Evening star., 1944-09-14
BY NORMAN A. KAHL,
Star Sta6 Correspondent

said he had with Laughlin be-
fore he was arrested. He said
he provided money which the
attorney allegedly told him he need
ed to pay for the alibi that was
being arranged for Sanders. The
Government charges that records at
the Florida State Prison farm at
Raiford, Fla, were altered to show
falsely that Sanders was a visitor
at the prison on the day of the
robbery.
5000 His Share, He Says.
Blalock, who was a Washington
automobile salesman before his To-
ray into crime, said that he received
$4,000 as his share in the robbery.
He said that Laughlin contacted
him and said money would be needed
for the defense of Sanders and
William Leo Keefe, who were already
in custody for their part in the
crime.
Blalock said he contacted a Mr..
Taggert, whom he described as a
Washington lawyer, and Mr.. Tag
CERT advised him not to see Laugh
lin, but offered to take 81, 900 to him.
Later, Blalock testified, Laughlin
got In touch with him again and
asked for more money, but specified
that he deliver it himself. Blalock
said he took another $1,000 to
Laughlin.
Il told him the money was out
OF the bank robbery" the witness
related.
What did he say?" he was asked
by Thomas M Kenney, assistant
United States district attorney.
He said he didn't give damn"
On another occasion, Blalock said,
Laughlin came to him when he was
working on secondhand car lot
on Fourteenth street NV. in Wash
ington. He quoted the attorney as
saying:
"Oh, boy, I've got a dandy for
George, meaning George Thompson
(alias Hilliard Sanders"
Tells of Affidavits.
The witness said Laughlin had
some afhdavits in his pocket.
He showed them to me, but I
didn't pay much attention to them"
Blalock said. He said they had some
connection with officials at the pris-
on In Raiford. Fla.
Blalock said Lauehlin also told
him on this occasion that "Keefe
was going to blow his top If I didn't
do something for him.
AS result, the witness said. he
went to New York to see Austin j
Mccormick, once commissioner of
correction under Mayor La Guardia.
in an attempt to get an alibi, but
was unsuccessful
Another time Blalock said. "he
wanted me to 60 to New Jersey with
him to get some money out of a |
safety deposit box"
Previously. Charles B. Wilcox, now
serving 10 years in the Atlanta Fed
eral Penitentiary for having fur
nished information leading up to the
robbery, had testified that Laughlin
had told him Keefe and Sanders had
no money out of the robbery. He
said the attorney told him that the
Government recovered $1,000 from
Sanders and $1,700 from Keefe when
they were arrested and that Keefe
had some money in a safety deposit
box in New Jersey, but he couldn't
get at 1t.
Passed on Information.
Wilcox. who was an employe of
the Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission in Hyattsville, said he
learned of the commissions pro-
cedure in obtaining its payroll from
the bank by having two youthful
messengers deliver it. He testified
he passed this information on to
Blalock and thus became "inadvert-
emily" involved in the crime. He
said he received $4,000 for his part.
He told of contracting Laughlin by
telephone after Sanders and Keefe
were arrested and offering to help
financially in their defense. He said
Laughlin told him everything
looked good, but he needed some
money"
Il told him 1t would probably be
hot the witness said. "He said
That's all right"
What did you mean by hot?
Wilcox was asked.
Proceeds of the robbery"
Wilcox said he gave Blalock
$1,000 bill to give to Laughlin and
asked Blalock to add another
$1,000 to it. A few days later he
called Laughlin to ask whether he
received the money, the witness tes-
titled, and Laughlin said that he had.
On one occasion, he said, Laugh
lin told him it would cost consider
able money to establish an alibi be-
cause several people had to be paid
OF.
Court Permits Stories.
Judge John Paul permitted both
witnesses to tell their stories, but he
asked the all-male jury to disregard
that part of the testimony which did
not relate to the present charge
against Laughlin.
Another witness yesterday was
Joseph L. Dameron of Hyattsyille.
one OF the two messengers who was
robbed. Mr.. Dameron repeated the
details OF the holdup and told the
jury he had definitely identified
Sanders as one of the men involved
In the crime.
Michael Jones, on parole from a
life sentence in the Florida State
Prison farm for armed robbery, and
who said he was disbarred from the
practice of law before the Inter-
state Commerce Commission in
Washington in 1929, told of having
prepared some of the affidayits
which were signed by fellow inmates