Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-07-28
Woman Charged with Kill
ing Youthful Husband
in Dock;
BETOKENS ANXIETY
Although Evidence Is Purely Cir
cumstantial. Prosecution Confident
of Conviction.

Louisa Courthouse, Va, July 2S.-
The stage is set in Louisa Court
house for a murder trial that may
rival in dramatic intensity the al
ready famous fasco in Paris, or that
may pass along its course in the
tedium of routine. Mrs. Victor Hall,
who stands indicted for the murder
of her husband early cn the morning
of April Is in their store at Green
Spring Station, is ready for the laws
procedure against her, and is guest
ut the home of Mrs. Martha Gordon,
aunt of her principal attorney, K.
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 Nav IA, and Mr.. Gordon, former
legal adviser for her in all her af-
fairs and her present legal repre-
sentative, is less confident, it is said,
in his appearance than when he
sought for and gained bail for his
client.
The Louisa Hotel yesterday was
crowded from garret to parlor floor
with visitors, detectives and WIT
nesses, newspaper representatives
and officers of the court. A larger
shrong was present in the little town
today when the trial started upon its
course, and Louisa Courthouse enter
tanned more people this Week than
the town ever has had in its midst
before. Judge George S. Shackel-
ford, who is to preside at the trial.
arrived here this morning a. )
o'clock, and court convened two hours
later. NJ. J. Fulton, of the law firm
of Fulton & O'Flaherty, WHO has been
engaged by the county authorities to
assist Commonwealth's Attorney w.
c. Bibb, in the prosecution, arrived
here yesterday afternoon, and has
been in frequent conferences with
Mr.. 'Bibb. Mr.: Fulton brought with
him two court stenographers, who
are to relieve each; other during the
trial, and two typistS.
Attorney Hill Carter, who occu-
pied a prominent; part: in the famous
Beattie trial, in which he appeared
with Attorney Harry NJ. Smith, Jr.
for the defense, has also been en-
gagged to aid in the defense, and is
prepared to come to the scene after
the jury shall have been selected and
the trial has begun.
Commonwealth's Attorney Bib
said last night that he thought at
least two days would be taken up
with selecting the twelve good mer
and true who are to decide upon the
innocence or guilt of the accused
woman Forty veniremen have beer
sumroned, number. it is hoped
sufficiently large from which to Sc
lect a jury. After the jury has peer
selected it will take. ten days in
which to finish the trial, though
Others believe that a shorter t!mt
will be occupied in. determining
whether Mrs. Hall be innocent OF
guilty of the murder of her youth
full husband.
Evidence against Mrs. Hall |:
purely circumstantial, but if it bs
deftly woven into complete taorlc
it will be difficult for her to escape
the snares with which those circum
stances have beset her path. 1t vii
be upon circumstantial evidence alon
that the prosecution will rely TO
conviction. But circumstantial evl
dence is now generally regarded a
stronger than the testimony of eye
witnesses.