Evening star., 1947-03-13

tient at questioning Of this witness,
and interjected:
Come to the point, gentlemen;
come to the point. I don't see any
relevancy to this testimony at all"
Visited Snyder Home.
Mr.. Nerlich told Of visit to the
Snyder home during which Roberts
foster sister was praised for her
promising art work. Mr.. Nerlich
said he then asked Mr.. Snyder how
the boy, who was present at the
time, was getting along.
'Well, Bobby's getting along fair
ly welr," he testified, Mr.. Snyder
replied. Hes having trouble at
school. He just doesn't attend to
his business"
The defense placed the young de-
fendant on the stand in his own
behalf late yesterday.
Apparently composed, Robert said
that last November 23 his foster
father had told him he was to be
denied the privilege Of going to
movies, dances and parties until he
was 81, the boy said.
Confession introduced.
"a feeling came over me that I'd
never had before" Robert told the,
jury. "And after that, until after
the shooting, I only remember
vaguely what happened"
The former Gordon Junior High
School student had been called as
first defense witness after the State
had rested at 5:25 pm. with intro
duction Of a confession signed by
young Snyder in the States At
torney's Office the night after the
shootings. The document had been
received in evidence only after
Judges Stedman Prescott and
Woodward had retired for ! hour
and 35 minutes to consider defense
objection to its introduction.
Robert walked briskly to the stand
when called by John R. Reeves, who
is defending him with Mr.. Cissell.
How did you know you had been
adopted?" he was asked.
-Four or five years ago, my mother
told me so" Robert replied.
Tells Of Attending Party.
He was asked to relate his actions
on the night prior to the shootings,
for only one of which he is being
tried. Young Snyder said he had
gone to party at the home OF q
girl acquaintance in Washington.
About eight were present, including
his own girl friend. He was to
leave the party in time to reach
Wisconsin and Massachusetts, ave-
nues NV. by II pm. His foster
parents were to meet him there in
the family automobile.
He said he didn't leave the party
until about II, because, Il knew
they were going to be late anyway;
they always were"
Missing bus, he was As minutes
late at the rendezvous, Robert re-
called. He said he found his foster
sister asleep on the back seat OF the
car and Mr.. and Mrs. Snyder
quarreling.
"They were going down to Rock
Vile the next day to see about get
ting a divorce" he said. Il didn't
pay much attention to that, because
they had said that before"
Asked About Money.
Counsel then directed Roberts
attention to noontime the follow
ing day. The boy said relations
were strained at midday dinner in
the kitchen of the Darnestown
home. He finished and excused
himself, he said, and went into the
dining room, Mr.. Snyder following.
The latter took some money from
his pocket and asked Robert where
he had gotten it, the defendant
continued. ~ '-'-'.
"There were two tens and a five
I'd saved last summer. My
father was pretty generous with me
sometimes"
Robert said Mr.. Snyder didn't
say where he had found the mony,
"but I knew it was mine"
Under questioning, Young Sny-
der explained he had been saving
the money, part of which he had
earned, to buy Christmas presents.
He said his father threw the money
into the fireplace and restrained
him when he sought to save it from
the flames.
HE believed that I'd stole it, or
he wouldn't have thrown 1t away;
he'd have kept It," the defendant
added.
Not Struck at Time.
He was asked whether Mr.. Snyder
had struck him. az
mo, sir, he pulled me by the
shoulders" the boy replied. only
once did he really hit me-"
This exchange followed:
@. When was that?
A. Last summer.
@. With what did he hit you?
A. He hit me with stick.
@. Did it hurt you?
A. Yes, sir, it hurt me.
1t was when his foster father
grabbed him after tossing the money
in the fireplace and telling him his
liberty would be restricted that he
became overcome by the feeling"
Robert said.
He added he then told Mr.. Snyder
on impulse about a two-year-
incident in which he had been ar
rested for driving his foster fathers
car without a permit. He said he
had concealed this, although Mrs.
Snyder had obtained his release on
a promise he would tell Mr.. Snyder.
Then, sort of in a daze," Robert