Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-06-28
De COILS ARMED
WITH A KNIFE?
Claim That Will Be Made in De-
Tense of Shooting by John
w. Halves.
FEARED LIFE IN DANGER
State Rests Case and Evidence in JUS
LITIGATION of Fatal Assault Is
Commenced.

The defense in the John w. HAYES
murder trial opened its case this morn
ing after the state had rested. Halves
was placed upon the stand in his own
defense. His attorneys are attempting
to show that Halves was in fear of
Peter DeGols, and that the latter had
made threats as to what he would do
to Halves. The propounding of the
latter question caused objections from
the state and the result was that the
greater part of the day was spent in
citing legal authorities
Judge Gest was not quite convinced
as to whether or not the answering of
this question should be admitted in the
testimony because it was merely and
admittedly a matter of hearsay. Coun-
sci for the defense argued. however,
that they were making no attempt to
prove that the deceased did really
make the threats attributed to him,
but that their having been communi-
Gated to Halves made him believe that
his life was in danger.
VIII AIege Self-Defense.
Halves attorneys are trying to show
cause for the homicide on the grounds
that the defendant was laboring under
the impression that 1t was his life or
DeGols' which hung in the balance.
They also intimate that they have wit
nesses who will state that when De-
Coils started across the street toward
Halves at the time the shooting took
place that DeGols had a knife in his
hand which he flourished as he ad-
vanced and that he was making
at the time as to what he in
tended to do.
The testimony introduced thus far
has failed to show that DeGols did
have a knife, even Banks and Tillman,
who were on the stand yesterday, ad-
hitting that as far as they knew De-
Coils was unarmed when he walked
across the street in answer to the call
from Halves.
Get Nothing From witnesses.
Very little testimony of any impor-
lance for either side was secured from
the two witnesses brought upon the
stand yesterday by order OF the court.
These were Alfred Banks, step-son OF
he alleged murderer, and Ed Tillman.
Banks friend. 1t was a quarrel be-
tween Banks and Halves which pre-
sumably started the trouble between
DeGols and Halves, but Banks could |
nothing whatever concern !
ng the details. To the majority of the |
questions asked OF him his reply was, |
I don't remember" or II couldn't say"
Tillman behaved the same way on the |
stand and nothing could be got from |
either. They gave the impression, how
ever, to the spectators in the court |
room that they were doing their best
% save Halves.
May Impeach Testimony.
States Attorney L. NJ. Magill says |
hat it is within his power to impeach |
he little testimony which was secured |
rom the two He says that both men |
old clear and concise story of the |
affair both to the coroner and to the |
grand jury and that he can produce |
witnesses to prove that they have al
cred their stories since that time. He |
hardly thinks that this will be neces-
'ary as he believes that the jury will |
lttach very little Importance to their |
testimony on account of the manner
n which it had to be forced from them
md because apparently they were not
cling all that they knew.
Late this afternoon Judge Gest ruled
hat the defense could bring out the
estimony that Halves had heard of
hreats made against him by DeGols.