Evening star., 1955-01-27
Bethesda Youth, 10,
Faces New Trial in
Restaurant Bombing

keSlduIdM DOIIIDHIg
A 19-year-old Bethesda youth
win be tried anew on . charge
of bombing the Silver Spring
Hot Shoppe last May %.
The trial yesterday OF James
r. Seward. jr.. of the 500 block
Of Lambeth road ended abruptly
In q deadlocked jury. He was
one, Of i've youths arrested last
June 8 In connection with q
series Of bombings that had ter
rorized the Bethesda-C Chevy
Chase area over q two-month
period.
The jury Of 10 men and two
women was discharged by Mont
gomery County Circuit Court
Judge Stedman Prescott after
less than two hours deliberation.
States Attorney Alger Y. Bar
bee said the State viii seek q
new trial. Stewards attorney,
Walter H. Moorman. asked the
court to continue the youths
$1,000 bond. The court granted
the request.
Young Seward went to trial on
two counts Of arson involving q
bomb explosion in the mail slot
at the home Of william J. Nc
Carthy, S1l5 Wessling lane. Be
thesda, and two other counts in
volving the bombing of the water
tower at the Hot Sl1oppe Res
taurant. 1880 Georgia avenue.
Acquitted of Arson.
The Seward youth was acquit-
ted on the arson charges on q
directed verdict from Judge
Prescott. The State then dropped
q count charging the youth with
conspiracy to bomb the restau-
rant.
The jury began its delibera-
tions on the remaining bombing
charge at 2:40 pm. In . sur
prise move, Judge Prescott called
the jury back in the courtroom
at Ais pm. and told them they
had until 4::35 pm. to reach o
verdict. He added that, If they
were not in agreement by then,
they would be discharged.
Judge Prescott explained To-
the jury and later to reporters
that he had to complete business
matters at the court and at hts
home before going to Baltimore
for the annual Maryland Judicial
Conference today and tomorrow. !.
Judge Prescott Is president OF
the Maryland State Bar Associa-
tio1. which will follow I'D the
judicial conference with q meet
ing Saturday in Baltimore.
Four Hour Trial.
The Judge told reporters, after
the unusual proceedings, that he
believed the jurors we're an in
telligent group and would have
reached q verdict IA the two
hour period II they had been
near agreement.
The trial itself lasted shout
four holirs. IN summing up the
States case. Deputy States At
torney Neonard T. Kardy said
the youth had considered the
bornhiiaga as q ''big joke it's
= wonder sofneto ~ aSntt killed Z,
An intent speetat0f thru Rh-
out the trial was aI1les Il. il er.
Jr. Is, Of the 5000 block Of
Edgemore lane, Bethesda, who
was indicted on all four counts
along with Seward. Fieser,s
trial recently was removed to
Eilicott City on grounds Of un-
favorable publicity because Of d
detective magazine article about
the Bethesda boEnbings. No
trial date has been set for Fieser.
Young Seward yesterday ad-
mitted being with Fieser and
two Juveniles the night Of the
bombings but contended he had
tried to dissuade his companions
from exploding the home made
bomb.
The bomb exploded at the Hot
Shoppe consisted Of q can Of
gr1npowder into which q fuse had
been inserted. It buckled 81
quarter-inch steel plate s or s
inches. according to John B.
Watson. jr. Of the restaurant.
It also blew d metal top OF the
tower some is feet, he said,