Evening star., 1949-04-28

SIuyyuny WIN Vuu
Admitted by Scheve
The case of four alleged opera
tors Of a big time" dice game here
today went to jury which also
must decide If one OF the men is
guilty OF clubbing a disgruntled
customer with an automatic and
they trying TO shoot him. The
District Court jury took the case
at ll:10 am.
The principal defendant. Joseph
H. Scheve. SO, alias Big Joe Hen
derson. was described in closing
arguments both as big time"
operator who backed his play with
a gun. and as the victim Of assault
and attempted blackmail.
Scheve took the stand near the
end OF the four-day trial and ad-
mitted he swung his gun against
the head of Robert z. Kicker at
the end of a long argument with
the latter's wife over payment Of
$3.50 in an apartment ut 2730
Woodley place NV.
Self Defense Claimed.
Defense Counsel Charles E. Ford
and H. Clifford Alder argued that
Scheve acted In self-defense after
Mr.. Kicker attacked him with his
fists. Mr. Ford insisted Mr.. Rick
er was. "blackmailer" without
other means of support, no job, no
permanent home and no bank &C
count. -.
1t was conceded by both sides
that the blow was struck after
Mr.. Ricker's wife had gone to the
Woodley place address and argued
with Scheve for hours over pay
ment Of the money.
Assistant United States Attorney
Arthur j. Mclaughlin declared
the wife had every right to be
there" in an effort to get back
part Of $500 her husband had
lost at dice.
Denies Pulling Trigger.
Scheve said Mr.. Kicker assaulted
him when he brushed Mrs. Kicker
aside In an effort to end the argu-
ment by returning to his home at
Hyattsville. He denied that he
had pulled the trigger several
times In an effort to shoot Mr..
Kicker, as charged by the prose-
cution.
Mr.. Ford contended the gun was
an automatic which could not
have been snapped more than
once.
To this. Mr.. Mclaughlin replied
that. as far as he knew. the gun
was still in Scheve's possession,
but had not been offered In evi-
dence. He expressed the opinion
that Scheve had tried to kill MIR
Kicker after slusging him.
Defense counsel made the
point that Mr.. Kicker did not re-
port the assault to authorities un-
til after he had made an appoint
ment with the defendants to de-
mand money from them. The
prosecutor insisted. however. that
Mr.. Kicker met his assailant and
two other gamblers to demand
an apology because his wife was
still angry"
Wife Not q Witness.
Mr.. Ford called the iury's at
tention to the fact that Mrs.
Kicker was not produced as
Government witness. He pointed
out Mr.. Kicker had testified he
got the 81 500 he said he lost from
his wife. but she was not pro-
duced to substantiate the story.
Mr.. Kicker had described him
self as former Hawaii business
man. now iiving In Lancaster. Pa.
Mr.. Ford said he moved from
city to city and stopped at various
places in Washington while at
tempting TO "blackmail' his vic
Tins.
The prosecutor said Mr. Kicker
was q veteran of the Pacific war
with q weakness for gambling.
and that he had become the VIC
tim Of professionals bleeding"
him OF his last cent.
The three others indicted with
Scheve on the gambling counts
are Theodore j. Scheve. 30. son
of Joseph Scheve Of the $500
block of Thirty fourth place Sc:
Herman Kadan. IS. who said he
had lived at the Woodley place
address for the last II years. and
LYMAN Rosen. about 20. OF the
1900 block of Isherwood street
NE.
The case Is being heard before
Judge Henry A. Schweinhaut.