Evening star., 1942-07-08
Mother Defends
EkIund in
'Sniper' Case
Declares Son Wos
Home at Time of
McCIoine Sloying

Mrs. Sadie Eklund. mother Of
John Eugene Eklund. on trial in
District Court for the murder of
Hyland McClaine, testified today
that her son did not leave their
apartment in the 2100 block of F
street NV the night McClaine was
shot to death.
Speaking in low voice, she told
of an evening the two spent at
home practicing on stenotype ma
chine.
Il am a slight sleeper, and If he
had left the apartment l would
have heard him." Mrs. Eklund, a
Government employe, declared in
answer to a question of Defense At
torney Harry T. Whelan. She said
her son slept in a room adjacent to
her bedroom.
Shot Early in Morning.
McClaine. colored, was shot in
Rock Creek Park about am. on
October Is, 1910.
Mrs Eklund testified that she re-
tired around IL pm, and that her
son went to bed about Is minutes
later. When she got up the next
morning at o'clock he was in bed,
she said
Did your son leave the apartment
that right?" Mr.. Whelan asked.
"He did not" she answered.
She went on to tell OF her sons
arrest in Baltimore, where he was
employed at the Glenn Martin plane
factory, on November 16 of that
year. She said she did not learn Of
his whereabouts until four days
later, and that when she did WASH
ington police would not tell her what
they were holding Eklund for.
Questioned by Assistant United
States Attorney Charles B. Murray
on why she was able to recall the
date so clearly, Mrs. Eklund said
that October IA, Monday, was
her first day back at the Office after
vacation. She then added that
she always recalled two other dates
October and 17-because two Of
my babies died then"
Defense Calls Lasky.
Assistant United States Attorney
John l.. Lasky, jr., called by the
defense, denied that Marvin Rich
ard Harlow, key Government wit
ness, had asked for leniency in his
case if he appeared for the Gov
ernment against Eklund.
Harlow, cellmate of Eklund at
District Jail, in May of this year
supplied Mr.. Lasky's Office with in
formation on a revolver buried in q
Baltimore park.
Ballistics experts earlier this week
testified that McClaine was shot
with a .38-caliber Colt pistol. The
Baltimore gun was of this make and
type. Harlow has testified that Ek-
lund, while the two were in Jail, drew
a map of the Baltimore park indi-
eating where the gun could be found.
Mr.. Lasky testified that he told
Harlow he did not have the power
to grant him leniency, but Mr..
Lasky admitted saying he would
call to the attention Of the court
considering Harlow's case on house,
breaking charges, the services he
had rendered the Government. He
also denied that Harlow had asked
for reduction of his bail.
Ballistics Testimony.
Yesterday afternoons session was
devoted primarily to technical testi-
mony on ballistics and the possibility
of error in comparing bullets found
in the body of McClaine and those
tested in the laboratory.
The jury was sent out Of the court
room while counsel argued the adj
mission of Ct exhibits as evidence.
At one point Justice James W. Nor
ris, presiding, called for a magnify
ing glass to examine the bullets and
decided they should be admitted.
Mr.. Whelan asked permission to
have the bullets sent to New Jersey
laboratory for verification, and this
was granted by the court.
Lawrence Haynes. recently con-
victed of removing Government files
for private useage, told the court Of
his conversations with Harlow con-
cerning the Eklund case. He re-
marked he had nearby cell and
that Harlow was persistent" in dis
cusisng the Eklund case. Being
friendly with the defendant, Haynes
stated he requested removal to an
other place in the District Jail and
warned Eklund that Harlow was
| against him.
Warned Eklund.
| Haynes told the court that Harlow
had remarked to him that Johnny
Eklund made a very handsome pic
ture and all he needed was little
frame" The witness then stated he
warned Eklund of Harlow's inten-
tions through a letter, saying In part
that this was "a one-man campaign
against Eklund."
The defense witness also quoted
Harlow as saying that 'it was too
bad it wasn't Jarvis Cato who fell
| beneath the bullets" Cato was con-
victed for killing Mrs. Rose Abramo-
witz in her Sixteenth street apart
ment last year.
/ A. ~ III -