Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-01-21
CARL LEWIS FREE
Of DEATH CHARGE
Judge Standeven Releases
One Defendant in Hat
field Case.
RESUME CASE MONDAY
Defense Will Start It's
Testimony Then; Sen
sations Are Many.

tcCllNc carr LOWS one or tnt flNe
Tulsa policemen alleged TO have
killed Vernon Hatfield. taxicab
driN er. was dismissed by County Judge
H. l.. Standevcn yesterday afternoon
on motion Of the defense attorneys,
after the prosecution had completed
It's Introduction OF testimony. This
action was taken Oh the ground that
the evidence was insufficient to war
rant holding Lewis for trial I'm tho
district court.
The court at the same time over
ruled motions asking dismissal Il
the charges against Officers Town
scrd, leader of the rading squad;
Dick Nelson ana Ramcy Miller. on
tho same grounds. and annOuno ed
that the taking of testimony Of the
defense would be started at l.3OI
o'clock Monday afternoon.
Shuc "Oycrlookcd"?
Defense motions for dismissal did
not include the charge against w VI.
Shue. lnsinuatiOns that there was
frame up" to make Shuc the goat"
were heard in corridors at the court
house.
Judge Standeven, in announcing the
decision freeing Lewis said that the
evidence as he saw ii did not tcnu a.
any way TO implicatc that defendant
In the killing. He said hone of the
eye-witncsses pointed Lewis out
Discusses Testimony.
The only witness To mention Lewis
was the reporter, Hatch said the
court Hatch said he heard Lewis
call Mrs. Lewis over the phone at po-
lice hcarquartcrs the night of the
killing and tell her Of "a little shoot
ing After Lewis finished Hatch tcs-
titled he asked the officer If he shot,
and that LOWS replied to the offec,
that he did shoot"
This" continued Judge Standeven, ]
does not connect Lewis. II does not
say that he shot at the automobile In
which Hatfield was riding. From
what Hatch said Lewis might have
merely shot at something two weeks
before"
Lewis is a former undersheriff lie
served under James Woolley. His
brother, S. II. Lewis, Is Democratic
leader
When Judge Standeyen started TO
announce his decision on the dcfe1s,
motions the courtroom was packed.
The spectators leaned forward TO hear |
every word the court said.
Judge Standeven stated that il was
his opinion each case must stand alb |
solutely on its own merits. lie said he
did not believe criminal conspiracy .
could be shown.
Attorneys startled.
County Attorney Reeves and Special |
Prosecutor Crosland interrupted the |
court when he started to continue hi |
statement. Each of the prosecuting |
attorneys seemed to think the Judge |
was about to announce decisio,, !
throwing out all of the cases exccp
that of Shue. in which dismissal had
not been asked.
Judge Standeven later denied en-
phatcallv that he had entertained
such a thot. He declared his mind |
was made up before he started giving |
the ruling that he would release Lewis !
and overrulc the motions in regard II
the other defendants.
Mrs. Hatfield Swoons.
just before the close OF court In
the morning Mrs Hatfield, mother
of the dead boy, swooned and fell I
from her chair where she was sitting
among members of the Hatfield FAM I
lily when Sheriff Mccullough was I
called in with the weapons Of the Z
five accused officers that are supposed |
20 have been used on the night OF the /
\illlng.
Gladys Hatfield. the 1S-ycar- -o,d |
daughter OF Mrs. Hatfield. jumped /
from her chair and glared toward the /
officers and then at Townsend, who |
was smiling at the time.
Murderer Smile. you murderer |
You murdered him, Damn fool!"
A continuance until Monday was |
sought by the state on the contention |
that another witness necessary TO the |
prosecution was to testify. Applica- !
don for this continuance was made
At the time that the prosecutions |
LAWYERS thot the Judge was about |
to discharge the four defendants.
"Your honor" said Grassland. 81 |
lust discovered this witness during |
the noon recess and have not been /
able to find him. but II "A subpoena
ls issued for him we will get MIN here
right away"
The Judge granted n short recess
in order to give the prosecution time
in which to get their witness
Continuance Asked.
Thirty minutes later the witness haG
not appeared in court and Judge
Standevcn ordered the trial proceed. |
Grassland at once asked for "A con |
tinuance of the case until Monday.
Il don't see any reason why the case
should not continue" said the Judge. |
"The state has had ample time to pre-
pare their case and think tina, W.
should proceed
AT this point the witness Francis |
NJ. Melton. arrived and he was swori.
and took the stand. He stated that he |
was 1t the Midland Valley tracks on
the day that the pictures were being /
taken and had seen two of the men |
Oh the spot at the time. When asked
what day that was he said Thursday |
or Friday. he was not sure which. |
"Onc man was standing here and an
other that he was standing here, |
testified Melton 0ndicating),
Witness Confused.
Reeves. knowing as he did that the
men were in court that day. began
different line of questioning I've |
nplf Oh
had stated where they were standing |
on the night of the shooting and he
described one as the man sitting In
the front row with a stadup collar.
This was Judge Cavitt. who Is assist
CONTINUED ~ PAGE THREE