Evening star., 1961-02-13
Sold Pistol to Rees>
estifies
Jackson KiIIino
Trial Focuses
On Weapon
BY JERRY O'LEARY, JR.
Star Staff Writer

prosecution of Melvin D. Rees,
jr., today focused on a 80
caliber Colt Cobra pistol which
the Government says is linked
with the kidnapping and murder
Of the Carroll v. Jackson family.
AS the 18th day of the 81
Hyattsville musicians
trial got under way in Federal
Court here, Colt Firearms Co.
official took the witness stand
to identify the weapon the
Government contends was used
in the crime.
Arnold A. Goodwin, former
assembly foreman for Colt, told
the all-male jury the pistol was
shipped from the plant to an
Atlanta hardware company in
January, 1858.
Tells Of Selling Gun
Another witness, William
Bage, a Hyattsville insurance
man, testified he sold the pis-
tol in 1857.
Mr.. Bage testified that he
advertised the pistol for sale
in a Washington newspaper.
He said the man who bought it
paid for it with a $43 bad check
signed Melvin D. Rees, jr."
The pistol was equipped with
bone grips when he sold it, Mr..
Bage said, but he threw in a
pair of plastic grips and a box
of shells.
Defense Attorneys william j.
Evans and William j. ODonneu
earlier in the trial had stipu-
lated the pistol belonged to
Rees.
Mr.. Goodwin testified the
pistol was equipped with plas-
tic grips when it left the COM
pany plant in Hartford, Conn.
He identified pair of broken
pistol grips handed him by AS
sistant United States Attorney
Robert E. Cahill as those which
were on the stock when the
pistol was sold.
Mr.. Cahill and Assistant
United States Attorney H.
Russell Smouse contend the
grips were found near the
place in Spottsylvania County,
Va, where the bodies of Mr..
jackson. 29. of Apple Grove,
Va, and his daughter Janet.
l8 months, were found March
4, 1859.
Beaten and Shot
Mr.. Jackson had been beaten
and shot and, the little girl
was dead of exposure. Rees is
on trial in the kidnapping and
murder Of Mrs. Mildred Jack
son and the other daughter,
Susan Anne, S.
Earlier Government testi-
mony disclosed how FBI men
found the pistol in an accordian
case in the attic of Rees'
parents home at 1908 Madison
street, Hyattsville. on June "a,
1860, the day the defendant was
arrested in West Memphis, Ark.
The pistol had imitation bone
handles on it when FBI men
discovered it.
Observers feel the Govern
ment is stalking its case against
Rees on the pistol and grips,
since Federal Judge Roszel C.
Thomson has excluded from
evidence material in Rees'
handwriting which also was
found in the accordian case.
Grips Believed Broken
The prosecution contends the
plastic pistol grips were broken
off the gun when Mr.. jackson
was pistol-whipped on the night
of January II, 1859, after the
four members of the jackson
family were abducted on Route
609 near BumpaSs. Va.
Rees, according to earlier
testimony, left Norfolk, Va, to
drive to Washington about SUM-
down on the day Of the kidnsp-
ing. The Jacksons vanished
shortly after 9 o'clock that
night.
AS today's session got under
way, Judge Thomson an
nounced from the bench he will
issue a contempt citation
against Richard Waller, staff
artist for the Baltimore Sum-
day American, for Sketching
Rees in the courtroom.
The newspaper printed a
drawing of Rees, the judge and
three jurors in yesterdays edi-
ton. Judge Thomson had ruled
last week that the defendant
could not be sketched in the
courtroom.