The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-09-17
MRS. BLAIR or TRIAL
For Killing EuSband-She Testified
That He Was Trying to Get Pls-
tol When it Went Off.

Columbia. Sept. l4.-The trial OF
Mrs. Ethel ". Blair, charged with
the murder Of her husband Conduc-
tor Blair. in this city on january II.
1907. was concluded this evening and
the case went 20 the jury at IL
o'clock tonight.
At late hour the jury had not
agreed upon verdict.
The trial of Mrs. Blair was begun
in the general sessions court here this
morning with Special Judge George
Johnstone, of Newberry, presiding.
One of the principal witnesses for the
prosecution was DR.. f. c. Knolton,
of this city. Or. Knowlton. testified
that he reached Blair's side soon af-
ter the shooting and immediately Or
dered an ambulance. Blair was plac-
ed in the vehicle and taken to sani-
tarium. On the lay the physician
testified that he told Blair that he
was dangerously wounded and that
he would probably die. Blair said,
according to the witness. that he
knew he was going to die. DR..
Knowlton then told Blair he had
better make statement. He asked
Blair who shot him and Blair said
more than once that his wife had
fired the pistol. When asked what it
was all about, DIR. Knowlton said
Blair said that they were quarrehng
about "that man. and later the wit
ness learned the man was Arms.
The prosecution had several other
witnesses but none Of them were eye
witnesses. The defense began the IN
PRODUCTION Of testimony early in the
afternoon, and the principal witness
was the defendant herself, Arms also
testified. Mrs. Blair was cool and well
collected. She made good witness.
She admitted that Blair and herself
had been quarrelling, but said about
an unpaid bill. Blair started to cross
the room for his pistol, she said, and
she rushed for the weapon and Sc
cured it. They struggled for the pos
session of the pistol and it was dis
charged. It was not until she had
thrown it out Of the room, Mrs. Blair
testified, that she learned that her
husband had been wounded. She did
not see him again.
Mrs. Blair admitted that she knew
the man Arms but denied that there
was anything criminally wrong be-
tween them. She admitted that she
did not love her husband, but merely
felt and affection for him as the
father of her children. She said he
did not support her, forced her to
keep boarding house and was in the
habit Of drinking to excess, and that
these things smothered her love for
the man.
Arms testified for the defense. He
said he was a friend of the Blair fam
lily. He denied that there was any
criminal intimacy between himself
and Mrs. Blair.
During the trial DR.. Knolton, the
principal witness for the state, was
asked a number Of hypothetical ques-
tions in cross-examination concerning
the effects Of opium on the human
mind and other drugs Of similar ma
ture. Later it was brought out by
the defense that Blair had long been
q suffer from an abdominal tumor
and that he used "collic cure" the
printed formula Of which showed
opium as an ingredient.
The principal argument for the de-
fense was made by Attorney P. Il.
Nelson, while Solicitor Zimmerman
closed for the state. Judge Johnstone
charged the jury for forty minutes. !,