Evening star., 1941-09-05
U. 5. Weighs
First Case for
Catoe Trial
Abrumowitz Staying
Moy Be Selected
For October IS Jury

To-Day III lne lHulClulcllIS dSdAIoI
Jarvis r. Catoe-one by police to
send the 36-year-old colored la
borer and mechanic 10 the electric
chair in his October Is trial for
one of the murder criminal assault
cases of which he is accused-the
other by the defense for evidence to
save him from death.
The District grand jury yesterday
indicted Catoe on five charges Of
criminal assault and murder in the
first degree, five cases Of criminal
assault and four of robbery upon
his women victims. Catoe pleaded
innocent to all of them as all 10 in
dictments were read singly to him.
Police say that they have confess
sions from Catoe, that some OF his
victims have identified him and
that in some cases Catoe himself
has gone to the scene and re-en-
acted the crime.
Following the grand jury in
dictments and the arraignment Of
Catoe on the charges, Justice Dam
| iel w. ODonoghue yesterday aft
ernoon adopted the defense sugges-
ton that October IS be set as the
trial date. The Government.
through United States Attorney Ed
ward M. Curran and Assistant
United States Attorney John w.
Fihelly. who will try the cases. had
urged an early date for the first
trial.
Case Not Yet Selected.
Mr.. Fihelly said that he is await
ing a police report on certain de-
tails in all the cases before deciding
Just which one will be tried first.
He indicated to Justice ODonoghue
the accused will be tried first on
one of the murder-criminal as
Sault cases. These include the Jesse
Elizabeth Strieff and Mrs. Rose
Simons Abramowitz cases. Some
observers believe the AbramoWitz
case is the Government strongest.
The grand jury yesterday indicted
Catoe of the murder-criminal as
saults of Mrs. Abramowitz, found
dead in her apartment, 1901 Six
teenth street N. W., on March 8; OF
Miss Strieff. whose nude body was
discovered on June 16 in the rear
of TIT @ street, NV. in a garage ;
of Matte Steward, colored, 46, on
November % in the 1400 block of
Swami street, NV, of Lucy Kid
we'll. colored, Sc, on September q
in a house in the 300 block OF
Virginia avenue, Sc. and of Ada
Gladys Puller. colored, 81. in the
1400 block of Corcoran street NV
on January q.
Catoe also was indicted on charges
of criminally assaulting and robbing
Mamie c. Carter, colored, 56, 1000
block of Fairmont street NV. on
December II, the alleged crime oc-
curing on a lot in the 2400 block
of Ontario road NV, the woman
being robbed of Sill; of similar
charge concerning Cora E. Doy
colored, 65, in the 2100 block OF
Ward place NV, on September 9,
1910, robbing her of $40; of a SIM
liar charge regarding Allie Pippin
colored, 62, On November 26 at SO R
street NV. and taking $40 pair
of glasses. and a like accusation
against him concerning Josephine
Greenlease, colored, so, on August
30, 1910, in the 2600 block of Elev-
enth street, NV, from whom he
) took s24. In the case of Elizabeth
Berry, colored, 64 the grand jury
, charged Catoe with criminally as
saulting her on February IA, 1910
in the 1700 block of T street NV
in her home, knocking her uncon-
scious. No robbery is alleged in
this case
Justice ODonoghue granted De-
fense Counsel Walter M. Shea
George j. Boden and j. Robert Esh-
er five days in which to make any
legal moves attacking the legality
of the indictments. They had asked
for 10 days, but the jurist said that
there is nothing complicated about
the indictments and allowed the
customary five days. Mr.. Shea tolc
the court that it will take much
investigation and hard work to pre-.
pare the defense and Mr.. Finely
promised to let the defense know ir
the next two or three days which
case the government will select frs
for trial.
A reading of Catoe's alleged
crimes, as recorded in the indict'
ments, consumed more than half al
! hour. Clerk Paul Dawson read each
i to Catoe, the Strieff case coming
first. In response to the clerk
question as to whether he pied in
nocent or guilty, Catoe answered:
Not guilty-not of any white
women"
. Police are convinced that Catot
|, is the perpetrator of the Abramo'
;; witz crime, for he knew about &
: $40 bill and the exact position o.
the furniture in the apartment
They allege he re-enacted the crime
in the presence of the authorities
following his arrest.
: Fifteen deputy United States
6 marshals were grouped strategically
= around Catoe as he was arraignec
shortly after 2l5 o'clock yesterday
afternoon. Catoe kept his hands or
the table before him as the lengthy
arraignment-prob the longes
in the recent history of Distric
Court-proceeded.
Told to Speak Up.
Standing beside Catoe during tht
arraignment was Defense Counse
Shea.
At one point, Justice ODonoghu'
told Catoe to speak up so the cour
could hear him. The accused begar
his recital of innocence in a firm
loud voice, but as the arraignmen
proceeded, he allowed it to drop.
The arraignment ended, Justic'
ODonoghue addressed Catoe, asking
him if he had not pleaded innocen
to all 10 indictments and that h
had selected his defense counse
voluntarily. Catoe replied that h
had.
Police saw that CatOe'S methO(