Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-20
Powder Stains and Location of
Wounds on Husband Will Be
important Points.
VERDICT OF COR0NER'S
JURY TERMED HURRIED
Testimony of Few Witnesses
Expected to Free Woman of
Dakota Hotel Mystery. !:

The defense of Mrs. Catherine APP
pelbaum. woman OF mystery, accused
by grand jury Indictment of the muir
der of her husband, was outlined to-
day to The Georgian for the first time
since the woman was arrested.
The plan to free the enigmatic pTin-
cipal in the Dakota hotel mystery is
based on coroner's Jury evidence. The
plan embraces a simple theory. APP
pelbaum killed himself. SO say the
woman's lawyers. and so they Will at
tempt to prove when the case is called
for trial next week.
Colonel John W Moore. chief coun-
sci for the indicted woman. said:
"AppeIbaum killed himself In my
mind and in the mind OF at least three
witnesses before the coronsr's jury.
that fact has been established beyond
the shadow of doubt
81 have correct information to the ef-
feet that the examination of the wounds
on Appellants body by the county
! physician was most superficial The
examination Of the undershirt worn by
There we're powder stains on the holes
in the shirt. The county physician de-
clared, under oath. he found none.
Chemical analysis has proved him to
be in error. Two other witnesses who
examined thu shirt also swear that
powder stains were plainly discernible
on the garment
Alleges Only Two Wounds.
"Then comes the location of the
wounds. There were two of them-not
three. as is the general suppostion.
One entered Appellants left arm,
went through the muscle and entered
his chest. The other found fatal lodg
ment in his diaphragm. The natural
recoil of a revolver held in front Of
the body and fired twice in rapid sue
cession would produce just such
wounds. The third bullet fred when
the second had pierced a vital part.
went wild.
Now, Appellants body was found
lying on his back. In the bath room ad-
joining the bed room Had he been
shot. he would undoubtedly have stag
gered into the bath room and fallen
face downward on the thing When his
body was found his head rested near
the far end Of the room, proving con-
clusively that he could not have pos
sibIy been shot and then fallen in such
a position.
we must also take into considera-
ton the fact that the three shots were
fired something like this: Bang bang
right close together-then bang The
third shot came fully 80 seconds later,
We have two witnesses who gave tes-
timony al the coroners hearing that
they heard footsteps running down the
hall Of the hotel between the second
and third shots
I'VE have another witness, the hotel
clerk who will swear that he caught
Mrs. Appelbaum in his arms as she
swooned at the foot Of the stairs less
than so seconds from the time the sec
ond shot was fired.
Wife to Charge Suicide.
Mrs AppeIbaum will tell on the
stand how her husband shot himself
and how between the second and third
shots she fed down the hall and down
a flight of steps fainting in the arms Of
lIt Uoltl G4GI n dS she Nlcl lllIIl III llit
corridor.
our clients complete story will re-
flute any murder theory. rest assured.
1t is my plan now to nave her take the
stand and in her own way tell of her life
with Appelbaum how the man duped
her as TO his relationship with other
women, how she did not know that APP
pelbaum had been ever married before
until two months of the time he was
found dead She will tell of putting
private detectives on the trail of his
many episodes with girls and women
throughout the country. She will tell Of
how, when confronted with the facts.
Appelbaum not only threatened to kill
himself but her as well.
Not only did Appelbaum threaten his
wife but on the morning he ended his
own he pressed a gun to Mrs. Appel
baum's breast and told her that her
time had come. Mrs. Appelbaum, though
she loved this man with a womans
whole love, will not attempt to hide hi,
actions with her The man stripped
| her Of name riches and even the com
monest pleasures Of life. and when ne
found that ne had arrived at the end ~
his string, put period to his existence
with a revolver he had purchased L,
Kill. the woman whom he had biga.
mously taken for wife"