Evening star., 1941-12-02
Contractor Rejects
Counsel al Trial on
Mans|aughter Charge
Represents Self as
Federal Court Opens
At Alexandra
BY staff Correspondent OF The Star.

BY Staff Correspondent OF The Star.
ALEXANDRIA. Va. Dec. Am
Arlington County building contrac-
tor acted as his own counsel to de-
fend himself against a manslaughter
charge involving trafflc death
when the United States Court for
the Eastern District of Virginia con-
vened here today.
A Federal grand jury returned a
manslaughter indictment against
William H. Bacon, jr.. in June for
the traffic death nearly a year ago
of John Henry Clapdore, 80 on the
Mount Vernon Memorial highway
about a mile south of Alexandria.
Mr.. Bacon was represented by
counsel at a previous hearing before
the United States commissioner, but
obtained the courts permission to
represent himself on the charge
brought against him by the grand
jury. He was expected to take the
stand in his own behalf later today.
The grand jury for the December
term yesterday indicted Eugene
Daniel Myers. jr.. on charge OF
uttering threats against the Presi-
dent in the presence of two ac-
quaintances. The case is to be tried
at the Richmond division OF the
court at a later date.
Escaped Prisoners Sentenced.
The jury has filed true bills
against nearly a score OF persons.
Those indicted. and who were SEN
fenced by Judge Luther B. Way yes
terday, we're James Satterwhite. who
pleaded guilty to escaping from the
District OF Columbia Workhouse at
Occoquan, six months in Jail at the
expiration of his present sentence;
George A. Gilroy. a similar charge.
sentenced to year and day in
Federal penitentiary at the expira-
ton of his present sentence; James
Marshall Calvert. similar charge
and sentence: Clyde L. Finklin. alias
Clyde L. Finklea, similar charge
given 18 months in Federal peni-
tentiary at the expiration of his
present sentence, and Thomas Eng
lish, a similar charge and sentence.
All of the escaped prisoners entered
pleas of guilty.
The court suspended for three
years imposition of sentences on
George Beasley and Melvin Thomas
Cropper. indicted jointly for theft
of Government property, a charge
involving landscapine equipment
from the Mount Vernon Memorial
Highway.
The suspension was made con-
ditional on good behavior and also
dependent on Beasley's payment Of
SO weekly and Choppers payment Of
50 weekly for 16 weeks.
Others Indicted.
Others indicted include Allen H.
Duvall. drunk and reckless driving;
Walter Lewis Bayliss. violating the
National Motor Vehicle Act; Clar-
ence Grimes. theft of personal prop
erty on Government reservation;
Fred Hale, morals charge; William
T. Turpin. murder on Government
reservation; Edgar De Witt Mar
shall, violating National Motor
Vehicle Act, and Bradley Williams
and Harry Vaught, indicted jointly
for assault and robbery on a Gov
ernment reservation.
John NJ George Of Arlington
County was admitted to practice be-
fore the court. Fred Bartenstein
was named grand jury foreman.
Other indictments returned. which
are to be tried at other divisions of
the court, included one against
Harry Kipp and others for violating
the Internal Revenue Act to be tried
at Richmond; Frank E. Conrad and
Henry NJ. Creecy. indicted separate
ly, theft from mail receptacle, and
Kinzo Otto De Vontenno, attempted
extortion, to be tried at Norfolk;
Arnold Harris and Randolph Gray,
indicted separately, violating in
ternal revenue laws, to be tried at
Newport News.