Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-05-30
PROSECUTION WILL
TRY TO PROVE NNNEs !
KILLED NELMS GIRLS
Dorsey Points to Sausage Min
and Declares That Bodies
Were Ground UP in
II -

That the prosecution of Victor Elmore
Innes will attempt to prove that he
murdered Mrs Lois helms Dennis and
| her sister, Beatrice helms. and ground
| their bodies up in enormous sausage
| mill, was announced by Solicitor Hugh
| NJ. Dorsey Monday morning, when Innes
went on trial before Judge Benjamin
| II. Hill in the superior court on the
charge of larceny after trust of $4,000
from Mrs. Dennis, whose disappearance
a year ago with her sister is still an
unsolved mystery.
Pointing to the sausage grinder as it
lay on the stenographers desk in the
| court room, Solicitor Dorsey said:
/ THE state intends to prove that the
| bones of these girls were ground up in
that thingI that Innes had two of them
| purchased in San Antonio and one of
| them, greasy with the bones, was put in
a box and shipped to Portland, where il
was sent around to different addressestH
The testimony which Solicitor dorsey
was seeking to introduce at this time
was ruled out by Judge Hill. but twice
during the mornings session the solicit
| tor reiterated his statement that the
| prosecution will attempt to prove MUIR
| der as we'll as larceny.
The trial of Innes, which win be held
lseparately from that of his wife. Mrs.
Ida May Innes, jointly indicted with
him on the larceny charge. began
shortly before noon Monday after a
Jury had been selected in short order. ~
The courtroom was thronged. Many
women were among those present. Peoz
Iple were crushed around the doors, but
as it became evident that only those
would be admitted who could obtain
seats, the crowd outside gradually
diminished.
| There were witnesses present who had
been summoned from nearly every part
of the continent, some from Portland,
Ore, others from Texas, one or two
from the east. The throng in the court
room was orderly, although the interest
became intense when Solicitor Dorsey
sprung his sensational announcement OF
the states intentions.
The Illnesses arrived in court at 9
O'Clock. Soon after the selection of the
Jury started. Four panels were ex-
Ihausted and a fifth organized before the
twelve men had been selected. This was
at 11:15 O'Clock. The court recessed
for fifteen minutes and then the trial
of Innes began.
Innes wife was with him in the
court room as a spectator. She wore
| black suit and heavy black veil. She
| sat at the table with her husband, hts
| sister. Mrs. Mary Sinclair, and their
counsel, Judge ]. K. Hines, Judge John
/ .. CdnQler, COlOnel Z. L. ReLIlgreW ana
| Captain A. w. Gambler.
| With Solicitor Dorsey is associated
Attorney Reuben r. Arnold, retained by
Mrs. John w. helms, and Attorney Hen
ry Bellingrath. Marshall helms, brother
of the missing helms girls. was also at
the prosecutions table.
| When court opened, Judge Hines an
nounced that the defense was ready and
Solicitor Dorsey announced that the
tafa Nv he aicytf 0fFo to
the defense handwriting evidence which
the law required him to produce before
the trial. Judge Hill stated that he
must announce either ready or mot
ready and the solicitor, after some
hesitation, said he was ready.
Four panels of twelve veniremen each
were organized after several citizens
who had been summoned were excused
on one ground or another.
JUROR HAS SOME EXCUSE.
| 7. n. Martin offered a unique excuse
| He said that he was the victim of pei
lagra and that If he had to sit in the
jury box he would go to sleep. Judge
Hill accepted this excuse as legal
After the organization of the four
panels, Judge Hines announced that the
defense would have the prisoners tried
separately. Solicitor Dorsey elected to
place Victor Elmore lines on trial first
Judge John S. Gambler then introduce
ed a demurrer for the defense to the
Indictment on which the prisoners are
to be tried. This indictment charges
the Illnesses with the larceny after trust
on or about May 20, 1914, Of $3,745.50
from Mrs. Elois helms Dennis. The in
dictment recites series of dates on
which the larceny is alleged to have been
committed.
The demurrer of the defense asked
that the indictment be quashed on the
ground that the series of dates should
not be grouped as one but required sep
arate counts, and that the indictment did
not state by whom the amount was en-
trusted.
Judge Hill at once overruled the de-
murrer.
n A slight skirnish in the proceedings
occurred here over the handwriting evil
dence of the state. Judge Hines asked
that it be submitted to counsel for the
defense for consideration at their lei
sure. He stated that counsel would
give receipts for the evidence and would
insure its good keeping. Solicitor Dor
sey objected to this. but Judge Hill
stated that there should be no trouble
about this point and ordered that the Sc
lection of the jury proceed.
Nine jurymen had been selected when
the fourth panel was exhausted. A fifth
panel was quickly organized and from II
the last three Jurymen We're picked
themselves on the ground of cause
stating they were biased for or against
the prisoner Henry H. Cabaniss,
prominent Albanian. was excused whan
he stated that he was a member OF the
federal grand jury which returned bill
of indictment against Innes for using
the United States malls to defraud. =
The completed jury includes chick
en- fancier, a gas filter, railroad clerk,
an electrician. a travelling salesman,
grocer, proprietor of a meat market
manager of a restaurant, a carpenter
and a motorman. The twelve jurors are
as follows:
c. H. Ledford of 3S Sells avenue, en-
ploye of the Columbian Book company
and a we'll known chicken fancier. mar
ried.
L. A Harrison. of 81 Pickert street,
a gas filter for the Atlanta Gas COM
pany, 40 years old.
E. D. Astin, of 20 Hill street, clerk
for the Western and Atlantic railroad.
w r. Bloss, of College Park, an cleo
trician for the Western Electric CON-
pany, rs years old.
z. L. Kerrison, of 167 Forrest avenue,
a travelling salesman for the Dobbs and
Wey company.
H. S. Hammer, 123 Crew street, clerk