Evening star., 1951-01-11

the lUUU DI0ck OF seventeenth S
a coat, but Mrs. Juanita Gil
calmly faced the camera while
inquest into the pre-dawn slayil
world figure, yesterday.
testified, he showed her the gun
and said:
I'm going to take care of Mes
line now."
H. Clifford Alder, of the law
firm of Ford and Alder who is
defending Nesline, asked:
did you warn Nesline that
Harding was going to shoot him?"
mo-" she responded. II don't
like to get mixed up. in that kind
of thing. I'm a little afraid of
guns and particularly of George
Harding, especially with a gun"
Fuller Explanation Asked.
Coroner A. Magruder Mac
Donald interrupted to ask for a
further explanation of why she
didn't warn Nesline.
''If I'd known anything like this
was going to happen, I'd certainly
have told some one," she ex-
planned.
She said she had known Mes
line for about five years, and
while they were "very good
friends" she had mo personal
interest in him."
Mrs. Gilbert said she had
worked at the Hide-Away Club for
five weeks, and before that had
been waitress at the Turf and
Grid Club.
Responding to a series of ques-
tions from Mr.. Alder, Mrs. Gil
bert said Harding had told her of
pistol-whipping a waiter at the
Chesapeake Restaurant "for CIV
ing him knockout drops and roll
ing him-taking his money away
from him." and that he had also
shot bullet between the mans
feet.
Hit Woman on Face.
She said he also talked of
knocking down a waitress at an
other place and of hitting a wom-
an across the face at the Cross
roads, another night spot. She
responded affirmatively when Mr..
Alder asked if it was true Hard
ing said a warrant had been sworn
out against him in the last case.
Eugene F. Augusterfer, 1910
Chillum road, Hyattsville, a Prince
Georges County neighbor of Mes
lines, was another witness. Mr..
Augusterfer, reported to be for
mer owner of the Turf and Grid
Club and once a football coach
at Catholic University. described
himself at present as "unem-
ployed."
He said he had seen a man he
knows as George" with Harding
in the club before the shooting.
He saw them leave and come back,
but didn't know where they went,
he testified.
Says Harding Threatened Nesline.
Mr.. Alder identified George"
as George Clainos." referred to
by Mrs. Gilbert.
Eugene James Corsi, 1922 Seven
teenth street NV, who called
himself an unemployed clerk, J"
told of threat he said Harding
made "two and a half months
ago" against Nesllne. He added
he had warned Nesline.
Mr.. Corsi, who testified he had
been one of the two COMPANIONS
who drove with Nesline in the
latter's car to the club before the
shooting, told the Jury Harding
had told him in the same club:
Tell him iNesline) I'll bury
him."
On that occasion, the witness
said, Harding had knocked him
(CorsD down, then challenged
several of Mr.. Corsi's companions
with the statement:
"You guys want to take it up?"
Mr.. Corsi also said he had known
Harding to use such language as
that punk" in reference to Mes
line, and that Harding had a rep
utation for carrying a gum"
Detective Testifies.
While Nesline refused to testify,
Detective Sergt. Lionel Couture of
the homicide squad said Nesline
in a conversation at headquarters
after the shooting admitted firing
"once or twice." Police 1t. Karl
Mccormick already had testified
NeSline admitted the shooting
when he was arrested on the clubs
stairs.
In the conversation, Sergt. Cou-
ture said, Nesline declared Harding
called him a foul name and led
him to believe he was going to do
something. This was when they
met on the second floor of the club,
at which time Harding had both
hands in his side pockets, the SER
geant said Nesline told him.
Nesline also declared he didn't
know positively that Harding was
armed, but added he had heard
rumors he might be, according to
the detective: Nesline said he car
ried his own gun slung in the top
of his trousers, the detective testi-
fed.
| Sergt. Couture testified Nesline
said he had known Harding all his
life and they had been good
friends until recently. Then, the
testimony continued, Harding had
made a remark and it had been
whispered around"
Several persons in the club at
the time told how Harding, in his