Evening star., 1950-04-29
Plea byRigsbee
.0fSeIf-Defense
.IsIndicdted
Murder TrioI Tokes
Recess; JoiI Inmates
Are First Witnesses

The District Court murder trial
Of James A. Rigsbee was in recess
today, after opening defense argu-
ments Indicated a plea of SELF
defense in the pool hall shooting
of the gambler. Joseph H. tBig
Joe) Scheve.
AS lead-off defense witnesses
took the stand yesterday. all Of
them gave their temporary ad-
dress as the District Jail. and all
told similar stories.
First came Ernest "Alcatraz"
White-a character who had been
mentioned frequently on the OPEN
ing day of the trial. but whose
identity remained q mystery un-
til he appeared in court.
Under questioning by Defense
Attorney James J. Laughlin,
White told the court he had been
in jail about a month" Previ-
Gus to that, he said. his occupa-
tion had been working for q
bookmaker."
Threat Contention Backed.
The witness, and the two who
followed him. in general backed up
the contentious made by Mr..
Laughlin in his opening state
ment-that Scheve had on various
occasions threatened the defend
ant with violence and had hurled
vile abuse" in his direction. The
defense also will seek to prove.
said MIR. Laughlin. that Rigsbee,
once a pal Of Scheve'S. had killed
him "in an attempt to protect his
own life"
Government witnesses have told
the story Of the shooting, which
took place in Ninth street pool
hall last December 10. Rigsbee,
who admits firing the fatal shots.
faces the electric chair If he Is
convicted.
Scheve had at times labelled
Rigsbee as "a punk and a stool
pigeon defense witnesses told the
jury. He had also threatened to
fix him up real good" and at
least once had shown him a pistol
which he sometimes carried.
Loaned Knife to Scheve.
According to White, on the
night of the shooting, he and
Scheve were in the pool hall when
RigSbee came in. hWen an argu-
ment developed between the
two men, Scheve borrowed his
(White's) boy Scout knife" and
ran Rigsbee out of the place"
Afterward. said White. he got
back his knife and left, before
Rigsbee came in. When an argu-
Various witnesses. including the
police, have testified that Scheve
was unarmed when his body was
searched after the shooting.
George A. Duncan, %. who said
he is normally in the heating
business" said he was standing
next to Scheve when Rigsbee res
turned to the poolhall sometime
later.
When Joe saw Rigsbee come
in, he pushed me back against the
wall with one hand" the witness
said. With the other. he reached
into his coat pocket to put away
some money that he had won bet
ting on a pool game"
At that point, he said. Rigs
bee reached into his overcoat,
"fumbled around" and then drew
a revolver. He fired four shots, two
of which went through Duncan's
|overcoat. and another which struck
Scheve in the chest, killing him
almost instantly.
Usually Carried Gun.
Duncan said Scheve usually car
ried gun.
Il was surprised he didn't have
one that night" he told the
court.
The witness also said he was
present at the time Scheve and
Rigsbee had their falling out. He
said 1t came about over Rigsbees
unwillingness 10 hold a man identi-
fed as "Heimie Rosen" while
Scheve pistol whipped him. Scheye
was after Rosen for a gambling
debt, Duncan said.
Final witness yesterday was
Thomas C. Olson, 18. an employe
at a Rosslyn Hot Shoppe before
his arrest last month. Olson quoted
Scheve as boasting that he would
kill that dirty Rigsbee" If he
returned TO the poolhall.
Defense Attorney Laughlin ex-
planned in his opening statement:
ITS true we're not dealing with
a group of Sunday school people
here" He maintained, however,
that his client had no intention
to kill the deceased" when he re-
turned to the poolhall the fatal
night.
AS for the other charge which
Rigsbee faces-assault with a.
deadly weapon-Mr. Laughlin said
the fact that a bystander was shot
in the leg was lust one OF those
unfortunate things"
Truman Sims BiII Givinn