Evening star., 1949-03-12
Pleas Of Guilty
Expected From
Train Bandits
Ashton Faces Court
Monday; RomsdeII
To Await Recovery

he IlIldl CnapCer OF the SenSa
tional Baltimore & Ohio trail
holdup may be written in cour
here with both bandits meek,
pleading guilty.
George L. Duke" Ashton, q
one Of the pair charged with tn,
shoot 'em-up robbery of the Balti
more-to-Detroit Ambassador linn
tied near Matinsburg, w. Va.
Wednesday night, has agreed tt
appear in District Court Monday
and waive West Virginia grane
jury action.
United States Attorney Georg,
Morris Fay, who made the ar
rangements with the Federal Blu
reau of Investigation and Yves
Virginia authorities, said the nor,
NAL outcome will be a guilty Piles
from Ashton and his sentencing
by a District judge without for.
mality of a trial.
Similar procedure may follow
for Luman Skip" Ramsdell, %
who has indicated he. too will
plead guilty and spare the Gov
ernment cost of trial, an FBl
spokesman said.
Ramsdell Recovering.
Shot by policeman when he
and Ashton were arrested in a
Pennsylvania avenue pawn shop
Ramsdell is recovering slowly at
Gallinger Hospital.
Ramsdell is doing very we'll, ="
but is still on the critical list to-
day.
After an operation such as
he underwent for gunshot
wound through the stomach and
liver, it is usually four days be-
fore you can feel safe" Hospital
Superintendent Alvin R. Sweeney
said.
Ramsdell was visited for half an
hour today by his mother and
wife, who had just arrived from
Miami, Fla, in an expensive ma
room convertible
AS they met in the hospital
ward. with deputy marshal
standing just out of earshot,
Ramsdell told them: You don t
have to talk to them unless you
want to-"
Questioning Refused.
AS it turned out. them" appar-
emily referred to neWsmen. for
the women refused to be ques-
toned. A blond of about 25. the
wife was impressive in a long
beige coat. while the mother was
dressed in more conservative
black.
The possibility that the pair
will face another and more seri-
GUS charge developed today.
The FBI said they may be
charged with the anti-racketeer-
ing statute covering interference
by violence with common car
riers in interstate commerce.
Charges May Be Altered.
Mr. Fay will make the deci-
sion on whether to press the
charges. which carry a maximum
penalty of 10 years and $4,000
fine, the FBI said. The present
charge against the suspects, theft
in interstate commerce, is pun
ishible by five years and $4,000.
Ashton. the slim, dark haired
wrong -side-of -the-tracks half of
the rich boy-poor boy team,
spent most of yesterday away
from his District jail cell in Gus
tody of the FBI.
During the day he agreed to
the Monday District Court ap-
pearance, and the machinery was
oiled for an all-District windup of
the affair.
Under new procedure permit
ting Federal prisoners to waive
grand jury action in the locale of
crime, Ashton will have a chance
formally to waive after the court
appoints an attorney for him and
RamSdell.
Method Explained.
He, if so chooses, may plead
10 information filed here, and the
waiver will be forwarded to the
United States attorney in West
Virginia district where the crime
was committed.
West Virginia authorities then
would return an information to
the District, and Ashton again
would be brought into court here.
At that time he would have the
opportunity to plead guilty, and
would be sentenced.
The exchange of papers between
the District and West Virginia
would require several days and
Ashton probably would not plead
before Friday, Mr.. Fay said.
If Ramsdell sticks with his de-
cision to plead guilty, the legal
process must await his recovery SO
that he may personally appear in
court.
Other Thefts Denied.
Both Ashton and Ramsdell have
denied other robberies in the area,
including the $4,000 holdup of a
Union Trust Co. branch in Balti-
more, February 13, the FB1 said.
The F'BI would not say whether
either has disclosed whereabouts
of any hidden money from the
train robbery. When arrested
they were carrying a total of 1858
but the announced losses of the
more than 100 persons robbed was
more than $1,000.
Under normal procedure, the
recovered money will be turned
over to the United States attorney
Robbery victims then may make
formal claims. Usually, when the
recovered money is less than the
amount lost, it is paid back on G
per capita basis.
Although Ramsdell's wife anc
mother are expected from Miami
Fla, hospital officials said HI
had no visitors yesterday. He i.