Evening star., 1941-09-03
Evidence Given,
Jury Studies
.Catoe
No Indictment
Today Is Seen; 20
Witnesses Called


ment the case of Jarvis Catoe, SO,
colored, accused of Staying Jessie
Elizabeth Strieff, following the pres
entation of evidence by the District
attorneys Office in a two and one
half-hour session.
United States Attorney Edward M.
Curran and Assistant United States
Attorney John w. Fihelly, who pre-
Sented the evidence to the grand
jury, did not conflne it to the Strietf
case, but went into other cases in
which Catoe might be involved, in
cluding that of Mrs. Rose Simons
AbramowitZ.
While Mr.. Curran promised that
if an indictment is returned, Catoe
will be speedily arraigned and tried,
it was not known when the grand
jurors might act, inasmuch as the
presentation of evidence and it's
deliberations are conducted in secret.
Indications were, however, that no
indictment would be forthcoming
today.
20 Witnesses Called.
Mr.. Fiheliy said during the noon
recess that the grand jury would
proceed with its regular schedule
this afternoon, with the aid of
Assistant United States Attorney
Evan T. Davis, regularly assigned
to grand jury work.
Some 20 witnesses were to have
been called in all, but the district
attorneys Office, in accordance with
Justice Department regulation.
refused to disclose their names. II
was believed, however, that wit
nesses included those who testified
before the coroner's jury yesterday.
| Coroner A. Magruder Macdonald,
who conducted the inquest into the
Strieff case that resulted in Catoe's
being bound over, certified to the
district attorneys Office the other
cases, without the formality of a
hearing.
CatOe Probably Didn't Appear.
1t was not thought Catoe ap-
peared before the grand jury,
inasmuch as his counsel, George j.
Boden, j. Robert ESher and Walter
NJ. Shea, did not permit him to take
the witness stand before the coro-
ner's jury.
District Attorney Curran an
nounced that special return would
be requested if an indictment is
voted, so that the colored man can
be arraigned Immediately.
Catoe was bound over to the grand
jury after the coroner's jury heard
witnesses outline the case against
the alleged itinerant slayer of seven
women.
1t was indicated that Catoe would
be brought to trial for the murder
of Miss Strieff, 23-year- old War De-
partment worker.
The only known. tangible piece
OF evidence which police have in
their possession in any of the mur-
ders which they say Catoe admits
is the umbrella which figures in the
Strief case.
Umbrella Is Main Evidence.
This umbrella, which was brought
before the coroner's jury yesterday,
was carried by Miss Strieff on the
! afternoon of June 16 when she went
forth in a storm to buy butter from
a corner store.
After Catoe had been arrested it
was uncovered at the home of a
colored woman who said he had
given it to her. AS far as police
have disclosed, they have no other
evidence in this or the other cases
beyond the prisoners statements.
An indistinct flngermark was found
at the scene of the Staying, but this
is not considered strong evidence.
That positive Identification of the
umbrella could be established be-
came apparent yesterday at the
coroner's hearing. Both the owner
of the article-Miss Strieff had bor-
rowed it from a friend-and the
woman to whom Catoe gave it were
able to point it out.
Fiance Falters.
These two women were among the
parade of witnesses who testified
during the hearing at the Morgue.
Among the others were the police
who first arrived upon the scene,
the friends who searched for Miss
Strieff after she vanished and the
police who listened tc Catoe's amaz-
ing recitation of violence.
The most pathetic testimony was
that of Miss Strieff's fiance, STAN
lev LIE Blanc, Farm Credit Admin
istration clerk. who led the search
for her on the Sunday that she
disappeared.
Mr.. LIE Blanc was slow in an
swering when he first took the
stand. He had trouble remember
ing details and apologized:
I'm sorry, 1 guess can't think
very we'll"
Coroner Macdonald sought to
bring out details of the identi-
f1cation of Miss Strieff's body,
which was found strangled and
stripped in garage in the rear of
the 100 block of @ street NV.
Mr.. LIE Blanc'S memory failed and
he wet his lips nervously, explain
| ing:
I'm afraid I was in too much Of
daze to know"
Tells Of Futile Search.
He told the jury of his futils
search through the apartment and
the neighborhood for. his sweetheart.
He mentioned the trouble he had
with the janitor of Miss Strieff's
apartment when he requested per-
mission to search the place.
Mr.. Esher, one of the three
attorneys engaged by members Of
Catoe's family, questioned Mr.. Le
Blanc closely about the janitor. He
sought to determine whether Mr..
LIE Blanc had seen coal dust in the
apartment-having earlier sought to
learn from detectives whether coal
dust had been found on the girls
| body.
Miss Betty Stribling, friend OF
the slain girl, identified her UNI
breIla, pointing out torn places on
| 1t which she remembered, Esther
Hall, colored maid, of 1882 Swami