The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-04

Johnston. and Mr.. Fulton charged him
with threatening Johnston.
why did YOU question him like
that"
II wanted to find out tho truth"
Did you tell the defense about this
conversation
Yes
Shortly after IL occurred"
He said that counsel for the defense
had approached him and said that
Johnston was going to say that the
Hall pistol was fully loaded. and that
he told Mr.. Gordon that Johnston had
told him that the pistol was not loaded
all around.
j. w. Flanagan came next to the
stand.
Did YOU have any conversation with
Johnston about the Hall pistol?" asked
Mr.. Gordon.
81 asked him what he knew about
the pistol. and lie said, I don't know a
- thing about it. don't know
whether ii WAS loaded or not"
lie was not cross examined.
Miss Elsie Wood was called
What examination did Mr.. Johnston
make of the Hall pistol?'
lie picked up the pistol and ran
! out on the porch, and I said. Put it
down. it's loaded didn't tell him II
was loaded all around lie put it back
in the bureau drawer, and ] did not
SEQ him break it,"
COULDN'T SWEAR PISTOL.
WAS FULLY LOADED
when he came here as IL witness
| asked hin: what lie knew, and he said
ho didn't know anything: that he
couldn't swear that tho pistol was fully
loaded heard him make that state
inent twice" She was subjected To but
few questions on cross-examination.
Charles Il. Hester was called. lie
WAS a member of the coroncr's Jury
! q
body, and is a brother of Magistrate
| Hester.
He said that the pistol WAS cleaner
than when he had first seen it.
Il examined the barrel of the pistol
| then. and found Il whitish cast inside
| scraped it with my knife and found
it dry inside"
Did you examine the exploded
| SHELF"
Yes. it was a dry. greensh color. as
| IT IL had hccn fired some time. There
was moisture in the cylinder"
Did you smell any scent about it?'
mo, sir"
On oss-eXamination. Witness said
he owned 4 Colt "A. which he fred
once or twice Il year. He said ,hat he
had never noticed the effect Of dis
charging pistol four or five hours ar-
ter 1t had been fired.
DO YOU know the different effects in
the appearance of black powder and
No" He said he had used only
black powder. lie had never seen
Smokeless powder used in IS calibrc
pistol.
james F.. Hester. magistrate and tho
coroner who presided over the Hall in
quest followed
lie examined the pistol carefully.
snapped IL several times. and said IL
was the same he had seen at the cor
oners inquest lie said that the wea-
non was in the same condition as at
the inquest His predecessor on tho
stand had said it was cleaner. lie said
that the inside of the exploded shell
looked dark to him.
What was your conclusion?
My conclusion was that it had not
pccn hrcd FOR month. and that il had
nothing to do with the case Nothing
was said about the gun at the inuucs, -
Mr. Hester was n very willing witness
for the defense.
is there any lubricant on the bull
| ict|' asked Mr.. Gordon.
Witness examined the bullet and
said. Yes. Hester said that Mr. Bibb
also stated at the inquest that the pis
tol looked as If it had not been fired
In month, and this was placed In
the record by Attorney Hill Carter
The commonwealth objected. and the
court ruled with the Commonwealth
TO which the defense excepted
Hester did not know the general CT
feet on the inside of the she'll of ex.
ploded cartridges.
What is the difference" asked Mr.
Gordon, between pistol that has
been fired and one that has not beer
trcd?"
The barrel OF the one that has beer
fired looks damp inside, while the bar
rel of the other looks dry and clean
w. j. Roberts was then called. Hc
has been a loyal friend of Mrs. Hall
What Kind of acquaintance did vol
have with Mrs. Hall before the deatl
of her husband?'
Very slight. l think | was In he,
company once"
lie was asked about ordering CHS.
holm TO bury Nictor's clothes
The clothes became very bloody dur.
Ing the autopsy, and after the coroner
told us the autopsy was finished. we
thought it best to bury the clothes