Evening star., 1944-06-27

Murder Story Told
To Police Admitted
Despite Objection
Over strenuous defense objections.
Justice James M. Proctor in District
Court today admitted into evidences
the confession which Julius Fisher.
81, colored janitor, made to police
the night Of his arrest on charges
OF killing Miss Catherine Cooper
Reardon, assistant librarian at the
Washington Cathedral
Detective Sergt. Edgar Scott, re-
called to the stand after testifyin0
yesterday, told the jury details Of
the statement Fisher made to him
at police headquarters Is minutes
after being taken into custody on
March 2, the day after the Staying.
After asking him q few pre-
iiminary questions I suddenly placed
before him his bloody pants and
shirt, which I had found in his
clothes closet earlier that day when
he wasn't home" Sergt. Scott
related. Il asked him how did you
get blood on your clothing?" the
policeman continued.
why, had some trouble with the
lady at the Cathedral library Sergt.
Scott said the defendant told him.
Tells Of Confession.
The witness said the defendant
made the following confession:
Il went to work in the library
Thursday morning March u and
started cleaning the basement stack
room. A little while later Miss
Reardon came in and I asked her
why she had complained about my
work. I told her, You know / keep
this place clean. She said, Well,
III you cleaned this place UP all
right, what is this dust doing under
|my desk?'
"She called me a name. Then
lSmacked her. She ran to the back
|of the Office screaming. ran I'D to
the first floor. got some firewood,
and came back down. struck her
twice and then she started squawk-
ing. Then ! strangled her. I stuck
my knife in her throat to make sure
she was dead. Then dragged and
carried her down to the steam pipe
tunnel pit. I pulled OF her panties
and went back upstairs and cleaned
the floor of blood"
Denies Fisher Was Mistreated.
Before the confession was read
the jury was excused from the court
room as Defense Counsel Charles
H. Houston sought to elicit from
Sergt. Scott an admission that
Fisher was mistreated by police in
order to obtain the confession.
Sergt. Scott denied it.
Did you advise him of his con-
stitulional rights and that every
thing he said would be used against
him?" Mr. Houston asked.
Not at that time the policeman
replied.
Earlier the blood stained cudSei
which the Government charged was
used to bludgeon Miss Reardon was
introduced in evidence.
As its first witness this morning.
the Government called Deputy
Coroner Richard Rosenberg, who
described In detail the blood stained
scene in the library the day Miss
Reardon's body was discovered.
Death Wounds Described.
While the jury listened intently.
another deputy coroner, DR.. Chris
topher j. Murphy, listed the wounds
causing Miss Reardon's death.
Death was due to asphyxiation
caused by strangulation, and frac-
tured skull, DR.. Murphy said.
Either one would have killed her"
he added.
He said Miss Reardon's skull had
been crushed like an egg she'll"
During yesterdays opening ses-
sion the Government placed five
witnesses on the stand and the Dis
trict Court jury went by bus to the
death scene
Yesterday Sergt. Scott told how he
visited the Fisher home in the 1890
block of Hayes street NE. a few
hours after the Staying was discov-
cred and found Fishers blood.
stained clothing.
Tells of Fisher Arrest.
Sergt. Scott then told how, in
company with Detective Sergt.
Richard j. Felber, he visited a
restaurant at Eighteenth and U
streets later that day looking for
Fisher.
I'VE found him eating a sandwich
with shot of whisky beside him."
Sergt. Scott said Il told him: We
want to ask you some questions
about~a felony that was committed
the other day."
Sergt. Scott said that the de.
fendant hastily gulped the whisky.
picked up his sandwich and said:
Lets get going"
Sergt. Felber took the stand to
corroborate his colleagues testi-
mony. Cross-examining the witness.
Mr.. Houston asked: From your in
vestigation are you satisfied that
there was no sex motive behind tho
crime?"
When the witness hesitated, Mr..
Murray arose and said: "The Gov.
ernment is satisfied that there was
no sex angle in the case"
Earlier the blood-stained gar.
ments of the 37-year-old victim
were admitted into evidence