Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-09-13
AUB|s ARE OFFERED
IN THE CHAPMAN CASE
Defense Making Determined
Effort to Break Down The
Testimony of Mrs. Yeartie
Lee Howell

The entire effort OF the defense this
morning in the trial of Dr. G. K. Chap
man, accused fthe murder of Walter
Wade, was devoted to determined eff
fort to break down the testimony OF
Mrs. Yeartie Howell, the woman who
swears she actually witnessed the
killing.
Mrs. Howell says that John Ether
idge and Warren |. Johnson were in
the automobile at the time when, as
she says, DR.. Chapman shot and killed
Walter Wade.
Witnesses for the defense this morn
ing swore, first, that Warren Johnson
was not in Americus, but on his way
to Macon, and arrived there about 1870
O'Clock in the morning, and, second,
that John Etheridge was at his broth
er's farm, eighty miles from Americus.
The alibis offered in support of these
contentious are the same as presented
at previous trials, with the exception
that in Warren Johnson's behalf addi-
tional witnesses were put up to testi-
fly that they saw him in Macon the
night of Wade's death.
The attorneys for the defense are
exerting every possible effort to prove
an alibi for Johnson and Etheridge.
About fiftetn railroad men on the
Southwestern division of the Central
of Georgia railroad appeared in court
yesterday afternoon and this morning
and stated that they saw him in differ
ent places outside of Americus on
August 18th, 1916. According to the
testimony of practically all of these
mcn, Warren Johnson was not even
in the city of Americus at the time of
the killing, but was on the railroad,
attending to his usual line of busi-
ness. H. r. Frerson, trainmaster OF
the Southwestern division of the Cen
tral road. stated that he rode from Al
bany to Macon with Johnson on the
night it is said he was nAmericus,
the 18th of August, 1916.
John Etheridge claims that he was
visiting at his home in Baked county
On the night of the killing, and this
has been substantiated by the testi-
L oDy of several witnesses from that
county, who gave evidence this morn
ing.
The attorneys for the defense are
trying to prove Mrs. Howell was em-
ployed as a detective by relatives Of
the deceased Witnesses from Leslie
have been placed on the stand and
testified that they heard the rumor
circulated soon after the killing that
woman detective had been employed
to work up ehcase. The woman de-
tectlve is alleged to be Mrs. Howell.
Many witnesses examined at the
nornin gsession swore John Ethtridge
was at Arlington on the night of the
killing, and tits expected an alibi will
be proven for him.
There are yet about fifty or sixty wit
nesses to be examined, and it is be-
lieved it will be late tomorrow before
the defense completes the presentation
of evidence
There is apparently little local in
terest in the hearing at present, and
the court room is not crowded Judge
Littlejohn has issued orders to the
deputies to admit no minors to the
court room
Attorney Hollis Fort summed up the
case for the defense, outlining what the
defense expeced to prove. He said the
defendants would establish individual
alibis, and that the testimony of Mrs.
Howell was pure fabrication. The
examination of witnesses for the de-
Tense started after Attorney Forts
statement
Several important witnesses have
been summoned appear at the after
Loon session, and it is expected some
thing new will be established in con-
rection with the case.