The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-06-25

Henry Willis, charged with the muir
der of his wife, took the stand Tuesda!
morning in his own behalf and foI
two hours and thirty-seven minutes
related the details of the Mt. Pleas
ant tragedy, leading at last up TO the
shooting, upon which he briefly
dwelled, and was then turned over tc
the state for cross-examination. The
testimony was comprehensive in its
scope, beginning with the migration
of the Willis family, which the wit
ness said was due to his wife's dis
contentment, passing through all the
phrases of aroused jealousy, culmi.
mating at last in the murder of the
woman Willis swore he loved, and
then the attempt at suicide.
When Willis took the stand at 3
o'clock this morning he was a trife
nervous. His hands twitched slightly
and frequently found their way to his
mouth His voice was calm and his
expression changeless. Only occa-
sionally the blood would mount TO his
face and linger there. Otherwise
there was little to indicate that the
story which fell from his lips was OF
more than passing moment to him.
While he talked his two little girls
sat with relatives beneath his gaze,
and but a few feet further away were
the mother and other relatives Of the
woman whom he had slain.
Attorney ]. c. VOORHEES, examined
the witness. He first asked him TO
tell the various moves which his fam
lily had made. This the witness did.
Married twelve years ago the witness
said that he had lived in Memphis
twice, had lived in Columbia, Mt.
Pleasant, Ashwood and number OF
other places. He declared that his
wife had refused to live at Ashwood
and other places, had caused many
disturbances" and that he had been
unable to maintain any permanent
home on account of her constant nag
ging. MY wife was never salts
fed" he said, and this statement was
repeated a number of times, as the
various moves we're recounted.
Regarding his treatment OF his wife
Willis said: Il treated her as well
as ! cCIld. ! was just as kind and
good to her as l could be-" The
witness then stated that his wife had
not always reciprocated this kind
ness-that she had often left him to
come home from tired days work
to prepare his own meals, that ne
frequently cooked his own breakfast
when going to work, that she mad
uuarreled with him, had locked him
out of his home when returning late,
and in many other ways had failed
to come up to his ideals of dutiful
spouse. He related one incident oc-
curing at Ashwood. Returning late
at night from a fishing trip his wife
had locked him out and compelled
him to sleep in an ante room,
Taking up the testimony of Mrs,
Wood the witness denied it in toto so
far as it related to the cruel treatment
of his wife. He denied that he had
shot at her, had threatened her life,
had ierked her from the bed and |
abused her. He testified that he had |
frequently seen Mrs. Woods divorced
husband at her house. This testi-
mony was objected to and the objec-
ton sustained.
The witness related the causes that
had led him to doubt his wife's chas-
tity He declared that he had seen
Mrs. Willis, Miss Massey and Mrs,
Wood locked in the room with
young man, and that he had been re-
fused admittance, He said that they
had used uncouth language in their
and had talked on vulgar
subjects. On Jnls OccdsIon Wine
said that he knocked on the door and
Mrs. Wood had said: III you want
% see me come back tomorrow" He
lad then called for the police over
he telephone. Had asked for I'd
Green, but Oficers Stages and Ian
,aster had responded. He got I
hem to enter the house. Had been
very reluctant to tell them of the l
rouble and had hesitated sometime
rhe officers had later in the night
the witness and found that q
lie had no gun. II
But the most interesting feature OF |
he testimony was the introduction v
# a letter written Mrs. Willis just !
rior to the killing. This letter was 1
ERECTED to Minnie Hood" The wit v