Evening star., 1941-09-08
Girl, IS, Tells on Stand
OF Criminal Attack
Near 18th Street
Points Out Robinson
To flushed Courtroom
As Her AssuiIunt

In calm voice, a 15-year-old girl
today gave testimony in District
Court of a criminal assault near
Rock Greek Park for which the
Government demands the death
penalty against William Isaac
Robinson, "a, colored.
The brown-haired, brown-eyed girl,
daughter of a Government official,
was the first witness in the trial
that opened before an all-male jury.
In a hushed courtroom, the girl
said Robinson, whom she pointed
out, attacked her on August 6 in a
wooded section near the intersection
of Sixteenth street and Rock Greek
Ford drive. He grabbed her by the
throat and dragged her into the
woods after stopping her ostensibly
to ask the location of an address,
she said.
Everything Went Together"
Il screamed and screamed, but he
grabbed me tighter" she said, until
I couldn't scream any more. Then
everything went together--the trees,
the skies and the ground all rose up
and went together.
He dragged me over by the throat
and, when he let loose, I began
pleading with him. I told him
everything I could think of to get
him to go away. I asked him to
please, please go away.
Il told him I was craZy-that I
had fits-and to go away.
II asked him his name and he
said it was Joe Neal I tried to
remember everything-everything
My mind seemed to stand up in
front of me and tell me, Remember
this, remember that, remember
everything
Left Tied With Own Clothes.
She said that he tied her with her
clothes before leaving and told her
not to go away from the scene for at
least 10 minutes. Later she freed
herself, she related, and went to
nearby riding academy.
Positive of Identification.
On her way to the riding stable,
the girl said, she continually re-
peated to herself, "Ill be as calm
and as rational as can about this"
+ At one point in the trial, Defense
Attorney David A. Hart had Robin
son stand and the girl identified
him again.
Are you absolutely positive this
is the man who attacked you?"
asked Mr.. Hart.
Eyes, I am positive"
She also testified that she had
faced Jarvis r. Catoe, accused in
10 other attack cases, and that both
said they had never seen the other
before. She faced Catoe in Mr..
Fihelly's Office the day Catoe was
indicted last week.
The girl, who was on the stand
about an hour, told the court and
jury that she suffered a bruise on
her throat and slight bruises on
the arms where the man had tied
her.
The girl took the stand after As
sistant United States Attorney John
w. Fihelly had outlined the case to
the jury and had said the Govern
ment would expect a verdict of
guilty with the death penalty.
Thirty-flve minutes were con-
sumed in selecting the jury for the
case, which may last three or four
days. Justice Daniel w. ODonoghue
is presiding.
Defense Attorney David A. Hart
exercised four of his 20 peremptory
challenges and the Government two.
Eleven jurors were excused on
grounds of conscientious objection
to capital punishment, two jurors
on grounds of racial prejudice and
one who said he had formed an
opinion after reading newspaper
stories.
The Jury.
Jurors serving are Jesse N. Alfred,
AIT Burlington place NV, a book
keeper; Taylor H. Amiss, 2710
Cathedral avenue NV. construction
company manager; Joseph G.
Bacher, 1928 Irving street NV,
furniture manufacturer; Harry Gel
fand, 1923 Twelfth street NV, to-
bacco dealer; Clifford G. Needham,
1000 Twenty-second street NV, in
surance agency manager; Earl w.
Nunnally, 1916 Kalorama road NV,
motor company employe; Walter w.
Roach, 1909 Sixteenth street NV,
finance company official; Jacob
Sperber. 3840 Calvert street NV,
real estate salesman; Wilbert I.
Yates, 1904 M street NV, salesman;
John w. Beckwith, 2104 Huidekoper
place NV, social security official;
Thomas N. Armel, 1858 r street NE,
War Department employe, and
Frank P. Crawford, 1927 Valley place
S.W., railroad accountant.
The case Of Bernard Lee williams,
eolored n fndicted On charQeg Of