The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-28
STAGE PREPARED
FOR MURDER TRIAL
Mrs. Hall, Charged With Killing
Youthful Husband, Faces
Court To-Day.
MEN BETOKENS ANXIETY
Prosecution Confident of Convic-
ton, Although Evidence Is
Purely Circumstantial.
MEN BET0KENs ANXIETY
I Especial to The rimes-Dispatch. ]

Special to The Times Dispatch
Louisa Courthouse. Va. July 21.-The
stage is set In Louisa Courthouse for
murder trial that may rival in dra-
matte Intensity the already famous
nasco In Paris. or that may pass along
it's course in the tedum OF routine
Mrs. Victor Hall. who stands indicted
| for the murder of her husband early
on tho morning OF April Is in their
store at Green Spring Station. is ready
for the laws procedure against her.
and is a guest at the home OF Mrs.
Martha Gordon. aunt OF her principal
attorney. r. Lindsey Gordon. 1t is said
that her mIen betokens an anxiety Of
spirit that she bravely forebore to
show when she was arrested on the
night Of May II. and Mr.. Gordon. for
mcr legal adviser for her in all her
affairs and her present legal repre-
sentative, is less confident, II is said
in his appearance than when he sought
for and gained bail for his client.
LOUISA HOTEL CROWDED
FROM CELLAR TO ATTIC
| The Louisa Hotel is crowded from
| sarrct to parlor floor with visitors. de-
tectives and witnesses. newspaper rep
resentatives and officers Of the court.
\ larger throng will be expected 81
the little town tomorrow. when the
/ trial starts upon it's course. and Louisa
/ Courthouse viii entertain more people
/ this week than the town ever has had
! In its midst before. Judge George S
( Shackelford. who is to %,reside at the
/ trial. VIII arrive here tomorrow morn
, Ing at o'clock, and court will convene
/ two hours later. NJ j. Fulton. Of the
! law firm OF Fulton & OFlaherty, who
+ has been engaged by the county au-
/ thorities to assist commemorative At
/ torncy W. G. Bibb in the prosecution
| arrived here early this afternoon and
/ has been In frequent conferences with
3 ,~,iN 4. Z,
i him two court stenocraphers. who are
I TO relieve each other during the trial.
and two typists. The latter are al
ready enjoyed the country air. though
theirs will be hard lot after the trial
begins.
Attorney Hill Carter. who occupied
prominent part in tho famous Beattic
trial. in which he appeared with At
torne% Harry NJ. Smith Jr. for the de-
Tense. has also been engaged to aid in
the defense. and is pre- pared to come TO
the scene after the jury shall have
been selected and the trial has begun.
/ commemorative Attorney Bibb said
Tonight that hr thought at least two
! days would be taken up with selecting
/ the twelve good men and true who are
! TO decide upon the innocence or guilt
OF the accused woman Forty Venire-
I men have been summoned. Il number il
( is hoped. sufficiently large from which
Ia select jury After the jury has
been selected, Mr Eibb believes that
1t viii take ten days in which TO finish
the trial. though others believe that Il
shorter time Will he occupied in de-
termning whether Mrs. Hall be inno-
cent or guilty of the murder OF her
youthful husband.
EVIDENCE AGAINST MRS. HALL.
PURELY CIRCUMSTA NTIAI.
Evidence against Mrs Hall is pure
ly circumstantial, but if it be deity
woven into a complete fabric. il will be
diificult for her TO escape the snarcs
with which those circumstances have
beset her path II will be upon cir
cumstantial evidence alone that the
prosecution will rely for convictions
But circumstantial evidence is now
generally regarded as stronger than the
testimony of eyewitnesscs. Eyewit-
hesses may he mistaken. may disagree
or may perjure themselves But of evi-
dence that is purely circumstantial not
all the wit OF legal talent nor all the
technicalities with which the law is
made obscure can change line OF it,
1t was upon such evidence that Bcattie
was convicted, and upon such mute
testimony that Cluverius went to his
doom: Therefore. the prosecution is
confident that Mrs. Hall will be con-
victed Of Staying her husband as he
lay in bed. after he had seen the store
OF his friend and ncishbor w r.
Dunkum, burned to the ground
The defense viii not attempt to take
up ard carry the fight into the camp
OF the prosecution. 1t will attempt
only 10 negative all the incriminotin.,
circumstances which the prosecution
VIII bring 10 bear upon Mrs Hall 1t
VII! he great battle of wits for r
Lindsey Gordon and his brother. Alex
andar T.. better known as SANDY Cor
don. are regarded as the shrcwdest
lawyers In Louisa County The prosc
Cutlnn has been we'll
supplement- OF NJ. j. Fulton. who has
several times appeared in important
criminal trials.
CHttONOI.OGI OF CRIME
CHARGED AGAINST HER
The chronology of the crime with
which Mrs. Hall is charged will show.
in part. the circumstantial evidence on
which the prosecution expects To prove
the verify Of the Indictment.
On April IA. w Il. punkum's store.
Just across the road from the Hail
store. was destroyed by fire II is he
lieved to have been of inccndlary orj-
gin though no one saw a sign OF the
torch bearer. y few hours later on
! the morning of April 10 Victor Hail
was shot and killed. Mrs. Hall says
she believes he was killed by an IN
truIcr. possibly by the person who sci
the torch to punkums store. On the
same day a coroner's inquest was held
Magistrate James r.. Hester acting as
coroner. An open verdict was returned
and officers of the county began their
search fer the murderer. On Nav II
/ special grand jury summoned l,-
Judge Shackclford began an investi-
CATION and on May IL Mrs. Hall. on
advice Of her counsel. refused TO testi-
~ before the inquisitors Early on the
| morning OF May 13 the railway dcpot
at Green Springs station. in which w
X. Dunkum had stored a quantity OF
merchandise. was burned to the ground
II ha sheen said thai Mrs. Hall had
caused merchandise consigned to her
20 he removed from the depot to her
store. ON the same morning fire was
discovered in the Hall store and was
cXtinguisnrd before IL had inflicted
more than nominal damage. Mrs Hall
stated that she believed an enemy was
trying To bring her ruin.
IhN ~