Evening star., 1946-01-23
Government 10 Use
Vinci as Witness
In Trial Of Connors

oooePil NLiteie joe VlnCl, allegeC
accomplice in a double Staying in :
Fourteenth street parking lot last
February, was listed as a Govern.
ment witness today in the District
Court trial of Raymond Connors
charged with partnership in the
crime.
United States Attorney Edward M
Curran said Connors was served
last night with notice of the Gov
ernment's intention to call Vinci in
Its efforts to convict Connors of the
murders of Edward Barker and Pany
.Casbarian.
A battle over the validity of such
notlf1cation is expected in court be-
fore Justice David A. Pine, with the
jury being sent back to the jury
room.
Told of los Witnesses.
Under the Federal code, the Gov
eminent must serve the defendant
with a list OF the witnesses it ex-
poets to call two days before open
ing OF the trial. A list of los wit
nesses was served on Connors be-
fore this trial.
Vinci, then fugitive, was not on
the list. Vinci, who was indicted
with Connors on charges of Staying
Mr.. Barker, Fourteenth street auto
mobile dealer, and his friend, Mr..
Casbarian, by shooting them through
the head after they had been bound
and gagged, was arrested in New
Jersey January l6 after Connors had
been on trial four days.
1t is not expected that the Gov
ernment will attempt to use Vinci
until after the two-day period for
the notice has expired. AS a result,
the attempt to put him on the stand
probably will not be made until next
week
Barnes Cross Examined.
John Barnes, partner of Mr..
Barker In secondhand automobile
business at Fourteenth and N streets
NV, was cross-examined at length
this morning by James ]. Laughlin,
defense counsel.
The witness stuck to his identifi-
cation of Connors as the Robert
Cooper" who had sold the partners
a stolen automobile for $1,400 IL
months before the crime.
Much of the cross-examination
was taken up with getting a detailed
description from the witness of the
arrangement of the Office in an au-
tQmobile trailer on the used-car
Parking lot in which the bodies of
tpe two men were found on the
hight of February %.
Money Testimony Attacked.
MIR. Laughlin spent much of yes
terday afternoons session cross-ex-
amining Foye Black. now a resident
OF Alabama, who was a scout for
Carolina car dealers at the time of
the/stolen car transaction on March
"a, 1914. Mr. Black also identified
Connors as Robert Cooper"
The defense attorney especially
attacked Mr.. Blacks testimony that
ST. Barker had produced $1,000
two $1,000 bills and 10 $1O0 bills
in the presence of the defendant on
the.day he purchased the stolen car.
Mr.. Black testified Mr.. Barker
took a roll of 81 900 bills out of his
right pocket and a roll of 500 bills
out of his left pocket to cash a
cashiers check for $4,000 Mr.. Black
gave him.
Charles B. Murray, prosecutor,
cited the incident in his opening as
showing Connors' awareness that
Mr.. Barker carried large sums of
money.
Fails to Name Bank.
Mr.. Laughlin wanted to know the
bank on which the check was drawn.
Mr.. Black did not remember, except
that it was a North Carolina bank
He said that at that time several
dealers in North Carolina advanced
him money in the form of cashiers
check to purchase cars for them.
The witness said he saw Cooper"
driving a maroon Buick convertible
coupe into the partners parking lot
at Fourteenth and N streets and
that he walked into the yard and
told Mr.. Barnes he wanted to buy
that car. According to Mr.. Blacks
account, the car was purchased by
the partners, Messers Barnes and
Barker, and in a few minutes resold
to Mr.. Black for $3.50. Mr.. Black
sold it 10 days later to a North
Carolina dealer, he said. A week
later. he was notified the car was
stolen.
Mr.. Barnes also identified Connors
as the man who had sold the stolen
car. He said he and his partner
each put up S70O to make good their