Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-06-25
Promising Opening of the Farrall
Murder Trial.
A DISAPPOINTMENT UNTIL MONDAY
The Defense viii Be Of a Vigorous
Character.
THE ALLEGED GRIM E
Correspondence of The Evening Star.

county seat of historic Charles county,
witnessed it's first real excitement for many
a day yesterday afternoon, when occurred
a rather spicy preliminary to the trial of
Mrs. Belle Farrall, accused of the murder
of her husband, Frederick Farrall, by
strychnine poisoning in December last.
AS stated in The Star yesterday and in
fulfillment of a promise made by her at
torneys, Mrs. Farrall, after remaining in
hiding since the date the Indictment was
found against her, reached La Plata on
the evening train Saturday last and was
Immediately taken into custody by Sheriff
Albrittain and removed to his residence, at
Port Tobacco The trial, after a postpone
ment from last month, was fixed for yes
terday.
But very short time has elapsed since
La Plata arose to the dignity of the county
seat 1t being on the seventh day of June
that the announcement was officially pro-
mulgated declaring this village to be the
winner over Port Tobacco and Chapel
Point in the race for the honor and there
fore the community does 1t boast of a
court house, but modestly states that such
structure will be in evidence as soon as
II Is possible to erect it. AS a substitute
however, the town hall was Yesterday
pressed into service to house the initial
Judicial proceedings ever held in La Plata
The hall Is of good size and is situated but
lew rods from the railroad station.
Everybody There.
Making generous allowance there were
probably rot half a score of the citizens
of the hamlet absent from court yesterday.
while visitors from a distance drove in
with vehicles of unlimited descriptions.
Everybody reached the scene early in order
to secure a seat, but nevertheless quite a
number were forced to stand.
Court opened with Indigo RriScoa opd
Judge Brooks on the bench and j. S. Mat
thews as states attorney. The first trial
ever held in La Plata was that of a negro
accused of the larceny of practically every
known article from a vest to a piano. In
terest attached to the hearing because the
attorney for the defendant was Col l.. A.
Wilmer of counsel for Mrs. Farran. A
verdict OF not guilty was returned.
Mrs. Farral Cool.
Early in the afternoon the sheriff drove
up with Mrs. Farrall and conducted her to
a seat in the hall, the spectators regarding
the alleged murderess with curiosity and
something akin to awe as she entered. Mrs.
Farran was attired in black and wore a
black sailor hat. Her appearance was
provokingly cool, the accused presenting
probably the least concerned exterior of
any person in the crowded room. Col. l..
A. Wilmer and eX-Congressman S. E. Mudd
were on hand to legally look after Mrs
Farrall, while the commonwealth was repre-
sented by States Attorney ]. S. Matthews
and Mr.. John Mitchell.
POstpOnement Granted.
The lengthy Indictment was read to the
prisoner. and after she had pleaded in firm
tone"not guilty,,'and demanded jury trial,
Col. Wilmer asked postponement on the
ground that the state had summoned GER
tain witnesses of whom the defense had
rot been informed, and that it had been
impossible to secure the attendance of GER
tain other witnesses. Mr.. Matthews admitted
that he was not quite ready to go to trial,
so upon the attorneys guarantee that all
would be in readiness to proceed Monday
next, July ], postponement was ordered
to that date. Before doing so, however, the
court took occasion to make some rather
abrupt remarks to Col. Wilmer, so direct
that the latter, as he stated to me later,
swallowed considerable quantity of to-
bacco juice in successful endeavor-to con-
troll his rising passions. Mrs. Farrall was
taken back to Port Tobacco, and this vii
lage resumed Its normal state.
Lengthy Trial.
The trial, 1t Is conceded, will occupy
fully week. The general trend of senti-
ment among the residents of the county
seems to be derogatory to the prisoner, as,
1t is claimed, at the coroner's inquest the
facts were clearly established that Mrs.
Farrall purchased a quantity of strychine
ana that she administered the poison to
MN. Yet, as a rule, the people are inclined
TO be perfectly fair, the majority patiently
waiting to hear the other side of the story
All connected with the case have become
conspicuous by continually declining to
say anything in relation to it, but in a
lengthy conversation last evening Col VIII
mer, who is typical southern Marylander,
inadvertently acquainted me with several
points worthy of note.
Believes in Muscle.
L could have quashed the Indictment"
said the colonel, ION the ground that two
members of the grand jury that returned
1t also served on the coroners jury, but
that would only have caused delay and we
want speedy trial"
The attorney for Mrs. Farrall stated fur
Their that seyenty-five per cent of the wit
nesSes for the prosecution have been sum-
moned as witnesses for the defense. The
trial promises not to be dull, for, said Col
Wilmer: Il am going to give them hades
I'll handle them without gloves, and in my
argument I'll reply to what the court said
to ME today. You must not be absent when
L get jim Matthews, the states attorney,
on the stand, for examination. He testi-
fed before the coroners jury, and I'll see
that he testifies at this trial. He'll squirn..'
Col. Wilmer in addition said that he be-
lieved in fighting legal battles like the one
to occur next week, with muscle, as well
rail- murder trial. which is to begin Mon
day next will be, from more than one
standpoint, a notable event in the history
of Charles county, Md.
The Alleged Crime.
The alleged crime has attracted wide
spread attention. Mr.. Farrall was prom
inent and influential citizen of Charles
county. being a brother of the deputy col
iector of internal revenue in Washington,
D. c., Mr.. T. r. Farrall. He also has an
other brother there, while Mrs. Farrall, the
accused, is a sister of Mrs. L. r. Burch of
Ills New Jersey avenue southeast, Wash
iDgton, whose husband is a clerk in Saks
clothing establishment.
Several years ago at Hughesyille little
hamlet on the road between Brandywine
and Mechanicsville, Frederick Farrall and
Miss Belle Robey were married. and, so far
as their neighbors knew, lived happily to-
gether. He was a man of retiring DISPOSE
tiCn, and it was because of his strict atten-
ton to business that he made a success of
the hotel he Kept at Hughesville, well
as Of a small farm nearby, which he
profitably managed. In this way he was
enabled not only to make a good living,
but also to save a considerable sum of
money. He was forty-six years old at the
time of his death, in December last
Mrs. Farrall, who is not yet thirty years
of age was of entirely different dspo-