The Washington times., 1913-11-26
FISHER PROSECUTION
OPENED BY STATE
Continued from First Page

continued from First Pa2e.D
Fisher moved TO Falls Church and back
with them
Here Judge Peter. presiding in the
case. Interrupted with the statement
that by agreement between counsel In
the presence OF the court before the
case started. the opening statement
was to be confined to the occurrences of
lhat he was not presuming to say what
The decision of the court would be, Mr..
Spates said that he was presenting his
statement at the discretion of the court.
Calls For Witnesses.
Judge Peters repeated the agreement
and Mr.. Spates concluded. The de-
Tense reserved its statement and the
judge called for witnesses. Clifford
l. Howard, sheriff, was called, but the
defense objected to his testimony on the
technical ground that the prosecution
was trying to present statement of
the crime before giving evidence OF the
crime.
States Attorney Spates countered
that he was waiting on witnesses and
had put the sheriff on to save time.
He was overruled, and called Lewis
Turner, jr., the neighbor of the Altdor-
fers, who was the only outsider in the
house immedia Uely before the tragedy.
Judges Peters and Worthington re-
peated they asked for expedition and
the elimination of useless delays. When
Turner was called, Miss Reeves, Mrs.
Sltdorfer and other witnesses were ex-
cluded from the room at the request
of counsel for the State.
Attorney John Garrett took up the
examination of Turner. Turner testi-
fed to call for help from Miss Reeves,
to get Altdorfer in the house. He
told Of taking him in and in response
10 questions said that he had to carry
him, that Altdorfer was intoxicated
and unable to assist. and he carried
him bodily. While being carried in
Altdorfer made several remarks, but
only one was coherent. he said. This
vNS a direction in the hall of the house
TO take him to the left, meaning the
room on the left Of the kall.
Undress Altdorfer.
On further questioning. it was
brought out that Turner and Miss
Reeves partially undressed Altdorfer,
taking off his coat, collar and shirt 1t
OF an eye glass clasp.
At this point Turner testified:
II asked Miss Reeves to leave the
room. explaining that I thought l
clothes. / took off his trousers and
stockings, but could not find his night
shirt"
Judge interrupts.
Judge Peter interrupted repetition of
statements as to Altdorfer's condition.
One of the strongest points for the de-
feuse was scored when Turner testified
that he went to the Altdorfer house at
Miss Reeves request, and peering
through the window, saw Fisher kneel-
ing beside Altdorfer, who was In a near
ly PROSTATE position.
Turner said he heard Fisher say,
Forget IL, forget il, it will be alright"
The witness said Altdorfer replied,
"pn get you for this, Bill" Miss Reeves
was present at the time Turner said,
and believing he was no longer needed,
Turner returned home
Reeves hastened to his house and, call
had killed Altdorfer. Fisher himself
appeared at the Turner home at that
moment and said to the witness: "Oh,
my God. Turner, go over and see IL l
have killed Altdorfer. He had me by
the throat, and had to do it. If I
have killed him, ] did it In self-defense."
No Trace of Confinement.
Fisher was brought into court this
morning when the first panel Of petit
jurors was examined. He was delivered
into the custody of his counsel and sat
between them-Thcmas Dawson and
Arthur Peter-throughout the day. He
was neatly dressed in dark gray
iHecds. and shows no trace of recent
confinement in a prison cell.
When Fisher entered the room he