Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-07-22
Taggart Murder Case
Goes 10 Grand jury;
Defense 10 CHALLENGE

VEI6nSe III EHdllGHyG
The swiftly moving Taggart
case was rushed to the grand
jury today-leSS than "a hours
after a coroner's jury held Clar-
ence E. Watson, jr., responsible
for the SCOTS Hotel Staying.
AS the prosecution moved
forward with the case against
the 19-year-old shoeshine boy,
accused of killing Miss Alyce o.
Taggart, the defense indicated
it would challenge Watson's
signed confession on the ground
it came II hours after his arrest.
Assistant United States At
torney Frederick G. Smithson,
however, said today the time
question was not material be-
cause Watson made an oral con-
feSSion within reasonable time
of his arrest.
1T was a reasonable time in
view of all the other matters dis
CuSsed with the defendant" Mr..
Smithson said.
Several Cases Discussed.
Watson was arrested at his
apartment last Friday about 7
pm. Police said he was ques-
toned first about a rape case,
where the evidence included par
tial fingerprintS. Deputy Chief
E. E. Scott said Watson made
his first admiSSion-in the rape
case-about 8 pm. Police have
said he also was questioned
about, and admitted. two house
breakings and assault cases be-
fore they undertook to question
him on the July 5 duckpin kill
ing of Miss Taggart.
Nh. Smithson. who took the
case to the grand jury today.
said he understood Watson made
his first statement on the Tag
CART case at BIS am. After the
oral questioning, Watson was
taken to SCOTS Hotel where. po-
lice said, he re-enacted the
crime. The written confession,
the inquest was told. was taken
at 11:55 am. and ne was ar
raigned at 2:45 pm. last Sat
urday.
Arraignment Not at Issue.
The United States Attorneys
Office is not concerned about the
time lapse before arralgnment.
1t was explained that the courts
have ruled that the defendant
must be brought before a COM
hitting magistrate in a reason
able time, but this includes
enough time to complete a rca-
sonable amount of police work.
During the inquest before the
cOroner's jury, Defense Counsel
Thomas A. Walden, il. asked
Detective Sergt. A. D. Clarke of
the homicide squad several times
If he did not think II hours of
questioning so terrorized Watson
that he confessed. Sergt. Clarke
had testified that he took the
formal confession at 1855 am.
Saturday.
From the way he answered
my questions" Sergt. Clarke re-
piled. "he positively was not
afraid. He was perfectly calm,
seemed collected in his wits and
answered all questions. He made
no complaints to me-"
Mr.. Walden protested that no
witnesses appeared at the in
quest to describe the actual
hours of questioning before
Sergt. Clarke took Watson's for
NAL statement at 1855 am. To
that. Mr.. SmithSon rctorted that
MI. WadGel-a former Assist
and United States Attorney him
self-Was on a fishing eX-
petition"
Mr.. Walden, court-appointed
counsel for Watson, indicated
another line of defense at the
inquest. He said he had infor-
nation of other burglarieS at
SCOTS Hotel on the night Miss
Taggart was slain as we'll as re-
ports of a second prowler. A
hotel resident reported seeing
prowler on the fourth floor of the
hotel that night, and Watson
has claimed he never got to the
fourth floor.
Rape Victim TestifieS.
The grand jury already has
heard the victims testimony in
the rape case on which Watson
is also charged: WaSton has been
charged with HOUSEKEEPING and
petty larceny as we'll as with
criminal assault in that case. The
victim. 23-year-old airline
hostess. testified before a grand
jury Monday and. police said,
picked Watson's picture from a
collection of photographs.
In another aspect of the case,
which reused wide interest on