson. Yesterday the witness
told the jury she could not remember
what she had testified to two days
previously because then she was "ex-
cited"
Says Knife Was Planted.
In her testimony yesterday the
woman said she saw a policeman with
big brass buttons down his coat"
plant knife in the room at 247o
Ontario road NV after her brother
was shot to death by Pvt. John w.
Nally OF No. 10 precinct. She declared
her brother did not start hurting OBJ
jects through the window of the room
IN which he had locked himself until
after an officer shot at him.
Testimony of police was to the effect
that Keys threatened them with
butcher knives, hit one officer over
the shoulders with a machine ham,
mer when he tried to seize him, threw
heavy carpenters tools out the win
dows at the officers and finally set
the room on fire before the shooting
started.
The officers fired four shots. two
by Pvt. Nally and two of Policeman
Robert M. Henry of No. 8 precinct.
The latter was absolved of blame in
the death when ballistics testimony
traced the death bullet to Officer
Nally's gun.
Keys. who served in the Navy dur
ing the World War, and since has been
mental patient at various hospitals
In Washington, with periods when he
was released in custody of his mother,
set fire to curtains in his home while
the siege was in progress. The fire
spread to an overstuffed chair.
Use Of Tear Gas Avoided,
Fire Sergt. L. p Clements, who re-
sponded to the alarm with No. 21 En-
gine Co., said that if the flames had
spread they would have trapped other
occupants Of the building on the upper
floors, who were afraid to come to
the street while police we're trying
to arrest Keys. The officers testified
they did not shoot until Keys had
set the fire.
Mr.. Robb pressed Pvt John Lewis
during the latter's testimony yesterday
as to why the officers did not resort
to tear gas. The policeman responded
that Keys had ventilated the room by
knocking out the windows and that
there was sick woman in another
apartment upstairs who might have
been harmed by the gas.
Gould you not have brought other
occupants of the house down the steps
without subjecting them to danger
from keys?" Mr.. Robb asked. The
policeman was uncertain if this could
have been done.
Mr.. kelson said he had been ap-
pointed by his American Legion post
TO investigate" the shooting. Attorney
James O'Shea, who represents Pvt Nal
ly, attempted to show in the cross
examination that the woman witness
mad been coached" by persons who
had interviewed her after her first
testimony.
Mr.. Davis was called to the stand.
ana explained his organization was
interested in securing a fair hearing"
and had placed the services of Attor-
ney George c. Hays at the disposal of
Keys family.
CHINESE GIRLS FORM