Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-05-01
SPANIEL MOVES
COURT TO TEARS
Texan Retells Dramatic Story
of Double Tragedy; Accuses
Colonel Butler.
SAVED BY VISION OF CHILD
Had Pistol at Own Temple,
When Daughters Face
Flashed Before Him.

COLEMAN. Texas, April 30.-Harry
]. Spaniel. on trial here charged with
killing Lieut.. Col. NJ. c. Butler at
Alpine, Texas, July 20, 1916, was on
the witness stand the greater part of
today's session of court dramatically
retelling the story of the shooting in
which Colonel Butler and Mrs. Crystal
Holland Spaniel, wife of the defend
ant, lost their lives. The story brought
tears to the eyes of "A number of the
jurors, caused women in the audience
to weep, while attorneys and others
gave way to emotion. When Spaniel
had finished his story a short recess
was taken to allow time for those in
court to regain their composure.
Saved by Vision of Child.
After reciting events which led to
the shooting. which took place i'll
Spanell's automobile in which Spaniel.
his wife and Butler were riding,
Spaniel sobbed out when he found his
wife dead. he placed his pistol against
his own head intending ITO end II all.
but the picture of baby (the Spanells
only child) "came before me and
seemed to say daddy don't do it; I'm
waiting for you,'" The next thing he
remembers, he said, 81 was in Jail"
Just prior to the shooting Spaniel
said he went upstairs in the Holland
hotel at Alpine and saw Butler hurry
ing out of a room. He entered the
room and found Mrs. Spaniel clinginS
to a doorlnob. looking pale. She re-
fused to tell him what had happened,
but promised to do so when they
reached home. Going downstairs.
Spaniel said he met Butler and in
vited him into their automobile.
Recalls Conversations.
After driving short distance,
Spaniel said he asked Butler what
he had done upstairs. Butler replied,
I'VE just went up there to wash our
hands-Mrs. Spaniel, Mrs. Butler
and l."
Recalling previous instance, he
said, in which Butler had denied
speaking 10 Mrs. Spaniel, altho he had
promised not to do so, Spaniel testi-
fled he said:
Il suppose if Mrs. Spaniel was not
here you'd deny you were up there at
all?"
Here, Spaniel said, Mrs. Spaniel in
terposed something about being In
suited. Butler, he said. attempted
to keep Mrs Spaniel from talking.
Butler Struck Him.
Butler, you are liar SPANIEL
testified he said Butler replied if
Mrs. SPANIEL was not present he would
choke those words down" Spanell 5
throat and then, witness said:
"He hit me a blow on the back of
he head and pushed my head down
on the steering wheel. l remembered |
my pistol in the pocket of the car
and remember l got it.
Butler and I grappled for the pis-
tol. j knew if he got it away from
me he would Kill Crystal and me. too
Spaniel said Butler gradually got
the pistol away from him. He then
got a small pistol from his pocket.
Not Trying to Shoot Wife.
II just heard one shot. but we
wrestled across the seat. | was try
ing to protect myself and my wife. |
Clouds and wells then came over me. |
| was thrown out against fence. |
saw Butler struggling with Crystal /
fired right at Butler. | don't know
how many time. He fell out OF the !
car. | grabbed Crystal. She didn't I
say anything. / thot she was dead"
Counsel asked witness if he was
shooting at Butler and him alone, or
was trying to shoot his wife.
mo; God knows l was not Trying |
to shoot Crystal"
He said he could not recall definite
ly everything that occurred.
II was in a daze.'
After q short recess cross eXamina-
tion was begun and had not been COM
pleted when court recessed until to-
Questioned by States Attorney
Wright. Spaniel denied that he was 4
ever drunk" defended his wife's (
character, and said he was not play
ing crazy to get sympathy"
Did Butler shoot your wife,
asked Wright
Hes responsible for her death, I |
still say he killed her. lie more than !
killed me-"
Buffers Terrible Reputation.
Butler had the worst reputation In
the whole army ana that is going |
some" was the reply Of Sherman Bee, |
the first witness today at the resump-
tion of the trial of Harry j. Spaniel |
for the killing of Lieut.. Col. NJ. c. !
Butler. when defense attorneys asked
him about the dead officers atten-
tons to women.
Bee was formerly Buffers chauf-
feur and knew him at Des Moines,
Iowa. adm Texas City, Texas. The
witness said he enlisted in the army
from Columbus and had been honor
ably discharged He said ne lived
near Kansas City and had lived in
West Virginia.
S>>>>>>>>->~>~>