Evening star., 1943-10-26
De Marigny Attorney
Fails 10 Break Down
Detective's Testimony
BY the Associated Press.

NASSAU, Bahamas, Oct. 90
With an unrelenting cross-examina
ton, the defense tried today tc
break down the testimony of a
calm, deliberate American detective
who had outlined to a Bahamas
Supreme Court jury key points in
the crowns case against Alfred de
Marigny, on trial for the murder
Of Sir Harry OakeS.
Associate Counsel w. E. A. CAL
lender shouted questions designed to
trap Capt. E. w. Melchen of the
Miami police and cause him to vary
from his testimony about the beat
in" and burning of the aged mil
lionaire in his country estate. West
bourne, last July.
Unruffled. the stocky officer folded
his hands and replied slowly and
easily
Defendant Nervous,
In the barred prisoners dock the
defendant nervously picked his teeth
with match. He motioned to re-
porters that his throat is sore as the
result of cold.
Then. grinning, he held up his
little right finger-which witnesses
say made an impression on a screen
in the death room-and shook his
head as though to say: Don't worry
about that"
Capt. Melchen yesterday testified
that he found burned hairs on De
Marigny's hands, arms and face:
that the accused man could not pro-
duce the shirt he told of wearing the
night Of the Staying and that he told
of hatred for Sir Harry. his father
1n-laW.
Mr.. Calender today directed his
questions against previous testimony
concerning burns on a bed screen
and the burned bed in which Sir
Harry's body was found.
Mr.. Calender. learning Capt.
Melchen had made notes at the time
OF the investigation, asked crisply:
why didn't you bring them?"
Heated Exchange.
because / was advised bv the
honorable attorney, general eric
Halllnan) I would not be allowed to
refer to notes in court" Capt. Mel
chen retorted as spectators Uttered
at the heated exchange.
Turning his questioning to the
burned bed and Scorched lamp
shade, Mr.. Calender asked how they
were set afire.
BY match or torch"
What kind of torch?"
ANY kind, maybe q piece of pa
per-
The detective, veteran of hun
dreds of murder trials, testified yes
terday that the fire could have been
caused by an ordinary spraygun con-
verted into fame thrower.
wouldn't you have expected
greater burns on the accused if he
had been in that room?" asked Mr..
Calender.
Not necessarily, if his clothing
were burned, although you would
expect burned skin" the detective
answered, adding that two or three
out of each 10 hairs on De Ma
rigny's forearm were burned.
Chief Justice Sir Oscar Bedford
DAILY. the presiding Judge. showed
a deep interest in Capt. Melchen's
story yesterday, and at one point
practically took over the question:
ing.
Judge Questions Witness.
Sir Oscar asked repeated ques-
tionS about the marks Of flames III
Sir Harry's room and in the hall
way He suggested that expert
ments be conducted before the jury
so they would understand the
Crowns theory that the fire swept
Sir Harry's room like an explosion.
Capt Melchen said he was un-
able to explain how the fire started.
He declared it was possible, how
ever, that an innammable liquid
was thrown over the body and the |
bed and that it was ignited by the
slayer in two separate places.
During his examination Of ,
Capt, Melchen Defense Attorney
Godfrey S. Hiogs produced towel
previously identified as one used by !
Harold G.. Christie to wipe Sir
Harry's face in an effort to revive
him when he discovered the body.
Mr.. Higgs asked the detective if
LOST.