The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1917-04-21
KILLING OF ARMOUR
ACCIDENTAL, TO Be
BLANCETT DEFENSE
Accused Admits Staying Travel.
ing Companion While Under In.
fluence of Liquor; Takes Stand
and Testihes in Own Behalf.

by Associated Press.
Santa Re. v. NJ. april 2i.-E. ".
Blancctt spent all the morning In the
district court here toda, celebrating
his confession. hcgun last night. that
Itc killed clyde ~. Armour. for whose
mn der he luz been on trial for the
past week. Biamctt insists that the
Shooting wits accidental M thai his
representation of Armour aud con-
ctaimem OF the homicide WINS duc Ia
his g that he might get si,ort shift
Ia y strange country for what would
inevitably appear Ia he u murder.
lie d""!.tc- that his heavy drink
inr. joy riding and other dissipation
here In Albuquerque was In the
effort to forget what occurred. BIan-
Ccu also admitted his attcnpt tn
commit suicide after his arrest az lri-
day Harlor. Washington. bctausc he
feared la confront his mother ~ n
suspected murderer. lie dcnscd any
recollection or writing the letter "a
the governor from seattle. Signed
Edciman and stn,ing that BIancctt
was innocent.
"a state j. prepared Ia put On wit
ncssc- in tchuttal Ia attack BIamcst's
story Of the accidental shouting. BInn-
ecu ~ay~ he was carrying u shotgun.
twenty rect ls'hind Armour while
they we're hunting and thnt' the gun
went on and Killed Armour when
Biancctt stumbled. due to- the drinks
he had been imhii,pe.
I Special Correspondence 20 Tbs Herald.
Santa Pc, y NJ, April 2t-Thc
long looked FOR defense in the ca@e 81
Gilbert W. Blancctt charged with the
murder OF Clyde u Armour has been
laid and made public. Attorney \. D.
Bcnehan for Blancett in mis- opening
statement last evening said that A.
moan was accidentally Killed hy Elil-
cett while the latter was under thu
influence Of liquor: that Blap.oit II
first intended 10 summon hclo. but
was frightened by the though. that
being 70 stranger he would be ar'tt-ai
of murder. lie abandoned tho uudy.
came To- santa F.. and rndng HIM
SELF without means proceeded tn inn
%persouItc Armour 81 NJ 90 go' money.
sold the automobile. etc.
Blanco,t was called to tac stand. Tic
was composed and gave his answers in
o clear but low voice. lie told Of
meeting Armour IN Denver and ac-
c~ompanying him To- New Mexico with
Fresno. calf. their Intended dos'ina-
non. lie Wa quite clear in his recpl-
lection Of tho events connected with
the trip until after they had LETT I~.s
Vegas After that his memoir boo
cbtne - hazy. due 90 partaking of i'm
,~oNicants, mat he was unable 20 recall
much that % place.
The questioning Of the witnc,s had
proceeded 90 whore the killing tool.
place whcu court adjourned until to-
day.
Most Of Yesterday n session was
taken up hy Mr. Ecnehau in CROSS
examining NJ. NJ Hamman haHdwrit'
iur expert Who had testified Wednc--
day air ltcn"hun attacked vigorous
ly the testimony given hy Nj Hanna
the previous day To the effect that thu
haudwriting of the letter from Seattle.
Washu. OF January Do. 1915. tcllinl
90 tho murder OF Armour was INC
same a. in the kilograms sent October
% ard "a 1916. asking for money
ana the h-undwritlns on the register.
OF the hotel In las Vegas and ou tn,
hotel Combs register ia Albuquerque
"lf Elhcrt ". Blancctt wrote ths
my stcrinus letter signed " T.. Edel,
man, Go Governor De BIra. telling the
governor that f.. ". Hlanco,t Is In.
uuctul of the crime Of murdeTinl
clyde H. Armour but that .Edclusn
did b and would go To- Canada wa
he no' under tho influence ~ NOR
phine administered during his des
pcrato illness
This question arose late Thursdo1
afternoon following the examination
Of Sheriff George 49, Mead ~ Sai
Juan county. Wash. concerning Bluu
Cotts condition the uight of Jununr'
l3. 1914 While he lHN ON 70 cot In Sc
nttlo uu hi- way tu Sew NcXico I
will u' remembered that tho post
mark con- the mysterious letter ad
dressed 20 the Governor Of Sew MyN
IOu wts January 10. 1e1,. o. SOP. uI
Shorlff Mead was mot po~itiN, Whb
Iltucttt WAS given by tho trained
nurse who accompanied him Hut Do
said the medicine might hive boo'
morphine u seemed moro than like
81 some hypnotic WIS given Bllucet
=" induce sleep ,ou-Idcrlus the gh1,t
wound mo- had Inflicted ON himsoI'
How auN man could live after firiul
90 rll load uf sho az the base ~ h.
neck. seems Co. nr almost as much 90
q mystery as any other now up fo
Discussion Boo the famous murder triaI
sheriff Mead testified that n
noticed tho wound iu Hlaun"tts neck
!. 30 sand that Elaurctt had fired "a ~
gauge hell nlIcd with shot just bc
/ low thc Adams uppI, tie testlfir,
that this chars. Of shot came ont 20
the back. making e. hol, about au iuri
4 lIAI 10 nHIf Id. ~II4uHtfsY