Evening star., 1945-05-24
Detective Tells
Of Basket in
Corens' Auto
Missing Contoiner
Was Like One
Found Near Head
By ]. B. ZATMAN,
Star Staff


ANNAPOLIS, Md, May 24.-A
basket similar to the one found
near the head of Mrs. Pearl Corens
in Fairfax County, Va, was stored
in the baggage compartment of her
husbands automobile soon after
she was reported missing, it was
testified today at the trial of her
husband on a charge of murder
but the basket had disappeared after
the Staying was uncovered.
Montgomery County Detective
Corpl. John P. Leahy told the court
today he noticed the half-bushel
basket when examining the. auto OF
Henry Corens February Is at the
Corens home, 4515 Gladwyne drive
Bethesda. When he examined the
auto again February 27, he said, it
was gone. 1t was testified yester-
day that an empty half-bushel bas-
ket containing blood and hair lay
about S feet from Mrs. Corens' head
when 1t was discovered.
Letter From Woman Found.
Corpl. Leahy said a search of
Corens' car by Federal Bureau of
Investigation agents revealed let
ter written by an unnamed Ten
nessee woman to Corens in care of
Bethesda Post Office box. He did
not reveal the contents of the letter.
He said he asked the defendant
whether he had a girl friend in
Tennessee and that Corens first de-
MED knowing any one in Tennessee
but later admitted that he had
girl friend" there and that she had
come to Washington recently.
He said Corens gave him the
womans first name but told him
he did not know her last name.
He quoted Corens as saying the
woman lived on Seventh street with
q family named Edwards.
The detective also testified that
when he visited the Corens' home
February IA, Is and Is, after Mrs.
Corens had been reported missing
February II, he did not see any and
irons in the fireplace.
Corens Denial.
When he visited the house again
on February II, Corpl. Leahy said,
he saw two andirons in the fireplace.
He said that when he asked Corens
why the andirons had been missing
previously Corens denied they ever
had been taken away.
He said that when he asked Corens
for photograph of his wife Febru-
ary Is, Corens told him that. all
photographs of his wife had disap-
peared several weeks before and
that he had been unable to find
them. Later, however, according to
Corpl. Leahy, pictures of Mrs.
Corens were found in a closet on the
second floor of the home.
Capt. James S. McAuliffe, In
charge of the Bethesda police sta
ton, identified a hack saw which he
said he took from the basement of
the Corens home the night of Feb
ruary 27. When defense counsel
asked him why he did not take sew
eral other saws which also were in
the basement at the time, Capt.
McAuliffe replied, II had decided in
my mind that the head had been
severed by a fine-toothed saw SIM
liar to a hack saw"
Defendant Suggests Query.
Corens, who had been following
the testimony intently, leaned over
his attorneys shoulder and was
heard to whisper, ASK him about
the zig saw" When asked this ques-
ton. Capt. McAuliffe said that he
did not see any zig saw.
Corens appeared in good spirits
and chatted with his attorney before
the trial opened for its second day
this morning.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
agents are expected to testify today
with regard to the results of lab
oratory tests made on articles taken
from the Corens home.
Fourteen State witnesses took the
stand during yesterdays opening
session. which adjourned shortly
after 10 pm. Sixteen additional
persons remain to be called by the
prosecution.
Defendant Grows Nervous.
Presiding Judge James Clark said
another night session probably will
be held tonight in an effort to speed
the trial. Montgomery County
States Attorney Joseph B. Simpson,
jr., expressed himself as satisfied
with progress thus far.
Corens appeared calm through
out the afternoon proceedings but
grew increasingly nervous at the
night session when members of the
Montgomery County Detective Bu-
reau told of conversations they had
with him shortly after his wife was
reported missing February IL and
after her head was found in Fair
fax County. Va, February 27.
He shifted uneasily in his seat i'm
behind his attorneys,
Harold G. Smith, Rockville, and
George Woelfel, Annapolis, and fire.
quently wiped his face with hand
kerchief.
Kin Are Spectators.
Among the spectators in the
courtroom were McKendree Walker,
father of the dead woman, and his
two sons, Grover and Ralph Walker,
all of Gaithersburg. None of the
three made any outward display of
emotion during the testimony.
Howard Bailey Heads Unit