Evening star., 1943-11-02
Grown Witness Tells
OF Constant Watch
Over Cakes Screen
BY the Associated Press.

| BY the Associated Press
NASSAU, Bahamas, Nov. 2-The
Crown sought to convince a Bahia
mas Supreme Court jury today that
Alfred de Marigny had no oppor-
tunlty after the discovery of Sir
Harry Cakes body to make the
hngerprint offered as evidence that
he killed his rich father-in-law.
Corpl. Cleophas Knowles said the
death room and the bedscreen on
which the Crown contends the
nngerprlnt was found were under
constant guard during the investi-
cation.
His testimony at De Marignv,s
trial for murder differed somewhat,
however, from the account he gave
at a preliminary hearing, and De-
tense Counsel w. E. A. Calender
shouted:
Another error. The same as
Capt. Melchen and the other wit
neSSeS."
Capt. E. w. Melchen of the Miami
police and other Crown witnesses
testified that De Marigny was taken
upstairs at Cakes estate, West
bourne, Tor questioning about noon
July 9, whereas at the preliminary
hearing they had set the time as
midafternoon.
Did Not See Accused Upstairs.
knowles said he was assigned July
8-the day the body was discovered
to guard Sir Harry's bedroom and
the hallway. He escorted a photog-
rapher who pictured the death scene,
he related. He said the bedscreen
was moved into the hallway during
the day.
L did not see the accused upstairs
July s. he declared
The next day he was assigned to
guard the stairway and to prevent
anyone from going to the second
floor.
Spectators drawn to the courtroom
IN anticipation Of one Of the big
1ramatlc moments of the trial fidget-
ed during the testimony.
There had been indications that
Lady Eunice Oakes, widow of the
slain man, would take the stand to-
day.
1here was no guarantee that she
would appear, as Attorney General
Eric Hallinan shuffled his witnesses
to provide the best possible setting
Tor the retiring woman who won
the hearts of Bahamians by her ben
efactions to the men and women
employed in her husbands enter
prises.
Counting on Widows Testimony.
But Nassau residents senSed that
the dramatic appearance of Lady
Oakes was impending and rushed
to be present
Inc crown is counting heavily on
her testimony to present the picture
OF family discord that followed the
marriage OF her daughter Nancy to
DE Marigny. She appeared at the
preliminary hearing and told in low
tones of disputes between her hus-
band and the accused.
She described the courtship of
Nancy by De Marigny and the shock
that followed their unexpected mar
riage in New York.
Yesterday Frank Conway, identi-
flcatlon expert of the New York
Police Department, asserted posi-
lively that fingerprint offered by
the crown as one taken from a bed
screen found in the room where Sir
Harry was slain was De Marigny's.
Made by Defendant. !
His emphatic assertion drew
from the defense an admission that
the fngerprint in evidence was
made by the defendant, but a denial
that 1t was taken from the bed
screen. De Marigny's attorneys
have suggested that the print was
found elsewhere, and CHALLENGED
Crown was one taken from a bed
exact spot on the screen where it
was found.
The prosecution offered testimony
that De Marigny could not have
made the print on the day after the
Staying.
The defense had brought out that
De Marigny was taken to the second
floor of the Oakes dwelling on July .
9, when he was questioned by de-
tectiveS.