The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-27
NFNDENHALL
CASE Goes
TO THE JURY
TONIGHT.
ATTORNEYS PLEAS ARE BEING
HEARD THIS AFTERNOON;
MENDENHALL TELLS OF THE
NIGHT OF THE TRAGEDY
(By Associated Press. }

Clearwater, Fla, Sept. .7.-Ef-
forts to place In the hands Of the
jury tonight the case of j. J. Men
denhall, charged with the murder Of
Mrs, Bessie Elliot and her daughter,
Susie, are being made. The State
closed it's arguments at noon and the
defense is summing up this after
noon. A night session will be held
if necessary.
State Attorney McMullen made the
first plea, and he Is to be followed
by Attorney Dickenson for the de-
fense. Judge Gordon for the State
will then be heard, Col. Tom PAIN
er. for the defense making the last
plea. Judge Reaves declares the
case must go to the Jury tonight.
Mendenhall's Testimony
The following Is the main portion
of the testimony given by Menden-
hall:
During the trip from Tampa to
MOccasin Branch, what discussion
had gone on between Miss Eliot, her
mother and yourself relative to this
financial settlement and this claim
that they were making on YOU? Mrs.
Eliot was very anxious for she and
her daughter to go to North Caro-
lima, and asked me to use my infiu-
ence with Miss Sue to get her to go,
and said that it was very necessary
that she get away for a while. And
just Immediately after leaving Tam
pa asked Sue If she wouldn't 80
with her mother and she said she
absolutely would not.
She finally agreed to go and agreed
also to leave me alone in the future
on the payment of one thousand dol
lars, and Il agreed to 1t.
Now, about how far out on the
road were you when that final
agreement was reached? We had
turned in on this old road.
WuhL 0lo VI pUSC WdS
Well, SOW, Mr.. Mendenhall, what
was your intention to do at that
time? l intended to drive a little
ways up this road and have the
driver turn around and come back
there so that | could get home as
soon as possible. knew Mr.. Ham
mock would be waiting there for me.
Now, just what occurred in that
car just after this agreement for
for one thousand dollars
was made between you and Miss
Susie Eliot? After we had gone
about quarter of a mile on this
road 4 asked Stemple to drive slower,
because the road was very rough,
and he slowed the car little bit.
Did you tell Guy Stemple your
reason when you asked him that?
Yes, sir. | said it was too rough.
told him that there was no neces-
sity of driving SO fast. And soon af-
Ter this Mrs. Eliot had noticed this
bottle of beer or this package-she
iidn't know what 1t was-and she
picked it up and said: What is
.his?" And Sue said:
ut is a bottle of beer. Didn't you
know J j. had taken to hard
And she said; What? j. j., you
ion't drink. do you?"
And I said, NO, not at all. She
iaid
Did you get this for Susie?" And
said, yes" And she said:
II told you il you ever told my
mother anything else | would kill
you," and she said: 'T am tired of
his and am going to end it all :"
The Tragic Moment
And she got up in this position
the witness stood up and indicat-
ID. My arm was on the back of the
eat, and | noticed that she had TAX
N something out of my pocket.
lad my revolver in this coat pocket.
And put my arms around her like
his (witness indicating; and about
hat time there was a bottle crashed;
his bottle of beer, | suppose do
ot know what made it-and imme-
lately after that Stempel stopped
is car, and when he got out of the
ar he says: y. j., what is the
natter?" and | said: 81 am defend
ng my life, Guy" I said, "'help me
ct this gun. And just at that time
he gun went off, some three or four
ines And Miss Eliot dropped back
n the car, and the revolver fell out
I Guys feet. Mrs Eliot said: "Sue,
re you hurt?" and she didn't make
ny reply, and when she didn't reply
supposed she fainted-she fell
own in the car. got out Of the car,
nd Guy said:
81. j.. what will we do?"
l said:
I'VE will have to go to Tampa as
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