Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-06-02
JUDGE HILL AGAIN
ENFORCES RULING ON
MURDER TESTIMONY
Effort of Solicitor Dorsey to
Inject Question of Mrs, Den
mis- Clothes, Is Promptly
0verIUIed


that no evidence tending to show that
Victor E lines and his wife killed
Beatrice helms and Mrs. Elois Nelms
dennis in San Antonio, Tex, shall De
introduced by the state into the trlal
OF the Illnesses on a charge of larceny
of Mrs. Dennis's money
In the course of the trial Thursday
morning solicitor Dorsey undertook TO
get from Mrs John W. helms. the
mother OF the missing girls. while she
was on the witness stand. a description
Of night gowns taken by Mrs. Dennis
when she left Atlanta. When the de-
tense objected 10 the question, solicitor
Dorsey stated that ne was prepared TO
prove that Mrs Victor +. lines. when
extradited from Texas. brought back TO
Atlanta in her trunk. one Of the identl-
cal night gowns that left atlanta IN
Mrs. Dennis trunk
Judge Hill very promptly ruled out
the question. declaring il was included
in his previous ruling on the homicide
feature OF the case and therefore could
not Re allowed He remarked that coun-
sell for the state must keep within
the bounds OF the ruling
Further light on the movements OF
Innes ana his wife in Atlanta in the
spring OF 1914 was obtained by Solicitor
Dorsey from a number Of Witnesses ex-
amineI Thursday morning. n. H. Kirk
patricz. who was cashier Of the West
End bank in 1914. testified that Mrs.
Dennis came 10 the bank with n woman
resembling Mrs lines. and got check
cashed for sI.0s6 and save all the
money 10 the woman except SSs- DR..
H NJ 6 Adams testified that lnnes and
his wife came 20 his Office and gave the
name OF Mr.. and Mrs. willie" Maria
Jackson. negro cook in the Nelms
home. said Mrs lines came there under
the name OF Mrs. Margaret Minis and
ate dinner
II was stated. when court adjourned
for tine dav at = O'Clock Thursday aft
ernoon. that Solicitor Dorsey had in
troduced about half of his witnesses,
and that at the present rate he prob
ably would not be through presenting
Saturday afternoon. This would throw
the defense 10 begin presenting its case
Monday morning.
MRS NELMS' STORY.
When the trial OF Victor E. lines
and his wife on change Of larceny
after trust In connection with the mys-
.erious disappearance OF the helms sis
tiers was resumed at 2 O'Clock Thurs
CAV morning IN Judge Ben Hills divi-
sion OF Fulton superior court. Mrs.
John ". helms. the mother Of the miss
ing girls Beatrice helms and Mrs. Lois
helms Dennis. continued with her story
Of the relations between lines and Mrs.
Dennis.
Within thirty minutes Mrs. helms had
completed her testimony under direct
examination by Solicitor Dorsey. and
Eer cross-examinstion by Judge J.. X
Hines OF counsel for the defense, was
very brief.
The next witness then called by the
solicitor was Maria Jackson cOlOred
servant in the Nelms' home, who testi-
fed concerning the movements OF the
sc-called Mrs Margaret Minis, which
was the name under which Mrs. Innes
= said 70 have operated i'm Atlanta.
CLASH OVER DIAMOND
The rst question asked Mrs.
helms ny solicitor Dorsey. when the
trial recommend at o'clock. was this:
Did Lois have any diamonds when
she went out west2'
The defense objected before Mrs
helms could answer the question. and
Attorney Arnold. for the state. made the
following statement IT. ar effort to show
that the question was relevant:
We are prepared. Your Honor. to
show that when this girl went west she
had a large diamond. that Innes got it,
and tEst after she returned she got
Il hack from him. but that when lines
and his wife were in Atlanta they got
70 her son, VINO kept il until they got to
oregon. when she took il and tried to
swap il fer an automobile. We contend
that II is relevant because IL shows this
spiracy TO strip this woman OF every
thing she had They had good thing
and they were Fleeing her"
Judge Hill instructed the jury TO dis
regard the attorneys statement, and
ruled out the question.
Mrs Nelms identified a telegram sent
b. Il CressweiT' on May Is, 1914. TO
POstoffice Box I27S. san Antsnio. Tex.
saying
can't understand why auntie has not
written Worried
This telegram. Mrs. helms testified.
vas sent by Mrs Dennis. and the name
L. CresswelI' was name which lines
had instructed her 10 use.
She also Identified A letter written to
her by Beatric helms after the departure
OF the girls 10 the west
JURY LEAVES COURT ROOM
Solicitor Dorsey asked Mrs. helms to
describe the clothing that Mrs Dennis
took away with her. This question pre-
Cipitated another legal skirmish, during
which the jury were taken from the
court room. Solicitor Dorsey said.
a week after the girls were last seen
at go wilkins street, san Antonio, Mrs
lines left Deviue Tex. and wrote back
=
that she had just purchased 2 lot Of fan
cy night gowns which she described
and her description talIies exactly with
the description given by. Mrs helms OF
the night gowns bought in Atlanta by
Mrs. Dennis. and csTried"with her as :
mart Of her trousseau. We are further
going to show that Mrs Tnnes went TO a
sTressmaker WITH Mrs Dennis. in Allan
a. when these goods were ordered. and
80 are going 10 further show that when
T~-es and his wife were finally brought
10 Atlanta. after fighting extradition for
eighteen months. Mrs Innes had in her
trunk one OF the identical night gowns
taken away from here By Mrs. Dennis %
Judge Hill said The court has ruled
out all testimony on the himicide theory.
The court relies on the sincerity and
good faith Of counsel 10 keep within the
bounds Of its ruling, and the court viii
see that they do keep within the bounds.
This testimony is included in my
ruling. and is therefore excluded. / will
permit only testimony TO show that Mrs.
Innes passed herself off in Atlanta as
Mrs Margaret Minis
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g Additional Illnesses Trial News =
e Will he found or page two of this 3
. issue.
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