Evening star., 1944-06-26
TO Visit
Staying Scene
Al Cathedral
8 Women, 4 Men
Hear Murder Case
Against Jonitor

The trial of Julius Fisher, 81, COLI
ored janitor, for the March WASH
ington Cathedral library Staying of
Miss Catherine Cooper Reardon got
under way quickly today in District
Court after a jury of eight women
and four men had been selected.
1t was Immediately announced
that the jury would go to the Ca
thedral at 1880 pm. to view the
scene Of the Staying.
Counsel for the Government and
the defense made their opening
statements after the jury had been
sworn. The Government counsel
declared the crime was premedi-
tated, while the attorney for the
defendant theorized that the slain
woman's personality caused the ac-
cused man to fly into rage that
resulted in the crime.
Houston Outlines Defense.
1--WE shall show you what sort Of
q disposition Miss Reardon had and
the circumstances surrounding the
killing" Defense Counsel Charles H,
Houston told the jury.
Preceding Mr.. Houston's opening
remarks, United States Attorney
Edward M. Curran told the Jurors
that the defendant bludgeoned.
strangled and knitted Miss Reardon
because he resented her criticism
of his work as library janitor.
I'VE intend to show that Fisher
knew Miss Reardon had criticized
his work to Cathedral officials and
that he resented It," Mr.. Curran
said. I'VE will prove that the de-
fendant planned the crime and
robbed his victim of her ring"
AS its first witness, the Govern.
ment called Miss Helen A. Young,
Cathedral archivist. The witness
identified the ring alleged to have
been taken from the slain woman
by the accused.
Defense Exhausts Challenges.
The jury was selected after the
defense had exhausted It's 20 per-
emptory challenges. The Govern
ment exercised only two of its cf1al-
lenges.
In questioning the prospective
jurors Justice James M. Proctor
closely inquired whether any racial
prejudice would influence them In
trying the defendant.
would the fact that the defend-
ant Is colored and the victim was
white render you incapable of ar
irving at a fair verdict" Justice
Proctor asked. BY their silence the
jurors indicated that it would not.
During the questioning Fisher.
neatly attired In brown suit, stared
straight ahead, apparently paying
little attention to the proceedings.
Mr.. Curran said the Government
intended to call about Is witnesses
to testify against Fisher, who was
arrested the day after the 37-year-
old victims body was found in q
pit in the Cathedral library where
she was employed as assistant IL
brarian.
Mr.. Curran is being aided by AS
sistant United States Attorney
Charles B. Murray.
LIST OF Jurors.
The jurors are: Mrs. Marguerite l..
Prohaska, AZ, of 1888 r street Sc,
housewife; Mrs. Elvira Magdeburger,
40, of 1912 Concord avenue NV,
housewife; Chester w. Glidden. 48.
of 3005 Otis street NE, real estate
salesman; Mrs. Eva Miller Harrison,
81, of 200 Rhode Island avenue NE,
housewife; Mrs. Gertrude Robb Bar
nard, SO, of 2O23 Rosemont avenue
NV, housewife; Harmon L. Norton,
Al, of 1926 Franklin street NE, truck
driver; Lois A. Mead, 20, of SIT E
street NE, train clerk; Mrs. Cath
crime B. Mccormick, 81, of 1891 Rit.
tenhouse street NV, housewife:
Mrs. Phoebe Kibbey Leaman, 81, Of
2l3 Underwood street NV, house.
wife; James H. Mcintyre, Al, of 5315
Macomb street NV, Office manager:
Mrs. Nora Davis Harter, Sc, of 1880
Monroe street NV, housewife, and
Mrs. Jennie S. Emmett, 54, of 2l53
California street NJ wv