The Washington times., 1917-11-26
MEANS SMILES
IN COURT; sure
HE WILL GO FREE

uE tII66 w ] Till
Continued from First PaEe.l
family. When John Harris Morrison.
four-year-old child. had completed
the drawing OF the venire. Means
leaned over and patted the child's
head.
The special venire is summoned 10
appear at 10 o'clock Tuesday morn
ing. Court was adjourned until that
time
A story Of international adventure
mot OF romance, but OF the preying
upon Of helpless woman by q band OF
crooks who piled their trade among
the capitals Of Europe and at the
gaming tables OF Monte Carlo-will
be developed in the trial. II is ex-
pected. This story revealed MIS- King
as the dupe OF unscrupulous social
gangsters before CASTOR Means came
into her life.
woman Dupe Of Gaagsters.
Mrs. King was killed on August %
last at Blackwe.der Spring, a lonely
spot. near Concord. Means. who start
ed in her employ as a private detec-
tive and was styled her business
manager was the sole eyewitness to
her killing
Though friepds OF the woman said.
later. she always had feared to
handle firearms; 1t was stated she
and others had gone to Blackwelder
Spring to practice target shooting.
Suspicion was aroused, and friends
and relatives in other sections OF the
country refused TO accept the finding
OF the local Inquest verdict of
death accidentally self-inflicted by a
pistol shot.
In Chicago. where the body was
taken by Means. post-mortem ex.
animation was ordered. Paul and
William Robinson, broLners of. Mrs.
King, visited Chicago and conferred
with Coroner Hoffman, /; id told them
that in their opinion death was due to
gunshot wound inflicted by another
person.
sour sister was murderedT' the
brothers announced.
Battle Of Lawyers Fellows.
They retained P. C. MeDuffie, an
Atlanta attorney. to guard their in
terests. Mr.. McDuffie went to Con-
cord and demanded the case be re-
opened
State Solicitor Clement, acting un-
der orders from the North Carolina
attorney general, took up the inves-
litigation again and followed IL
through, TO Means consequent ar
rest and his indictment for murder in
the first degree on November L.
Counsel for Means. representing the
best lawyers in Cabarrus county,
successfully resisted attempts by the
state prosecutor TO have the court
grant q change OF venue. Mr.. Glenn
ent, in making the request. said 3
fair trial could not be obtained In
cabarrrus county. that the Means
family had been prominent locally
here for 100 Year,, and that every
lawyer In Concord had been retained
to defend the prisoner.
What story win CONFIDENTIAL Agent
Means tell on the witness stand as
70 how Aaude A King met her
death2
II he clings to the statement he
made to reporters soon after the af-
fair. he already has given his ver-
sion II was substantially the same
story he told the coroner's jury
which brought in the verdict Of
death from a self-caused accident.
Lived In Costly Suite.
He told then how Mrs. King and
her sister, Mrs. Mary Melvin. had
come TO North Carolina from Afrs.
Kings New York apartment. Both
Means and his employer maintained
expensive suites in 1155 Park ave-
nue.. II was understood Mrs. King
was to append her signature to cer-
tain papers in ian important ntiga-
tion" which Means mentioned When
they went to Blackwelder for target
practice there were others in the au-
tomobile-a Captain Bingham and
Alton Means, q brother. Telling OF
the tragic trip, CASTOR Means said:
Mrs. King, Captain Bingham.
my brother. Alton, and myself had
been out several times target prac-
ticing, and we went over to this
place. always knew the place a.
Blackwelder Spring. because II 10
near Hamp BIackwelder's place.
"we got out OF the car. Mrs. King
and had brought q rifle and two
pistols. hey were lying in the
automobile. Igot this pistol-a small
one-for Mrs. King. She wanted .
small one, one would be able to con-
ceaI in the folds OF her skirt. When
we got out OF the automobile she
took these two pistols and showed
me she could shoot with the pair. At
this time neither pistol was loaded.
II walked over. got the larger pis-
toll and loaded it When I had loaded
IL laid II In the fork Of an old hol-
low tree, and walked down to the
spring to get drink Of water"
In Fear Of Water Bugs.
Mrs. King. according to Means. af-
ter walking part way, decided she
did not want any water. She ex-
planned to him, he said. she feared
there might be water bugs In It So
she walked hack and picked up the
pistol. He cautioned b r to leave IL
alone. Then follows the testimony on
which the trial OF CASTOR Means may
hinge. He said:
MY recollection Is that when told