The Omaha Guide

MOVIE ACTORS AID IN FUND TO DEFEND "BERTH 13" MURDER CASE
Los Angeles, April 3 (ANP) -. Promising the Cooks and Waiters Union to aid by their presence in seeing that an accused member gets necessary counsel for a fair trial, Hollywood movie actors will aid in raising funds for the defense of Robert Lee Folkes, charged with the Berth 13 murder of a woman passenger on a speeding passenger train near Albany, Ore. They were to appear at a dance on April 1 at Elks hall. Folkes will go to trial on April 7 on a charge of murder at Albany and funds raised at the dance will go to pay attorney fees. Grave doubts exist as to Folkes guilt and it is imperative that his constitutional rights to a fair trial be safeguarded by seeing to it that he has competent counsel," a spokesman for a citizens committee which is sponsoring the affair said in explaining the committee's interest in the matter. It was pointed out that despite the conflicting statements and "confessions" made by Folkes, the physical facts surrounding the murder all indicate Folkes' innocence. Detailed examinations of Folkes clothing and chemical analysis of scrapings from his fingernails and shoes show that no blood or other incriminating evidence of any kind was revealed. Other discrepancies in the chain of circumstances which have been pointed to as connecting Folkes with the murder are the fact that the marine who is reported as having seen Folkes fleeing from the car was extremely vague in his explanations as to how and why he discovered the woman's plight and was able to dress fully at the time he made the chase. Fellow workers of Folkes, who was a Second cook on the train are unanimous in disavowing belief in his guilt and pointed to the fact that he performed all of his usual duties on the morning when the killing occurred. They also said that they noted nothing unusual in his demeanor. Movie Stars scheduled to appear at the dance included Ben Carter, Hattie McDaniels, Ernest Whitman, Nicodemus, Dooley Wilson, Clarence Muse, Herbie Jeffries and Louise Beavers.