Evening star., 1941-10-18
Cutoe

Continued From First Page)
apartment at 1901 Sixteenth street
NV.
With Catoe still on the stand. JUS
tice Morris recessed court until 10
am. Monday.
Tells of His Arrest.
Under questioning by J. Robert
Esher of his defense counsel, Catoe
said that around $50 in the morn
ing of August %, he came out of
his residence in the 100 block of
Swami street NV. on his way to
the drug store to get some medicine
He saw detectives waiting at his
automobile, he said.
Il was very sick and weak" he
testified. 'I came to the car and
they swarmed in on me"
He was taken to headquarters.
Catoe said, where a room jammed
full of detectives began to ques-
ton him.
Half the time I didn't know what
was iiopPCiilllS, Hc SdIu. uOIl l
want to tell any falsehoods here.
III try to tell the truth to the best
of my knowledge"
Twice during the course of his di-
rect examination Catoe attempted to
explain what he had really said
about his connection with the slay-
ing of Evelyn Andersen, New York
waitress. and Betty Strieff, War De-
partment worker. But his attorney
broke in and brought him back to
the subject of his treatment by DO
lice.
Says He Was Kicked and Hit.
He charged that on the night of
his arrest he was brought into the
homicide hearing room. where de-
tectlveS ordered him to sit down and
then surrounded him.
Somebody tipped the chair and
dumped me on the floor and then
Detective Wise twisted my arm. 1
said, Yes, sir; yes. sir, killed her.
I'll sign; I'll signr"
Had you any rest or sleep?" asked
Mr.. Esher.
No, sir. They told me, You won't
get any sleep until you confess "
He said Detective Sergt. John
Wise hit him with a blackjack and
that somebody else kicked him and
hit him in the back.
They told me-" Catoe continued.
We have got about 25 murder cases
in the District and we've got to clear
them up. You be nice to Us and
we'll help you After they got all
the confessions out of me, they got
me food and cigarettes
Detectives Defend Treatment.
United States Attorney Edward M
Curran and his assistant, John w.
Fihelly, brought a parade of detec-
tlves to the stand yesterday in an
effort to show that Catoe talked
willingly of the murders and GRIM
inal attacks.
Defense counsel hammered away at
the police testimony yesterday, but
detectives insisted that Catoe had
been treated with consideration fol-
lowing his arrest. From time to
time, Catoe beckoned to his law
yers and suggested questions
At one time, when Detective Sergt.
Richard Felber was on the stand,
Catoe made whispered suggestion
to Mr.. Esher and the latter turned
to ask the witness:
Did you ever kick the defendant
in the shins?"
mo, sir" the detective answered
emphatically.
According to police, Catoe began
to talk readily of the crimes the
night of his arrest, after he had
been identified in a police lineup
OF five woman attack victims who
had survived their encounters.
After he was identified" 1t.
Aubrey Tolson testified" he just
went on talking. He would tell
about one case and then pause. Then
he would snap his fingers as he re-
membered another"
He first confessed the Strieff Case,
the policeman testified, and then
was asked if he remembered attack
ing any other white women.
He said there was one case at
Sixteenth and T streets NV. We
asked him when it was and he
couldn't remember the date.
1t was in the winter he said,
ON Saturday morning when snow
had fallen the day before"
Sergt. Felber, in the course of his
testimony, told how Catoe had gone
to the Abramowitz apartment in his
custody and re-enacted the crime,
showing a knowledge of details
which he could not have obtained
unless he had been present.
Justice Morris, two or three times
during yesterdays session, expressed
concern for the comfort of the
jurors, who have been locked up"
since the trial began on Wednesday.
The jurors, when they reported
at court yesterday, complained about
their food and accommodations at
the hotel where they are being quar-
tered. Justice Morris promised
them better service.
Jury's Recreation Discussed.
Later in the day they summoned a
beiliff to bring them some cigarettes