The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-31
DAMAGING STORY
TOLD BY WITNESS
Mrs. Hall Asked Miss Rosson to
Tell Grand Jury Nothing
discriminating.
FIRST SENSATION OF TRIAL
Richmond Man Deals Blow to
Defense With Statement
About Pistol.
FIRST SENSATION OF TRIAL
Especial to The Times Dispatch. /

ADOut flStOl.
Special to The Times Dispatch.
Louisa, Va. July 3o-itid OF the
witnesses they believe TO be partial to
the accused woman. attorneys for the
prosecution in the trial of Mrs. Eliza
beth A Hall. under indictment for the
murder OF her husband. began s'a!
connecting the links in the chain Of
circumstances with which they cXnect
TO cnmcsh Airs. Hall and establish her
guilt. and when court adjourned this
afternoon. shortly before > O'clock, thcy
had !: was generally admitted. carried
the light well into the lines Of the
defense
II MAS testified on tho stand that
"irs. Hal. had approached Miss Mamie
Hosson just before she appeared be
fore the grand jury summoned TO In
rcstiSate the crime, and that she asked
Miss Rosson not TO tell anything that
WoIin place the guilt upon her II
vas testified by Charles Johnston. OF
iic East Clay street, Rich.nond.
Young man who had been paying atten-
'ion TO Miss Elsie Wood that Oh April
8. u:no days before tho murder he cN-
aiuincd Victor Hairs revolver and
found that every chamber was loaded.
Miss Wood had testified previously that
she fired that pistol about a month
before Victor Hall WAS murdered, and
tina; she left the empty cartridge un
der the hammer.
DiD Not HEIIEVE THAT
Dt Nt<IM KILLED HUSBAND
J. vas testified by Mrs. W. X. Dun
KUN that Mrs Hall told her that she
did not belize" that Duukum killed her
hus,nd. ANA that she Knew she was
snsuccted Of Staging her consort so
that she could get Bill Roberts .IohI,
.iohuson, VINO saddlcd his horse and
rode 10 Green Spring As soon he
beard of the murder. swore that he had
known Victor Iiali all his life. that he
was OF a pcaceablc disposition. and,
80 Gar as he knew. had no enemies Hc
said that he noticed no change III Mrs.
HALLS usual manner when he spoke to
her after the murder. and that the
fr:t thing shc told MIN upon his az
rival was that Dunkums store had
beci burned
Drs Harry W Porter and Thomas
Vi Taylor VINO performed the autopsy
on Victor iall's BODY. stated on the
stand that he died from the effects ot
tho bullet wound. one comforting ray
"f hope was snatched from their cvi-
dencc by tn de'ensc Both physicians
said that they Saw - swollen bruise
over Victor's left eye. and that it
could have been Indicted by either g.
blow or Il fall. The defense IS pre-
pairing To prove that Victor Hall was
either struck in the face before he
was shot or that he was shot from be
hind as he turned from his assail-
ant nj the door, and fell face down
wards as he staggered away.
NJ. J. Fulton. OF counsel foT tho
prosecutions startled court and spocta-
toIS when nc turned ,.uddcnly TO W.
y. bunkum. under redirect cXainina-
tion, and asked HIM II hc' had killed
Victor Hall
no" tho witness replied with quick
emphasis. ana before this line OF ques-
aI "a
ed by the court.
when he was asked ~ describe the
nature OF Victor lialrs death wound
pr. Porter took from a small satchcl a
human Skull, ana shudde" swept
through the room. The Jurors leaned
forward TO look at fhe .,ruesome object
and spectators IN the courtroom crancJ
their necks nearly out of joint they
watched the physician deity handle
,he easily relic.
ACCUSED WOMAN SHOWS
NO STRAIN AT HEART
Through IL all. the accused woman
maintained her compoSurc, not AN eve
lash duivcrinr % show that there was
strain about her h"art. only Mrs y
W. Hall mo,hcr OF the murdered man.
covered her face. Except in the warm
greetings OF her family, Mrs. Hall has
ncen absolutely without apparent emo
tion. Frequently HOW she consultS with
her attorneys and prompts them in
their cross s-eXauiination OF the Wit
ncsses, combining her sharp intclli-
yencc and personal knowledge Of The
witnesses with the tiained acutcness
OF her lawyers. She started inSlstently
1T the two Dunkums, man and wife
but without result, FOR neither bent
their eyes upon the woman at the bar
The case progressed more rapidly
to-day, though there is little prospect
OF the trial being finished before the
middle Of nest week. Eight witnesses
were examined. but John Johnson one
OF the eight, Will he replaced upon the
stand tomorrow morning, after the
attorneys have argued upon the :d-
lnissibility OF evidence concerning The
incendiary fires at Green Spring sta
tion. BY means OF this evidence the
prosecution may attempt To establish
a possible motive for the murder OF
Victor Hall. though establishment Of a
motive is not absolutely required
Proof of motive would. however
greatly strengthen the prosecution. and
lack of il will be OF material benefit
to the defense.
INTEREST IN CASE
REMAINS UNABAJE:D
Interest in the case remains uu-
abated. and at both sessions of the
court the room was so crowded that
many had to stand. Noticeable among
the spectators arc many women some
OF whom are summer visitors in Louisa
The trial affords them an exciting
change in the dull routine of pleasing
ones self through the long and un-
eventful days. And they make a
brave showing with their city made
dresses as contrasted with the giurham
and CALICO Of their rural sisters, and a
pleasing prospect to the gay young
Sallants of the country side
The jurors are taking their semio on
finem"nt philophsically. They have. as
1T were. grhndstand seats at the most
Sensational trial in the history OF
Louisa. They get three square meals
day and at night they have the un
usual pleasure Of watching the sum.
ner visitors tangoing and hcsItatinc
on z platform rooted by the stars n
is not every jury which has the op-
portunity oc watching some spritcIv