Evening star., 1951-03-02
Co!!azo Came 10 D. {.
To Kill President,
AGENT Ellis Testifies


Pvt. Leslie Coffelt, were slain.
Collazo, wounded in the gun battle,
is charged with murder and two
counts of assault with intent to
kill
Agent Ellis had given a half
days testimony yesterday with
the jury out of the room. The jury
was excluded in defense moves to
keep out of evidence the state
ments Collazo is purported to have
made to Mr.. Ellis.
Testimony Admissible.
However, Judge T. Alan Colds
borough ruled at the conclusion Of
yesterdays session that Collazo's
statements to Mr.. Ellis were ad-
missible to the record.
George A. Berley. ballistics
expert from the Federal Bureau
of Investigation, was called to the
stand by United States Attorney
Fay to identify weapons and re-
covered bullets from the Blair
House shooting.
His testimony Indicated:
That Pvt. Coffelt was not slain
by police gunfire directed at the
two would-be assassins.
That two of the slugs recovered
from the body of the dead police
man apparently came from the
German Luger held by Torresola
That the bullet which felled
Collazo came from a revolver held
by Guard Joseph o. Davidson.
Ruling on Chief Defense Coun-
sci Leo A. Rover's motion that
Collazo's statements to the Secret
Service agent be ruled out. the
Judge observed this Is no ordi-
nary case" Mr.. Rover had based
his motion on contentious that
Collazo was threatened three
times, once by Police Supt. Rob-
ert j. Barrett; that he was under
the influence of sedatives when
the statements were made, and
that he was not allowed an at
torney for several days.
Upholds Agents Action.
''The world is bewildered and
weary" Judge Goldsborough de-
clared. ANY unusual, startling
event is likely to start holocaust,
the end of which no man knows
Under the circumstances. ]
have no doubt that the investiga-
tion (by the Secret Service agent)
is admissible in evidence"
He said he felt that Mr.. Ellis
did exactly what he should have
done-not only for the purposes
of prosecution, but for the pur-
poses of protecting the Presi-
dent"
Never before has the residence
of the President been stormed.
the judge said. "The implications
were that this didn't involve just
two individuals, but an organized
effort no one knew the extent of. >
In a thick, Spanish accent, Col
lazo yesterday freely admitted his
part in the Blair House stormine
but denied any intent to kill
President Truman.
Vigorous oss-Examination.
Subjected to vigorous cross-ex-
animation by Mr.. Fay and fire.
quent questions by Judge Colds
borough, Collazo said his purpose
was to make a demonstration in
front of the residence of the Presi-
dent"
You intended to shoot him if
he was there, didn't you?" Mr.
Fay asked.
mo. sir" Collazo replied, 81
didn't have that in mind"
Actually. Collazo's gunfire did
not slay Pvt. Coffelt, but District
law makes" no distinction between
associates in a felony resulting in
murder.
Sat Down and Reloaded.
In his answers to Secret Service
questioning, he was quoted as say
ing he had nothing personal
against Mr.. Truman. He said he
came here to kill the President
Of the United States" Agent Ellis
testified.
Collazo's testimony brought the
amazing disclosure that, after
emptying his gun in the first fusil-
lade, he calmly sat down on the
Blair House steps and reloaded.
AS he got to his feet, he was
shot down with a bullet in his
chest.
He said the purpose of the visit
to Washington was to make any
kind of demonstration big
enough to draw attention of the
American people and the world to
the things taking place in Puerto
Rico" On another occasion, he
snapped bitterly about "the at
tack on the people of Puerto Rico
by the American Government.
All of Collazo's testimony was
given with the jury out of the
courtroom in Mr.. Rover's attempt
to keep out of evidence statements
Collazo is purported to have made
to Federal agents.
Says He Was Threatened
Repeatedly throughout his test
imony, however, Judge Colds
borough broke in to declare it was
admissible as corroborative to
Agent Ellis statements from the
stand.
Many of Collazo's answers to-
Mr.. Rover's questioning were de-
voted to the contentious of
threats.
Major Barrett, he declared,
stood beside his bed in Emergency