Evening star., 1941-09-09
Death Verdicts
Returned in Two
Attack Cases
Government Wins
Quick Convictions
In Both Cases

Two men today faced the death
penalty after the Government moved
rapidly yesterday to convict them of
criminally assaulting two young
girls.
Guilty verdicts, with recommended
tions for the extreme penalty, we're
returned by District Court juries
against william Isaac Robinson, "a,
and Bernard Lee williams, 81, both
colored. The Robinson jury delib-
Grated SIS minutes and the Williams
jury an hour. Both men took the
verdicts calmly.
Robinson was convicted on two
counts of carnally knowing the Is
year-old daughter of a Government
official near Rock Creek Ford drive
and Sixteenth street NV. on August
6. The jury, according to instruc-
ton by Justice Daniel w. ODono-
ghue after agreement of counsel, did
not deliberate on two counts of
rape contained in the indictment,
and returned directed verdicts of
not guilty in these.
New Trials to Be Asked.
Williams was convicted of crimi.
nally asaulting 17-year-old colored
girl at Fffty-third and Fitch streets
Sc. August 2. He also was con-
victed of assault with a dangerous
weapon on the girl and her COM
panion, the Government charging
he struck them with a brick. AS
sistant United States Attorney Allen
j. Krouse prosecuted the case.
Defense attorneys in both cases
announced that within three days
they would file motions for new
trials. If these are overruled, the
two men probably will be sentenced
Friday.
The Robinson trial was carried out
swiftly. When the case opened yes
terday morning, it was freely pre-
dicted that three or four days would
be consumed in hearing testimony.
Police Document Omitted.
Assistant United States Attorney
John W. Fihelly, however, closed his
case with testimony lasting only 8
hours and IS minutes from IL Of
some 30 witnesses originally sum-
moned. The principal omission was
testimony by police to an alleged
written confession given by the de-
fendant. Instead, Mr.. Fihelly relied
on verbal confession as related by
the girls father.
In his argument to the jury, Mr..
Fihelly. declared that "if you're going
to stop cases like this, there is only
one proper way to do it-return a
verdict of guilty with the death
penalty"
Defense Attorney David A. Hart,
assigned to the case by the court,
told the jury that "if man is guilty
of such a crime, I will agree with
the Government that he should be
punished-but I ask and pray that
you weigh the evidence carefully as
provided by the laws of the country"
Tries to Establish Alibi.
Robinson's defense was based
largely on mistaken identity" ="
coupled with his emphatic denial
that had confessed attacking 'the
little lady" in a conversation with
her father. Vainly did Robinson
try again and again, through his
counsel, to establish an alright
alibi as to his whereabouts during
the hours near those of the attack,
which occurred between 10:40 and
| II am.
Robinson claimed that shortly be-
fore and after this time he was at
houses answering want ads in search
of job. He claimed he was at the
home of Peter Drury, a retired
banker, 1721 Rhode Island avenue
N. w, about 10:30 and at an apart
ment house at 5051 New Hampshire
avenue about 1:30 O'Clock.
Neither Mr.. nor Mrs. Drury could
identify Robinson as among those
| coming to answer the advertise
ment, however, and further said
men answering the ad had come
about 10, not 10:30 o'clock. Mrs.
Phoebe Stein, 1882 Columbia road
NV. did identify Robinson as hav-
ing been to the New Hampshire
avenue apartment she manages
about lis or 1:30 o'clock.
Indicates He Was Framed.
All said there was no indication
the callers at their places were
drunk, although the Government
had charged that the attacker Of
the girl had been drinking wine.
Robinson, at one point in his
testimony, indicated he. thought the
police had framed" him at the
lineup where the girl identified
him as the attacker. He said he
heard some one behind him re-
mark, Were getting tired of be-
ing on a wild-goose chase. You can
afford to say he's the man" He
could not identify who said 1t.
Admits Previous Attack.
Robinson admitted on the stand
that he had been sentenced to a
15-year term in West Virginia for
attacking a 9-yeaf-old girl but
Justice ODonoghue cautioned the
jury in his charge to use the evil
dence only in forming an opinion
on whether Robinson was likely to
be truthful.
The Governments case was wo-
ven around the girls identity OF
Robinson, the confession allegedly
given the father and a white straw
sun helmet that was found neat
the scene of the attack. Robinson
admitted having hat that was
similar, except his, he claimed, had
a black band that was lacking on
the one introduced into evidences
by Mr.. Fihelly. Alexander Reynolds
colored, who lives near a riding
academy to which the girl was
going when attacked, found the hat