Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-23
Seaman S Trial
Opens in Death
0f0fficer' sWife
BrouiIIette RepuIsed'
In Making Improper
Advances, State Says
By Jerry oLeory, Jr.
Sfor StoH CORRESPONDENT

SSs'y ~ 6SStyF Sis
star stoH Correspondent
LEONARDTOWN, Md, Sept. 90
Seaman 1/c Joseph Daniel Brouil.
lette, 22-year-old newly-wed sailor
went on trial for his life today
charged with the murder of Mrs
Julia Katona, wife Of a Nava
officer, after poker party in a Tai
Timbers, CMd) cabin last July %
Shortly after the jury was sworn
in, little after 10 am, States At.
torney G. Henry Camalier told the
court he expects to prove that the
defendant attacked Mrs. Katona In
the cabin with intent to rape hel
after she had resisted improper ad.
vances."
The States attorney said he ex-
pected to prove that the sailor
burned his blood stained clothing
and Mrs. Katona's purse and glasses
the next morning. He called for a
verdict of murder in the first degree
THE State intends to prove by
admission" Mr.. Camalier declared
that after the other guests left the
party Mrs. Katona and Brouillette
went to the cabin to get a deck OF
cards so they could continue playing
while there, Brouillette made i'm
proper advances. She told him, MY
husband would not approve, and
your wife wouldn't either
HE hit Mrs. Katona and knocked
her down. He picked her up ano
tore her clothes off.
Defendant to Tell Story.
"He left the scene and went te
another house where he had room
He discovered blood on his clothes
ana hands. He rolled up his clothes
and hid them under a bed. Later
that morning when he was going
back to the Navy base he buried the
clothes in the woods, along with Mrs
Katonas purse and glasses"
Mr.. Camalier said investigators
found in the cabin a Navy ring
which was identified as belonging to
Brouillette.
While the pale young seaman
listened, State Senator Paul j
Bailey, defense attorney, declared
Brouillette voluntarily gave the
State practically all of its evidence
Brou.llette will take the stand ano
tell the entire story as he knows it
the defense attorney toldthe jury
Clenches Wife's Hand.
During the half hour occupied ir
selecting the jury, Brouilette tightly
clenched the left hand of his young
wife. His mother and father sal
near him. Brouillette said nothing
to either his attorneys or his family
The first witness, Julian Lane
acting county coroner at the time Of
the murder, testified that Mrs. Ka.
tomas death was caused by strangu.
lation. He said he examined hel
body on July "a, and found it GOV.
cred with a tremendous number oil
bruises.
Mr. Bailey brought out in cross
examination that the marks on Mrs
Katona's throat covered only one
side of the neck, and DR.. Lane
agreed that considerable force woule
have had to be exerted in order tx
cause. death.
James M. Colasanto, Alexandra
attorney who took part in a poke
game before the murder, told tn,
court of two brushes" he had with
Mrs. aKtona before he, his wife anc
the others left Brouillette and thu
victim at II pm.
Once, he testified, he noted {
kitchen stove gas jet was turned on
Mr.. Colasanto said he turned it of
and then pointed out to Mrs. Ka'
tona that gas had been escaping
The witness said she persistentlJ
denied the Jet had been opened.
Did Not Appreciate Joke.
Mr.. Colasanto said that at 1879
pm, when 1t. aKtona called hi
wife on the telephone, he had josh
ingly remarked, whats the matter
Is your husband checking up OF
your"
The witness said Mrs. Katona OBJ
viously did not appreciate the joke
He quoted her as replying, NO! M,
husband and are very much in love
and there is no checking DONE"
Mr.. Colasanto said Mrs. Katon'
had impressed him as rather dis
agreeable" and said in answer to
question by Senator Bailey that Mrs
Katona had not shown any partic
ular interest in any one at the poke
party.
The Manchester IN. H. sailo
pleaded not guilty earlier this montl
to an indictment returned by tn
st. Marys County grand jury charg
ing that he beat and strangled Mrs
Katona to death.
Body Found by Husband.
1t. Frank Katona, husband of tn
dead woman, returned from "a
hour tour of duty at the station lat
on July % to find the nude body o
his 35-year-old wife on the floor @
an 8-by-20 foot rustic cabin abou
80 yards from the Katona cabir
The cabin showed signs of terrifi
struggle.
The officer said he had gone Il
search of his wife after returnin
nome and hearing from his 8-year
old twins, Barry Frank and Bonni
Joy that "Mommy" had not bee
home.
Brouillette had just returned t
his duties at .Patuxent after takin
his bride of three months to Man
chester. His wife, Mrs. Marjori
Anne Brouillette, formerly a Wash
ington secretary, has promised t
stand by him 100 per cent"
Brouillette, who had served i
both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean
during World War II, was arreste
in his barracks. The sailor admit
ted struggling with Mrs. Katon;
Naval authorities said, but said h
thought he had left her unconscious
The tall, stocky blond seaman wa
described as abnormal at times
and slightly nervous" type by L
q. g. S. A. Mroczka, Catholic chap
lain at the air station, who was &C
quainted with the defendant.
The Katonas had been marie
II years. Mrs. Katona, a native c
New York, was a traffic enginee
with the National Broadcasting O.
when the couple met. 1t. Katon
"a l.