The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-29
in HIS CLUTCHES
Attorney Held Widow Prisoner
Controlled Wealth.
Testify Means Announced New
Will at Chicago Hotel.
TOLD CLERK HER TROUBLES
Prosecution Has Difficult Time
Getting in Evidence.
Chicago Hotel Clerk Testifies
About Murder Motive.

Concord, n. c., Nov. 29.-The de-
tense in the case of CASTOR B. Means
on trial, charged with the murder
of Mrs. Maude A. King, near here
last August. was prepared today to
resume cross-examination OF wizard
J. Rockefeller, whose testimony the
state has announced it partly rehes
upon" to show a motive.
= Rockefeller. who is manager OF
Chicago hotel where Means, Mrs
King and party of friends stayed from
May to July last, took the stand yes
terday, but only after the defense had
been successful in keeping from the
jury most Of the testimony the state
proposed to bring out.
In an announcement made to the
court, while the jury was out. solicitor
Hayden Clements asserted that If per-
united to introduce in evidence state
ments made to Rockefeller by Mrs.
King at the hotel, it could be shown
that the woman and her money were
absolutely under the control Of
Means at the time and she was wiz
tually a prisoner in the hotel"
The court ruled that Rockefeller
could tell the jury only what Mrs.
King said in the presence of the de-
PENDANT.
As the witness said he had never
talked with Mrs. King in the pres
ence of Means, he was allowed to mar
rate only his conversations with
Means and incidents which came I'M
der his observation at the hotel
Rocket Her testified that after a
conversation with Mrs. King, Means
threatened to cancel every room the
party had in the hotel if Rockefeller
ever TALKED with her or her sister Mrs.
Mary A. Melvin, again. He said Means
asserted:
L am preparing to spring a will
that will surprise the whole United
States and I don't want anybody to
talk to her"
New York and Chicago witnesses
for the state who are here have as
serted Means was preparing to offer for
probate an alleged second will of the
late James G. King, of Chicago, which
would give 100000 to Mrs. King
in addition to approximately $1,000
900 she as Kings widow inherited un-
der the first will. Rockefeller also
testified that Henry Deitch, one of
the p rty at the hotel, who he de-
rcribed as Means's "watchman," kept
a constant surveillance of Mrs. King
in the hotel
Government on Means Trail.
When the defense resumed cross
examination of Rockefeller today, At
torney e. T. Cansler undertook to
break down the testimony of the wit
ness by asking him if Means and
Dietich were on guard restraining
Mrs. King of her liberty during the
month of April, 1917, Rockefeller an
swered in the affirmative whereupon
the defense challenged him to show
by the hotel record that Dietich was
there in the month of April The wit
ness then admitted that Dietich was
not registered at the hotel until May
8. 1917, but declared Dietich was at
the hotel prior to May 1.
3. Being pressed by Attorney Canister
for a clear statement of his personal
attitude toward Means, the witness
finally stated:
It was tipped off by the govern
ment against Means"
This statement was ordered by
Judge Cline to be stricken from the
record. Mr.. Rockefeller added that
he came here to testify at the request
of the prosecution and not because he
was required to come.