The age-herald., 1901-05-17
GRAVELY TRIAL
 BEGAN YESTERDAY All But Two of States Wit
 neSses Have Testified TRIAL PROBABLY Y END TODAY Witnesses Stated That Levy Was Cruel and often Beat Blanche
 Snyder, One of Defendants.
 Heated Argument. e
 
TRIAL PROBABLY END TODAY

The preliminary hearing of Louis o. Gravely and Blanche Snyder on the charge of murdering Isaac Levy was con- tinued in the court of Justice Abernathy yesterday afternoon. The Sate presented all testimony except that to be given by three absent witnesses, and an adjourn fnent was taken until 10 o'clock this morning.
 At the hearing yesterday Judge N. H. Hairston and Hon. John R. Smith, both prominent members of the bar from Mar tinsville, Va, appeared to assist in the defense of the case. The gentlemen come to Birmingham at the solicitation of the father of young Gravely.
 The proceedings yesterday were marked by arguments on the part of the attor- neys over questions regarding the admis- sibility of evidence, and at times the re- partee was brilliant. In several instances this repartee almost grew to a matter of display of personal feelings.
 Quite a sensation was created at one time by Attorney Lee Bradley for the de- fense asking that Judge Abernathy ad- minister a rebuke to Attorney Ullman of the prosecution. The request arose from a question asked defendant, Gravely, re- garding note Witness Rock had testified to having had shown him by the defen- dant immediately after the homicide. The attempt of MT. Bradley brought forth some rather curt replies from MT. Ull- man, but the matter was passed without fho i,,cf
 The room was filled with large crowd interested in the trial, among the spec tators being several women, who watched the proceedings with evident interest Before the court was called to order quite a little confusion was evidenced in the hallway adjoining the room. There sev- eral of the inmates of the house where the shooting occurred were assembled waiting for the opening of the court Their laughter and smoking of cigarettes occasioned rather curt comment from those passing and some amusing repartee was heard there.
 The Trial Begins.
 The prisoners were brought into court at 2:3O o'clock, and immediately there after the case was called by Justice Abernathy. A motion for continuance was made by Attorney Ullman on the | ground that one witness especially inn l portant to the prosecution was absent | from the city and other witnesses were | not present at the trial. After consider l able discussion on the part of the at- | torneys it was decided by Judge Aber- | nathy that the testimony of all witnesses | present should be heard, and then an ad- | journment be taken until 10 o'clock to- day.
 When this decision was finally reached | the court ordered that the examination of witnesses proceed. The first called by | the State was Madam Ella Fischer. She is | proprietress of a house in Second av- 1 enue, and she stated that Blanche Snyder boarded with her for several months | During all the time Levy frequently wis., | ited the house, and was known as a | friend of Blanche.
 She stated that Levy was very cruel to the woman, and the latter had for a long time been making an effort to rid | herself of him. He often beat her, kicked | her. slapped her, and broke doors to her | room, according to the witness. Gravely had visited the house a few times and had received the name of "The Kid'' from the witness She stated that Gravely had | at one time promised to marry the wom- an during the few weeks he had been | a visitor at the house, and Blanche had stated to her on one occasion that they | would marry.
 I 1 On cross-examination she stated that | she considered Levy a very bad and rough character, he being exceedingly turbulent and quarrelsome. She stated 1 that on the night of the homicide Levy had visited her home at about 6:3t o'clock. In speaking of Blanche and Gravely while there he had cursed tht latter in violent manner and had threatened to kill him.
 "I can and will take him in my lar and beat him like a child. But will dc more than that; will do him up when next see him. He is a cheap, thirteen dollar skate, and will kill him on first sight," the witness swore Levy had | said.
 Levy Was Larger.
 The next witness called to the stand was Irene Sanford, who stated that Levy was man considerably larger than Gravely. She also gave about the same testimony as on Monday.
 She was followed by Dr. Yeates, wht gave the same testimony as on Monday | adding that no weapon except a knif, was found on the person of Levy whel he was searched after death.
 Sergeant Koch was put on. the stant and testified that he had read q letter tn night of the shooting which the boy ha' given him at the jail. When asked wha were the contents of this letter the de fense interposed objections to his an swering the question. The attorneys fo the defense arose and entered rathe personal and feeling objection to thi question of MT. Ullman. Attorney Brad ley was very plain in his condemnation of the question, and suggested that tn court reprimand MT. Ullman for askinl it. This was followed by an explanation on the part of MT. Ullman, and the mat ter was finally passed.
 Kate Sanford, another inmate of tn
 house where the killing was accom- plished. was put on the stand. She gay the same testimony as on Monday, onl
 growing rather mixed in her statemen
 regarding the presence of man in tn
 hallway shortly before the homicide. He
 testimony was finally reconciled to sho'
 that she did not know where the ma | was standinr excent thai he was some