The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-28

Md Recalled by Court Proceed
ings at BaItimore-A Jury Quickly
Secured-The Testimony AddGced.
BALTIMORE. Feb. 2S.-AIrs. Bessie NJ
Condif, OF Solomon's Island, Calvert
county. Md, was placed on trial for muir
der before Judge Wickes in Criminal
Court Court No. yesterday and the case
was continued today.
Early Tuesday morning. September Is,
1900 Capt. Littleton T CondiGr Of Solo
mons Island, was mysteriousIy shot while
asleep in his own bed He died the day
following. at no time regaining con-
scioUsuess-
Mrs. CoudiT was il the room at the
time of the shooting. There was no eye
witness 10 the tragedy unless it WAS the
wife Mrs Condif was indicted for the
crime OF murder in Calvert county, but
on the plea that she could not secure
fair trial there the case was removed to
Baltimore.
Prison life has told on the woman and
shows in the extreme paIlor OF her face.
She is about fifty years old and is thin
Her chin is small and pointed. her cheek
bones prominent and her eyes Jlue and
somewhat sunken- She is dressed in q
mourning costume, with q long black veil
that. conceaIs most of her head from
view. She is the mother of five living
children
1t only required twenty minutes yester-
day to find twelve men who have no con-
scientious scrupIes against hanging
woman on circumstantial evidence. who
have formed no opinion Of the case and
who have no acquaintance with the pris-
oner The jurors were obtained from
twenty-three of the regular court panel Of
twenty-five Seven were challenged for
cause and one was found in the number
who has conscientious scrupIes against
capital punishment. OF those excused for
cause two said they would not hang
woman on circumstantiaI evidence, and
one has an imperfect knowledge of the
English language
The jurors chosen are:
Thomas F Ewing. conductor; Joseph IL
Sherbert. -four and grain commission
merchant; Charles Seigfried. sawyer;
Charles Maxwell, paperhauger; Thomas
Mcneil. grocer: Charles l. Schmidt, tin
ner; Joseph Smith. clerk; Henry Kemp,
confectionery Thomas r D. Myers. uaer-
chant; Charles E. SIonaker. contractor;
Wilbur E Ward. stoves; James Miller, jr-,
plumbing
After the jury had been sworn the
opening statement for the State was
made by Deputy States Attorney Poe, OF
Baltimore, who, with States Attorney j.
Frank Parran and William H HELEN, of
Calvert county, is conducting the prose-
cutioa- John 3. Gray and Tazeweu T
Thomas. Of Calvert county, attorneys for
Mrs. COndif, reserved their opening
statement until the close Of the States
case.
Dr. William II. Marsh. of Solomons
Island. was called as the first witness
for the State. DR.. Marsh was the farni-
y physician of the Condiffs-
Il was (Ined 10 attend Captain Condin
after he was shot Dr. Marsh testified,
and arrived at his house about 1915 a
m, o.. September %. found he had been
hot through the right eyelid. The bul-
{ entered the eyebau and passed up
ard and backward to the left side Of the
ulL There was considerable powder
his face and MS right eyebrow and
lit eyelash were scorched- He was Iy-
on his back when 1 saw him first
-.lh his head turned slightly to the left
His right eye must have been closed when
he was shot He was unconscious. and
remained so until he died, about 2:15 D.
M On September Il
The pistol could not have been more
than SIX inches from Captain CondiT S
head when fired. and il must have been
fired from his right side. 1t was impos-
s-bie for anyone standing on the outside
OF the room 10 have fired the shot though
i s.
bre''
Continuing his statement DR.. Marsh
said he found Mrs COndin sitting at the
head of the bed moaning. i asked her
he said, II there was q pistol in the
house She replied: No Someone must
have shot Ilt--c+On for his money. She
exclaimed: See II you can find his mon
eN No money was found Her actions
were decidedly more quiet than they had
been In cases OF death in the family be
On cross examination Dr. Marsh said he
Is 1OFty-nIne years old He also detailed
how he knew the bullet he found in Cap
tain Condln s brain had been seraped In
nrtng and how he removed particles of
lead from q pistol found outside the
house, ana with which it is supposed the
In order that the shot should have
beSH ured from Captain Condif'S left
side. Dr. Marsh went on. 1T would have
been necessary for the person firing The
shot 10 have fired II with the left hand
and to have reached over C,aIgtsiT Con
din $ body. The witness eXplzined this
b. putting his left arm ia position
ON redirect examination DR. II rsh said
he Knew that Captain COndif was ms r.
f. Tor S2-v1v Il the order Of Hcs'-aSOI rs
The policy was taken out about two = ars
bSo and was for the benefit Of Ms c n
am. Ars- SondiH had paid the assess
SeveEsI other witnesses testified for the
prosecution
were put upon the stand, John b Gray.
counsel for the defence. made 4 81 t--
ileHI 20 the jury, saying he proposed t.
show that the death Of CaItaIu ConliLf
could have been the result Of suicide or
OF shot from ri rDHber- We shall also
show By witnesses, he said. that the
relations between Captain Coudih and his
Wiie mao been the most frieuciy ifEagi-
Ia5le N al Of their married life OF
fTenty or tw-nty-four years
Mrs mary TaTlJDu, mother Of Mrs
onI1E- WAS the first witness for the de
nee She first stated that she had never
nOwu Captain COudif or MS wife 10
ave any cross words. She said thar 81
s. time of the shooting she was VISITING
Captain and Mrs C0udin-s house
Mrs T1TltUn said that Mrs Candif was
an l. very nervous condition and was sub
ject to epileplIc spells. She then related
q part Of Il conversation she had heard
between Captain and Mrs Couafr about