Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-11-02
$50 900 ITALIANS ARE CAPTURED IN DRIVE
Grand Jury Returns True Bill
After Exhaustive Effort to
Ascertain Motive

CONCORD, N c.. Nov. 1-Gaston B.
Means was indicted by the grand jury
here this morning for the murder or
Mrs. Maude A. King.
State Solicitor Clement Immediately
petitioned the court for removal of the
case to an adjoining county on the
grounds that the prosecution thought a
fair and impartial jury" cannot be OBJ
tanned in Cabarrus cOunty-Means' boy
hood home. Defense at once countered,
opposing the motion, and requested
Judge Cline thereupon recessed court
until $3.50 this afternoon.
AS Juryman o. S. Farrow announced
the indictment, CASTOR Means, who had
been held iE his cell throughout the
investigation, was led in by Sheriff
his constant bravado sagged perceptibly
as Judge Cline formally arraigned him
on the charge of "wilfully and with pre-
meditation numbering Mrs. Maude A.
King on August 90"
He seemed UNNECESSARILY distant from
the courtroom scene as he Strengthened
to hear the words which sent him on
to his final fight against the death
chair a flicker of his old defiant smile
swept his drawn features, however, as,
guided by the sheriff, he turned, passed
down the damned aisle before ogling
eyes, some hostile, some friendly, and
returned to his cell to await the result
of the change of venue motion.
The Indictment followed three days
investigation by the jury, which exam
med score of witnesses, including
group of Chicago bankers and witnesses
presented by Assistant District Attorney
Dooling, of New York state.
The feature of the investigation was
the jury's obvious insistence on dis
covering a clear-cut motive for the
crime.
Up to the time of the verdict, Means
and his supporters had appeared to grow
increasingly confident of his release,
baslng their confidence on the fact that
the jury had insisted on examining the
entire list of state witnesses, despite
the fact that they were under instruc-
tionS to find a true bill or otherwise
as soon as they came to a decision, re-
gardles of whether witnesses remained
The verdict was returned shortly after
10 O'Clock before a crowded courtroom.
Mrs. King met her death at Lonely
Blackwelder Springs, five miles from
here, the night of May %. Means was
the only person with her at the time.
The state AYERS he lured her to this
unfrequented spot after dissipating her
fortune and murdered her to keep her
quiet. Means claims they went there
for target practice with pistols and
that Mrs. King accidentally shot herself.
The woman was shot in the back of the
head. on the left side. about two inches
above the ear. Experts from Chicago
and New York. the two cities in which
Means is alleged to have made away
with most of the Chicago lumber
baron's Widows fortune. have sworn
that Mrs King could not possibly have
shot herself in that manner.
Behind the actual murder charge
against Means turks more than one
story of his alleged financial machina-
tions. In possession of the government
whose agents have Swallowed the man
for two years. are said to be proofs
that he got between 100000 and $780,
900 from the German government for
propaganda work in this country.
Means admits he received money from
Franz Won Papen, but claims it was for
legitimate work done while this coun-
try was neutral.
KILLED AT SPRING.
Mrs. King was killed about o'clock
on the evening of August % at Black
welder Spring, a lonely spot, ten miles
from Concord. where she had gone with
CASTOR Means. Alton Means, brother.
and Captain Bingham, apparently for
target practice. Mrs. King was guest
with her sister. Mrs. Mary {. Melvin,
at the home of CASTOR Means parents
in this city. Means has maintain
ed that he and Mrs. King left the
automobile party and started for the
spring, Means leading the way. Accord
ing to his story, he was leaning over
the spring getting a drink of water
when he heard a shot, and whirllng
around he saw Mrs King fall, some
distance away.
Means is being defended by an array
of leading lawyers of North Carolina
and the state is being represented by
Solicitor Hayden Clements and Attor-
conoral Manning