Evening star., 1948-09-27
Shapiro Tells Court
He Only Wanted TO
Buy Brass Rail Cafe
By Chris Mothisen

1Sadore (Shep) Shapiro, CIoV-
ernment witness in the Brass Rail
case" testified In District Court to-
day that his only connection with
the cafe from which the case drew
its name, was that Of q prospective
purchaser.
Mr.. Shapiro, who lives at 204l
Huidekoper place NV, admitted he
knew the two defendants, Charles
Henry Nelson and Henry M. piggy
Leake, but said he knew of no rea-
son why Leake would have beer
looking for him in the early morn
ing hours of last January 8.
Nelson, who lives in the 1890
block of H street NE, and Leake
100 block of r street NE, are on
trial on assault charges. They are
accused of shooting each other in
an alteration at the Brass Rail,
1739 Seventh street NV. Both are
80 and colored.
Several witnesses have testified
they heard Nelson say, while he
was being treated for his wound In
Freedmen's Hospital, that the man
who shot him had asked to see
"Simkins, "Shep' or "the boss"
Sought to Buy Restaurant.
Assistant United States Attorney
Charles B. Murray asked Mr..
Shapiro where he had been accus-
toned to seeing Nelson. The witness
replied it usually was at the Brass
Rail.
What was your business which
took you there on frequent occa-
sions?" Mr.. Murray inquired.
II was trying to buy the restau-
rant" Mr.. Shapiro replied.
Under further questioning, he
said his negotiations always were
with Mrs. M. Yvonne Simkins, COL
bred, the principal owner OF record
of the cafe business. She Is the
wife of Roger white Top Simkins,
who also carries the nicknames
Whitley" and Pop"
Mr.. Shapiro testified he had
known Leake about eight years
and had had a conversation with
him in the Brass Rail Office several
nights before the shootings. He
described it as a friendly talk
about nothing in particular.
Reference to Numbers Game.
Mr.. Murray, who has said the
Government expected to prove the
alteration at the Brass Rail oc-
Cured when Leake was seeking Mr.
Shapiro or Mr.. Simkins in connec-
ton with a numbers game dispute,
asked:
DO you know any reason why
Leake would be looking for you at
the Brass Rail Restaurant on the
morning of January 81"
The witness smiled family and
answered:
mo, sir"
To another question he replied
his conversation with Leake earlier
that week had nothing to do with
his attempts to buy the restaurant
business. Mr.. Shapiro said he had
been at the Brass Rail about 20
times" between last October and
January.
Asked to recount his conversation
with Leake In the ofnce of the estab-
lishment, Mr.. Shapiro said:
"Leake came into the office. He
said, Hello, Shep.' I said, Hello,
Piggy He said, Is Pop around?'
told him that to the best Of my
understanding he had gone to see
q fight"
Conversation Rec0unted.
Then, the witness continued, a
waitress entered the office. Leake
ordered a drink and he asked for
a cup of coffee, Mr.. Shapiro recalled.
There was another round OF the
same and then. Mr.. Shapiro said,
he told Leake:
well, I'm leaving"
"No, I'm leaving ahead OF you, ne
quoted the defendant as saying.
The witness insisted that was all
there was to the conversation.
Mr.. Murray asked whether Mr..
Shapiro was in the ONCE conduct
ing some Of the business Of the res
taurant, either In Z voluntary ca