Evening star., 1946-02-21
No New York Police Fail
To Press 'Shakedown'
Case Against Connors

After yesterdays acquittal on the
charge Of numbering Edward Bar ;
ker and Pany Casbarian, Raymond
Connors learned in Municipal
Court today that New York author
, tiles had not pressed reported
"shakedown" charge against him.
Climaxing 5-weeks' trial, Dis
trict Court jury ended 13 hours of
deliberation with a mot guilty" ver-
dict for ConnorS. But it was re-
ported that the testimony of Joseph
Oittle Joe) Vinci, whom the Gov
ernment alleged was Connor's ac-
complice, had caused the New York
authorities to bring another charge
against Connors. Vinci testified
that Connors Shook down" a man
IN the BronX-blackmail based on
illegal gasoline coupons.
When Connors appeared TODAY
before Judge Ellen K. Raedy with
his attorney, James j. Laughlin, he
was informed by the clerk that no
warrant had been received from
New York.
The 33-year-oid Yonkers IN. W
automobile salesman was entirely
clear OF the death penalty charge in
the double murder Of Mr.. Barker.
car dealer, and Mr.. Casbarian.
friend, last February % during a
robbery in an automobile trailer Of
flce in a uSed-car lot at Fourteenth
and N streets NV.
Faces Auto Case.
All that remained against him was
a charge of violating the Over Act
making it Federal offense to trans
port a stolen car across the State
line, in this instance an automo-
bile he is alleged to have sold Mr.
Barker II months before the
murder.
AS for Vinci, who testified for the
prosecution and who is still under
indictment on charges of first-de-
gree murder-all Connors had to say
was, Foolish boy"
The Government will allow Vinci
to plead guilty to second degree
murder, it was announced during
the trial. Minimum sentence for
second-degree murder is seven wears.
Sleeps in Downtown Hotel.
Connors had steak dinner at a |
downtown restaurant last night and
slept at downtown hotel after talk
Ing over the trial at great length
With Mr.. Laughlin in his counsels
Office
The two had come from police
headquarters, where, an hour after
the verdict, Mr.. Laughlin asked if
there were any remaining charges
against his client. 1t Thomas Sui
livan OF the Detective Bureau looked
into the matter and brought up the
question of the New York shake
down" charge" Mr.. Laughlin as
sured him that they would both be
IN court today to answer the charge,
II it were made.
The call at the Detective Bureau
followed voluntary arraignment
and plea of not guilty to the stolen
car charge before United States
Commissioner Needham c. Turnage.
Mr.. Turnage continued the hearing
until March Is and set bond at |
$1,000 in addition to the $4,000 which
Connors said he was under in New
York.
AS Connors and his attorneys
turned the corner of E and Fifth
street NV. heading back from the
court, window was raised in a sec
ond floor Office. Attorney Robert
I. Miller, acquitted in 1914 of mur-
der in the shooting of DR. John Lind,
leaned out and shouted to Mr..
Laughlin, Congratulations, jim"
Connors kissed Mrs. Rita May
Hayes Of Yonkers, who was sitting
in her wheel chair, in the court
house corridor. Mrs. Hayes testi-
ned for the prosecution that Con-
nors had borrowed $3.50 from her
for some one in shady car deal"
and had told her after February %,
the date of the murders, that he had
taken care of the witness in Wash
ington on the deal. She had also
testified for the defense that she
had never seen Connors with a gun
but she had seen Vinci with one.
The jury returned the verdict
Of not guilty at 3:41 pm. yesterday,
after being out 27 hours. IL of
them spent in the jury room.
Connors, who had been searching
the faces of the jurors as they came
in, did not laugh or smile, as has
been usual with him, when the YER
dict was announced.
Justice Pine had warned against
demonstrations. Mrs. Hayes, who
had entered on crutehes and was