Evening star., 1944-06-27
u. 5. Due 10 Conclude
Evidence Today in
Cathedral Staying
Jury Is Token to Scene
Of Librarians Murder
After Hearing 5 Testify
BY JOSEPH YOUNG.

Reardon'S death.
Death was due to asphyxiation
caused by strangulation, and a 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 shell"
During yesterdays opening ses-
sion the Government placed five
witnesses on the stand and the Dis
trict Court jury journeyed out to
the library, scene of the Staying last
March l of Miss Reardon, assistant
librarian.
Confession Objection Promised.
Meanwhile, Defense Counsel
Charles M. Houston indicated that
the defense would object vigorously
to admittance into evidence of the
confession that Fisher was declared
to have made to police shortly after
his arrest the day following the
Staying. Mr.. Houston did not indi-
cate what the basis Of his objection
would be.
High light Of yesterdays session
was the testimony of Detective
Sergt. Edgar Scott of the homicide
squad.
The officer told how he visited
the Fisher home In the 1900 block of
Hayes street NE. a few hours after
the Staying was discovered on
March 2.
mo one was there when I ar
rived" Sergt. Scott testified. IT
walked into the bedroom and looked
in the clothes closet"
What did you find?" asked Assist
ant United States Attorney Charles
B. Murray, who with United States
Attorney Edward M. Curran, is
prosecuting the case.
"A pair of blood-stained trousers,
a blood-covered shirt and pocket
knife" the witness answered.
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 sandwich
with a shot of whisky beside him."
Sergt. Scott said. Il told him: We
want to ask you some questions
about eafelony that was committed
the other day"
5ergt. Scott said that the de.
fendant hastily gulped the whisky
picked up his sandwich and said
Lets get going"
While riding In the police souat
car to headquarters, the witnes,
said, he. noticed Fisher holding hi,
hat over his right hand. Sergt
Scott said he brushed aside the l1a
and found the defendant holding 6
pistol.
What did you want to do. boy
kill a couple of policeman?" Sergt
Scott said he asked the defendant
mo, wanted to shoot myself,
the witness quoted Fisher as reply
ing.
Found House Neat and Clean.
On cross-examination, Mr.. Hous.
ton asked: WAS the house nea'
and clean when you observed it?'
Yes, 1t was" the witness replied
The Government charges thai
Fisher bludgeoned, strangled ant
knitted Miss Reardon to death be.
cause she complained that he hae
neglected to clean the dust beneath
her desk.
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 the
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. Miss
Reardon's body was found in the
pit beneath the basement of the IL
brary. Also introduced into evil
dence were the blood-stained trous-
ers and shirt of the defendant.
Jury Visits Library.
Accompanied by opposing counsel
and Justice James Nj. Proctor, the
jury travelled on a chartered bus to
the library. Fisher, handcuffed to
a deputy marshal, was taken to the
scene in an official car.
The defendant, impassive during
yesterdays entire session, lost his
composure briefly at the library
Emerging from the building, he
broke into run when photoera-
pliers attempted to snap his picture
half dragging the handcuffed mar
shall along with him. Once in the
car, he buried his face in his hands
IN an effort to thwart the camera
men.
Before visiting the scene of the
crime, the jury heard testimony that
Fisher had been cautioned the week
prior to the Staying to be more care
ful in cleaning the library.
James Berkeley, verger of the Ca
thedral, said he called Fisher into
his office as the result of complaints
made by Cathedral officials. The de-
fendant had been hired, Mr.. Berk-
eley said, shortly before Christmas
Mr.. Houston asked the witness
what reaction this reprimand evoked
from Fisher.
Just the usual thing-what you'd
expect from any one" the verger re-
piled "He said he would ha ,,or.