The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-30
MRS. HALL BEGINS
BATTLE FOR LIFE
Enters Upon Her Formal Trial
on Charge of Numbering
Husband.
TWO WITNESSES EXAMINED
Father of Slain Man and Teacher
Give Evidence Favorable
to Accused
TWO WITNESSES EXAMINED

i'pulsd \ 81 July - w mite OF lHrc.
but stcrn OF heart, Mrs. Elizabeth y.
Hall, charged with the murder OF her
husband. Victor X. Hall on the dark
morning OF April -, entered to-day
upon her formal trial Beside her sat
Il lawyer whose face was whittier than
her own. Y. Lindsay Gordon is work
ing with untiring effort TO save his
client from strain OF guilt. and heavy
lines are craven about his lips Next
10 him are seated his brother. AlcXan-
hcr /. Gordon. upon whom hc often
rests, and lin Carter, the noted at
tprncE Of Richmond Opposite them
are CONFERENCE.-The Attorney w. {.
Iiibb and NJ. j. Fulton. OF the Rich
mond law nrm OF Fulton. OFlahetty
and BYRD. Mrs Hall sits between.
sterling Hall brother OF the dead man,
Site with the prosecution. while his
father and mother give their support
10 the accused. 1t is strange ease.
Ties Of blood arc wiped out and for
gotten, and shelter is given 10 q lately
alien head Ana caiin"st among them
All IS the woman whose life OF liberty
the law may declare forfeit
With a fow strokes OF his pen. M,
Gordon decided this morning who
should be the twelve men TO determine
the fate OF Mrs. Hall From tho tenta-
tive list he struck out 4. J.. Woolfolk.
DsV;u &. Swift. Il. =. Crawford and
y. J. Peasants. leaving AZ the jury, ".
4 Hitter, 5. &. Woodsou. Julian Jacobs.
G. W Isbell VI Il. Nuckolls, o. & Kcan.
G. = Winston. l.. L. Riddell. W. ..
Massie. G. V. Jackson. J. l.. Profit and
W NJ BIckle:. The jurymen we're Inn
Ipcdiutely Nworn and tho trial formal
Is logan. Again Mrs Hall was forced
10 listen 10 the Indictment, aud again
she passed through thc ordeal without
q, t;emor.
OPENING STATEMENT
DELi!EnED HY nInH
Commouwealtn's Attorney Bib de
livercd the opening statement FOR the
prosecution, declaring that 1t viii APP
pear from the evidence that all the cir
ouins;auccs OF tho crime taken to-
ecthcg AMI as q whole Will place the
guut upon Mrs. Hall H. Lindsay Cor
don replied, ana hc stated that not only
"OEld all the evidence pa consistent
win his clients iunoceac". but-that IL
would go further and prove that limo
c"rcc. He spohc gently and softly. as
one Whd addresses friendly cars Tie
iiad and held an attention wholly un-
divided. and all the courtroom listened.
re WAS sorrowfUl rather than accusing.
!'ruu his lips fell no criticism OF those
whose suspicion <atIlll rests upon Mrs
Hall. He appealed rather for consiG
cratton OF all The circumstances sur
rounding Tile crime, circumstances
whirh. hc says. VIII prove the limo
ccncc OF the whitc!accd woman whc
sat beside him.
The courthouse was packed 10 DAY
with - crowd larger than any OF those
.vhj-l! nave been seen here before Poo
Me from Tie countryside uotorcd.
drove and walked 10 the courthouse
tbia morning, aud al IN early hour
every scat WAS taken.
There was q rush 10 catch glimpse
oc Mrs Hall when she entered as the
bell iolled the opening hour of court
S.tN. lor the deep palior oVcrsprcadiu,y
i,t e. W, tf..S 81
widows weeds she wore. she appeared
calm She greeted several friends with
a smile, and when court adjourned Tor
dinner kissed her two sisters al
tco;iouatcly Her sisters married the
brothers Lestraw. o. Amelia County,
and both appeared here this morning
Tor tho first time. when court adj
iourncd for the day Mrs. Hall came up
- The newspaper representatives and
asked them TO give her Il square deal
she smiled -, she made the rcuust. and
She vas without reproach
Oa!y two witnesses were examined
to-day--N W. Hail ana Miss Elsie
Wood. Both are really witnesses foi
the defense and their examination by
;hc CONFERENCE.-THE was more or less
pcriuuctory. Their evidence was ia
orabIc TO Mrs. Hall 1t is said, how
.vcr. that witnesses will bc put on
later to rcfutc some OF the statements
made to-day.
DEFENSE sTRII<ES OFF
NAMES or THREE JURYMEN
Immediately AFTER Judge Shackcltord
called count to order, X Lindsay Cor
don; of counsel ioi tie defense handed
slip OF paper 10 the sheriff and the
names of three lurymcn We're stricken
from The list Of the sixteen jury men
tentatively chosen 70 try Mrs. Han;
not guilty to the charge OF murder.
stood again TO hear the long-drawn- cut
indie nent. and Clerk Porter described
u
which She could be convicted Under
tho new statute, Il person convicted OF
hrSt-dcgFec murder may be made TO
suffer the extreme penalty or be con-
fined in the pcnitcntiary for life. For
SECOND degree murder the person con-
Nictcd must serve not less than five
son. Mr. Fulton called attention to
the new law, under which the cues
ton Of elcctrocution OF Imprisonment
IS LETT 10 the discretion OF the jury;
All the witnesses. except y. W. and
Mrs. y. w. Hall ana Mrs. Halls two
daughters. Bessie and Mamie Dunkum.
were excluded from the courtroom. and
Commonwcalth's Attorney w. c. Bibb
logan his opening statement.
must consider the life or liberty of
the prisoner on the one hand and the
yiindication OF the law on the other.
10 read the indictment ana said that
he expected to show beyond Il rca-
Sonable doubt that Mrs. Hall committed
the crime with whicu shc is charged.
by ciHcumstantiol evidence so true and
so painted that IL viii leave no shadow
OF doubt IN your minds as To the Guilt
of the prisoner. ] call attention to the
fact that all the Commonwealth is re-
puired TO do IL to eliminate every pos
Sibie doubt that the accused did NOT
commit the murder"
He exhibited plan Of tho Hall store
and promises: and said that he expect :
ed 10 show from the evidence Thai on
the morning of April IL Mrs. Hall and
victor Hall We're the only persons on
the lower iioor OF the store: that il will
appear from the evidence that the front
door Was locked AT the time of the
Staying and when Victor Hall was
killed he and his wife were the ONLY
occupants OF their room. lie said that
me prosecution expected to prove that
Hall was killed with Il 3S-calibre bull
let and that a pistol of corresponding
Continued OF, Third rageD
$i5-NLaGARh FALLS AND RETURN-sl5
Via York River, Chcsapoa%c Bay snd Bal