Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-02
TRUE BILL IS RETURNED
AGAINST CASTOR MEANS
Grand jury Charges Former Score
tary OF Mrs. Maude A. King
With Her Murder.
CHANGE OF VENUE is ASKED
Solicitor Clement Bases Request
Upon Prominence OF Accuscds
Family and Partisanship of Com
munity-Argument on Motion.
IBy Ansociatcd Presal


CONCORD, n. c., November IA true
bill was returned by the grand jury
here this morning. charging CASTOR b.
Means with the murder of Mrs. Maudc
a. King. of New York. near this city
on August 20.
Immediately following the return Of
the bill, Means was formally arraigncd
, In court and a special venire summoned.
from which to select a jury, but the
State asked the court for change Of
venue.
/, Means put in plea Of not guilty
In asking that the trial of Means be
removed to another point in this judi
clal district. Solicitor Hayden Clement
set forth the prominence of the Means
family during 100 years in this vicn-
lily: that the defendant had employed
practically all the lawyers in this city
ID defend him; that. when he wanted
To swear out "a warrant charging Means
with tho murder Of Mrs. King. the
officers were reluctant In issuing same.
and that the feeling displayed against
the New York witnesses and news
paper reporters, together with articles
regarding them printed in Il local news
paper and a paper at kannapolis. made
IL difficult to properly try the case
here.
The counsel for defense asked to he
given time to reply to the affidavit
OF Solicitor Clement
ARGUMENT on CHANGE
or VENUE - NOT CONCLUDED
y Argument on the motion by Solicitor
4 Hayden Clement for change Of Venue
had not been concluded when Caharrus
County Court adjourned ~ ! o'clock
this evening until . 80 tomorrow.
Addresses were made by r. !. Os
horne and T.. T. Canister. Of Charlotte.
and three other attorneys for Means.
Httorney-f;cn"ral J. :. Manning 81 Ike
for the state in argument for rcm"vt!
III the ease TO another county. Solicit
tor Clement viii speak tomorrow
morning. Immediately following which
1, is expected tina, tn" cour, will render
decision on the question OF change OF
Venue.
The Indictment charging Means with
g murder Of Mrs. King came after
"a grand jury had examined witnesses
'r three days. Among those testify
4: before the jury were Or. Burncis-
r. coroner's physician of Cook Coun-
~. III. whose alleged discoveries Al "A
post-mortem examination OF he body
OF Mrs. King AT Chicago. where 1t had
been carried for burial, was partly re-
sponsible FOR the rcopening Of the in
rcstigatton !nto the case in this state.
n coroner's jury. which investigated
The circumstances surrounding the KILL
ing Of Mrs. King. returned "A verdict
the day after the tragedy at Concord
that She had mt death by an acct
Genital bullet wound. Self-innicted
Mrs. King was killed about s O'Clock
on the evening % August - Black
Ncidcr Springs. lonely spo, ten miles
ON Concord. whcr" sh. had gone with
CASTOR Means. Alton Means a brother
and Captain bingham. apparently for
target practice. Mrs. King was "a guest
with her sister. Mrs, Mary g Melvin.
at the home OF CASTOR Means's par
ents' home in ;his city. Means has
maintained that he and Mrs. King left
Ii. ,,nr =. nj .,. Il
the springs, Means leading the way
. According To his story. he was leaning
over the spring getting drink OF
wafer when he heard shot and
whirlirS around. saw Mrs King fail
sE19 1. distance away
Means is being defended By an array
of leading lawyers OF North Carolina
nd the state is being represented b,
solicitor Hayden Clement and Attor-
n"y-Gcneral James S. Manning