Evening star., 1950-04-28
Gun and Bullets
.|nScheyeKiIIinq
Put in Evidence
Jury Trying Riesbee
Hears Testimony Of
Homicide Officer

Government attorneys continued
today in District Court to build
their flrst-degree murder case
against William A. RigSbee. IS,
charged with the poolhall shooting
OF Joseph H. Big Joel Scheve.
Testifying at this mornings
session was Homicide Squad 1t.
Richard J. Felber. who inveSu-
gated the case after Rigsbee was
arrested last December 10. shortly
after the shooting.
When questioned at police
headquarters soon afterwards,
Rlgsbee was very willing" to
make a written statement. 1t. Eel.
Der said, The statement, along
with Rigsbee's .3S revolver and
three slues dug from the poolhall
plaster, were admitted in evidence.
Lit, Felber said Rigsbee told him
he had bought the weapon shortly
before the shooting for $40 from
an unknown colored man.
RSsOcc 10 lake Stanu.
1t appeared unlikely that the
Government would conclude its
case today. Assistant United
States Attorney Cecil R. Heflin
said he has three more witnesses
to testify. including one who is
now in Baltimore.
Defense Attorney James J.
Laughlin told reporters that Rigs
bee will testify in his own de-
fense.
Riesbee faces mandatory
death penalty. If he is convicted
in the first degree. At the start
Of the trial. is prospective jurors
DISQUALIFIED themselves as being
morally against capital punish
ment. The panel finally chosen
consists of IL men and a woman.
Witnesses Tell OF Argument.
At yesterdays session. the Gov
ernment put on series OF four
witnesses who were present at the
time OF the shooting. All of them
told substantially the same story.
Its substance was that Rigsbee
and Scheve had once been good
friends but had had a falling out.
On the fatal night. Scheve was In
the pool hall when Rigsbee came
in shortly before midnight. There
was an argument between the two,
in the course OF which Schevs
threatened Rigsbee with what
appeared to be switch blade
knife.
Rigsbee left the pool room. He
returned about an hour later car
rying a .38-caliber pistol in his
right hand. When he was about
6 feet away from Scheve he
opened fire. shooting four times.
The gambler grabbed for a chair,
then fell to the floor mortally
wounded.
The trial yesterday began to
take on the flavor of an under
world fiction story. complete with
a colorful cast of characters.
"Alcatraz White" Mentioned.
Named by witnesses as being
present, but otherwise unidenti-
fed. were "Alcatraz White" other
wise known as Whitley" appar-
emily friend of Big Joe Scheve.
There was another man called
"Heimie" and a third named
"Blackie," whose last names no
witness could remember.
One Of the witnesses. Melvin o.
Buck" zirkle, the proprietor of
the pool hall. admitted he himself
had once been convicted OF run
ming a numbers game.
The leadof testimony for the
Government came from the dead
mans son, Theodore little JoeD
Scheve, who identified his fathers
body at the Morgue After testi-
Tying, Little Joe took a seat in
the rear of the courtroom.
At one point another witness,
Carroll Jameson, was asked by
Mr.. Laughlin; You're not afraid
OF any one. are you? You're not
afraid of Scheve's SOM" The wit
ness said he was not.
Also heard from was a second
victim of the shooting. David Sill
verman, ~, OF the 1900 block Of
Missouri avenue NV. Mr.. Sill
verman, who said he didn't know
the defendant, stopped wild slug
and was treated for thigh wounds
at Emergency Hospital. AS a re-
suit Rigsbee also is charged with
aSsaIilt u,ifh a dnnnoro,.. .......-