The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-04
LEGAL FENCING
 IN MEANS TRIAL
 STILL GOES ON
tcontinued from Page One,

shot some of them thought she could have done so accidentally, but not fn-
 tentionally, while some of them refused to say whether they thought she could
 have shot herself Intentionally in the way indicated by the evidence as to the manner in which the act was com
 mitted. Most of them described experi- mental tests which they had made or observed with .25-callbre automatic pistol, the kind with which Mrs. King was killed, according to evidence. in firing It paper ink blotters at various distances. both directly and through hair switch. They described the result as observed on the blotters and the hair.
 Generally the physicians said the
 blotters showed powder grains at any l distance up to IA inches, the grains be ing imbedded in the paper when fired
 at distance of six inches or less, when
 the hair was not used When the hair was put up against the blotters. the der grains in the paper, but the hair showed the effects of the powder when the firing was done with the muz- zle Of the pistol three inches or less from it. w. H. Gibson, Concord 1um-
 Der man, told of similar experiments. The physicians admitted on eross-ex- animation that Alton Means brother of the defendant, was present and took part Tn the tests and in one or two in- stances counsel for the defense was pres ent. The state demanded production in court of the blotters upon which the ex- l periments were made, but they were not | produced
 | Dr. w. H. Wadsworth, one of the six medical experts, demonstrated to the | jury with pistol of the type in evidence ] III hand how he believed the fatal shot | could have been fired, holding the auto lnatic in reverse position, in the left hand, extended at arms length with the 1 pistol pointing at the back of the head. He vas given physical assistance by Frank l. Osborne of counsel for the de- fense. The states objection to his being aided wes upheld and the witness was l challenged to make the demonstration l tnasssted. He admitted that he could
 not know when he had the weapon in the right direction to point at his head without mirror or assistance. l Colonel Means. lawyer and father of the defendant, telling of the events on | the night of the tragedy, declared Mrs. King was one of the leading spirits in l getting up the party to go target shoot 1 ing, ard said she suggested that they take alorg her new pistol and the rifle" l He said she had shown enthusiasm about l her progress in marksmanship.
 i The witress said on cross examination | that later on the night of the tragedy 1 he was called to the telephone by man l whc said he was a newspaper man. at 1 Charlotte who told him that a coroner's 1 inQuest ought to be held. Colonel Means
 said he did not know the voice and the
 speaker did not give his name, but he | now believed it was the voice of C. B. | Aml rose having since heard the latters i voice. Mi03Ambrose is an agent of the l department of justice.
 | It was the telephone conversation,
 Colonel Means explained. which prompted him that night to go with
 his son. Alton Means, and others. to the scene of the shooting. where one
 slipper and the pistol were found. | Miss Belle Means version of the in- l eidents of the evening of the tragedy were virtually the same as that of her father. She said she burned the large black hat Mrs. King had worn when killed at the suggestion of her father
 on the Saturday after the death of Mrs. King. On cross examination, she answered few questions, saving gener- ally she could not remember. When
 she left the stand. she was led from
 the court room by two women at
 tendants, her head bowed and she ap- parently sobbing. Some of the papers which the state read to the jury today
 were offered as evidence of numer- : ous business transactions of the de- fendant. and others it was claimed
 showed that during some months prior to the death of Mrs. King, the defend-
 ant. who was her business agent was
 making vigorous effort to keep his
 movements and purposes concealed
 from her.
 One letter purporting to have been
 written by Means to his brother, Af-
 ton. told him he did right in opening
 a telegram to Mrs. King and forward :
 ing 1t to him instead of delivering |
 to her. The letter also told Alton to
 open any letters to Mrs. King or Mrs.
 Mary c. Melvin, her sister. without
 letting them know their contents.
 Another letter written from Chica :
 go, advised Alton Means of the depar-
 ture from that city for Asheville. N.
 G.. of Mrs King, Mrs Melvin and their
 mother, Mrs Anna l.. Robinson, in-
 structing.