Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-11-28
MRS. OVERTOV TAKES
STAND IN DEFENSE
OF ACCUSED HUSBAND
Wife of Ex-COurt Clerk Says
He Came Home on Morning
of June IS With Head and
Hands Badly Cut
CBy Associated Press.

A&NoLAAAE4
HUNTSVILLE. Ala. Nov. 25-Testi-
mony was concluded today in the trial
OF David ID. Overton. former Madison
county circuit court clerk. charged with
the murder OF Judge William T Law
Ter, a political opponent, last June Ar
guments OF attorneys will be heard
Monday and il is expected the case Will
20 to the jury that afternoon
Mrs. D. y. OvertOn. wife OF the pris-
ouer. was the principal witness for the
defense today. and was followed by
Mrs. Robert Philips and Thomas Law
Ter. introduced by the state i'm rebuttal--
Mrs. Oyerton said OvertonS was
away from home the night of June IL,
and that when ne returned the next
morning his head and hands were bad
. Iy cut and his clothes marked with
bloOd-stains. She told OF the former
clerks departure from Huntsville, fol-
lowing the killing Of Judge LAWYER. and
OF several visits he paid to his home
afterward. declaring that she accom-
panied him to a number Of places on
mis- travels Many times. she said she
visited him ain the woods where he
was hiding"
Mrs -Overton's testimony was intro
duced TO corroborate testimony given
by Overton yesterday OvertOn said he
had killed Judge Lawler on the Whites
attacked and wounded him with a knife.
They had driven TO the bridge. he said.
TO discuss political differences.
Mrs. Robert Phillips. widow of the
late sheriff of Madison county. and
Thomas LAWYER. a sOn-in-law of Sheriff
Phillips. today denied the sheriff re-
ceived a telephone call the morning aft
er the tragedy. or the night before IN
his testimony yesterday Overton declared
ne called the sheriff over the telephone
from the courthouse soon after he left
the whitesburg bridge the night of the
tragedy. This is the first conflict or
evidence that has appeared in the trial
since il began Tuesday
Early today il was expected Overton
would be crOss-examined by counsel for
the state, but when court convened this
morning. Mrs OSertOn was the frs
witness examined She was followed by
her daughter. Miss Nora Overton. VINO
virtually gave the same testimony as
her mother.
RELATIVES IN COURT -
In the court room during the day
were relatives of the dead jurist and
his widow. seated near the attorneys for
the state. Across the room facing them
were Mrs. OvertOn. her daughter, and
relatives. Deepest interest in the trial
was shown by them. The testimony of
each witness was heard with strained
attention.
Mrs OvertOn. who said she and her
husband had lived in Huntsville nine
teen years, declared the former clerk
left home in his buggy the night Of
June IL. When she saw him the next
morning. she said. his. clothes were
blood-stained. and his face and hands
possessed several severe wounds. She
described an injured finger. which she
said was almost severed
She. declared Sheriff Robert Phillips
visited her husband at their home the
morning OF June Is. OvertOn. when
Phillips. arrived at the house. was IN
the bath tub. she said
Il told Sheriff Phillips to go up
there" Mrs. Overton declared Il heard
nothing that passed between them
sheriff Phillips left and my husband
followed a few minutes later. We got
A change OF clothing, went out Of the
house and I didn't see which way he
went
GOT SOME CLOTHING.
"A short time after an automobile
drove in front of our house and stopped.
I saw Mr. Nails and Mr.. Brooks in the
car Mr.. Nails got out and came to the
porch and secured some clothing / had
put in a sack for my husband"
Mrs. OvertOn declared much excite
ment prevailed in Huntsville following
Judge LAWYERS death. and said she knew
her husband was keeping out of the
way OF the officers"
She visited a number of places with
him. she asserted. and said the former
clerk returned home a number Of times
after his first departure from Hunts
Vile.
Solicitor Joseph Tate. of Birmingham,
who was in charge Of a special grand
jury OF the Madison county circuit court
last June. which was understood 10 have
been investigating Slleged irregularities
in the election in which LAWYER defeated
Overton for the probate judgship. took
the stand He was asked by counsel for
the defense IL the grand jury last sum
mer was trying TO secure information
with which TO indict LEIwler. Objection