Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-28
TESTIFY FOR DEFENSE
Witnesses on Stand in Behalf
of Andrew Weldon.
STRONG FIGHT MADE
TFFoRT TO IMPEACH TESTIMONY
FOR PROSECUTION.
Defendants Intention to Establish an
Alibi-Evidence Introduced
to That End.

Mitchell yesterday afternoon and one VIII
ness was examined. by whom 1t was en-
deavOred to prove complete aiipl LOT the
defendant Today the efforts OF the de-
PENDANTS counsel have been directed. APP
parently. toward impeachng the testimony
of the principal witnesses for the govern
ment.
In his opening statement yesterday At
tCrney Mitchell said the defense will en-
deavor to show that Weldon is the victim
of vile Islander. and that at the time 1t
shown that a man was standing at
the back gate of the Oelrich's house emp
tying cartridge shells from his revolver,
the defendant was at his home.
lie further said the defense VIII snow
that not only did the defendant not enter
tain feelings of animosity against the muir
dered woman. but that he had the most
kindly sentiments for her. and had no rea-
son to wish her dead.
a deputy United States marshal on de-
tailed duty at the office Of a justice of the
peace, was put on the stand first yesterday
afternoon. and testified that he was at the
Weldon home for twenty minutes between
9:45 and 1915 the morning the murder was
committed. and that the defendant was at
his home at that time. The witness was
exact about the time on account of certain
duties he had to perform that day.
Justice Strider a Witness.
H. C. Strider. justice of the peace was
the first witness examined this morning.
He told of the eviction proceedings irsti-
tuted against the defendants wife Weldon
did not appear at the hearing of this case,
the witness said, to the best of his recol-
lection and Mrs. Oelrichs was only spec
tator during the proceedings having no
part In the prosecution Of the case against
Mrs. Weldon.
Judge Strider corrobOrated the testimony
t,,it-
ness called. as to the time he (Nashl left
the office and the time he returned on
the day of the murder.
Cross-examination by District Attorney
Beach failed to change the testimony ma
terially.
Eliza Payne. colored washerwoman n.
who by her toughest guess over
seventy years of age, was the next Wit
ness She testified she had borrowed tub
belonging to Mrs Ireland. who lived next
door to the house where the murder oc-
Cured. The witness returned the tub to
Mrs. Ireland about noon the day OF the
murder. Mrs. Ireland she said. told her
to take the tub in the back way. and the
witness went around to the rear OF the
house. She stopped at the first gate she
saw, which happened to be the Oelrtchs
house.
She knocked on the gate and a man an
swered her summons The man told her
Mrs. Ireland did not live there. and the wit
ness went to the next gate. which was Mrs
few minutes. she said. woman came In
and asked If Mrs Ireland or Mr.. Ireland
had heard any screams from the house next
| door. and the Irelands told her they had
not.
You did not?" the witness said the wO
man inquired.
1--WE did not, madam" Mr.. Ireland re-
sponded.
The witness was positive 1t was about
noon. The testimony was not changed by
discrimination.
Corroborative Testimony.
Mrs. E. F. Ireland. the next witness, stat
ed she lived in a fiat at 1916 Fl street. and
that she was cleaning her house on the
| morning of December IL last. The witness
said person could hear conversations car
ried on in the next house. 1344 II street.
About IL o'clock on the day OF the murder
December IL, the witness heard a peculiar
sound as though something had cola sed
inside of the piano in her parlor. which was
standing beside the wall between her house
and 1874. The noise was such as might be
caused by the falling of a heavy body. The
witness heard the sound twice. The wit
ness corrObOrated the testimony of Eliza
Payne as to the return of the tub
Date of Mrs Oelrichs' Call.
Mrs. Ireland said In reply to a question
that she had received a call from Mrs
Oelrichs about about four weeks ago
1buiiSti dSheu WIlileSS 10 state what MIS-
Oelrichs had said on this occasion The
prosecution objected, and a search of the
record was made to show whether or not
counsel for defense had asked Mrs. Del
richs questions which the answer of the
witness would confirm or contradict. Such
questions were found and the witness was
permitted TO say that Mrs OelrichS called
on her May 16 and had asked her if she
wouldn't testify that she Mrs 1reland)
"A I..lr ,.iGr Al Shntc 1t,l
they wanted her tMrs. Oelrichs) to prove
an aubi and the people she had seen on the
day of the murder could not remember the
time.
she had cut down old skirt of her own
Tor one of the little girls and had hung it
ca Il chair before she left the house the
morning of the day of the murder, and
when she returned she could not find 1t.
Mrs. OelrichS said to the witness she
thought the murderer had used the skirt to
muffle the sounds of the screams and had
then burned the skirt. The witness was
examined infinitely by the government at
tOrneys, but her testimony was unchanged.
Witness told the district attorney that
| the street cars running past the house made
| considerable noise. but the noise she heard
and described was not that kind of noise
Mrs Brady Called to the Stand.
Mrs Mary j. Brady of No. II l street
| northeast was then placed on the stand
| Witness said she owned some property IN
! the southeast section of the city and had
| employed Warren Beall to paint it for her
| Witness was asked II Lucy Beall had not
| told her colored man had been called
| into the Oelrich house to help hang the
| curtains and had seen them burying the
| body of the murdered woman. The witness
| was not permitted to answer the question
| I or several others that were put to her by
| the defense in an effort to tmpeach the tes-
| timony of Mrs. Oerichs.
| Charles Olden, Il former friend of War
! rem Beall jr, was next called. He stated
| that Warren Beall. jr.. had told him he
| was to get $50 out of the trial of this
| case Under cross examination it was de-
| veloped that young Beall and the witness
| are not friends because of u disagreement
| over an overcoat few months ago.
Witness Recalled.
Mrs. Barbara Borcorselski was called
and was asked the questions which were
ruled out yesterday regarding the episode
| in the witness room when Mrs. Oeirichs
| Is alleged to have asked the witness to
| make certain statements. Mrs. Borcorsel-
| ski was not permitted to answer.
Mrs. Margaret Jones. niece of the de-
/ PENDANT was then placed on the stand