New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-12
Experiment Proves Weaps
Did Not Leave Smud,,
on Victims Hand
Defence Hit Hard
BY New Ewdene.
Mrs. Means on St,,l
Proves Valuable Witp...
for Her Husband
(StdRC orTesDondsrcel

blue-steel pistol which took the IL. !,
Mrs. Maudc a. King spoke sgai, ;.
day before the court which Is ,rv.,
CASTOR B. Means for the von,,,
murder, and it supplied evidence VA
injected new life into the crun.,..
case Of the prosecution. Nanipul,,.,
by Captain William A. Jones, revcl,,
expert Of the New York Police De,.-
ment, the weapon sent a steel.jsek,.,;
bullet, similar to that found in a,
wealthy widows brain. into a vL =
cotton batting which stopped i,s sir:
With the report which shattered q,
afternoon tranquility Of the tow a.
brought the townsfolk TO the co...
house on a run, came also the Con
plete explosion Of a theory sdYsnm
By the defence 10 show that Mrs. Kin
died by her own hand.
This theory was to the effect that,
smudge or stain found By local q,
dertaker on the left hand Of the yos
ans lifeless body had been made b
SCOT and oil elected from the SIDE !
the revolver when IL exploded ace
dentaliy in her hand. a profusios 4
local experts called By Means's lsvye
have testified that experiments shove.
that SCOT, oil smoke and fame AZ
elected with the empty shell from
20 Colt automatic pistol every tine !
is fired.
To offset this testimony Solieix
HAYDEN Clement asked that Csptsg
Jones be permitted 10 make an sctsi
test before the jury, uslng the pist
which killed Mrs. King and a csrtree
taken from the box which Meas
bought Immediately prior 10 the tsn
target shooting" party, ana frvs
which he has testified he loaded u
pistol.
Defence Objects
The request brought vigorous ebls
ton from the defence, which mar
tanned that the conditions Of u
tragedy night could not be reproduce
Atmospherical conditions, argued l. ]
Cansler, of the Means battery. ccgt
not be simulated and the condition q
the revolver might not be the same.
The state of the barometer, Juig
Cline held, was Of no material inpu
lance. The revolver, IL was SHOWN, ~
been in the possession OF Sheriff csk
well and has not been fired since b.
tragedy. "Mump' Richie, the hsT
ware dealer who oiled the weapon jx
before the target shooting party II
for Blackwelder Spring. was called ink
court and required 20 oil it again jg
as he had done at Means's direction
With this accomplished to the t,hs
faction of the defence, the cotton hat
ting was placed against the courtrow
wall and the jury left the box AZ
grouped themselves around II. CAP
tain Jones, holding the revolver, co.
cred it completely with a sheet 4
white paper The defence entered ,
final objection 10 "the most irregub
proceeding in the history OF the STAT
courts" and Judge Cline gave ~
order to fire.
The bullet struck squsrely in u,
centre of the cotton obstruction, WRAPS
itself in an encircling mess OF "
fibre and stopped two feet from ~
mouth Of the pistol. With a msgrifyrs
glass the jurors then examined Csf
tain Jones's hand and the paper cove
ing the pistol. Both we're entirely q
stained.
Exhibit Arouses Interest
To this evidence Captain Jones stds
testimony concerning various range ,
which a discharged pistol OF the sgH
matte variety will leave powder oa',,
or stains on various materials,
illustrate his points he introduces :
vial containing human flesh at whif, I
had fired from varying distances ~
exhibit aroused keen interest IS nW
passed from juror to juror.
The testimony of the New Yor ~
toll expert, possibly the most vslesss
get adduced from the states SAN
rcint, was brought odut on reeapA
after the defence had called Mrs. ~
+. Means, the defendants wife. ana "
NJ d. Ewcll, a Chicago hsndWna4
expert, and had then rested lts ear
One or two comparatively unimporA =.
witnesses remain 10 TESTIFY iof ~
state when court resumes to.moHs.
The prosecution, following tnen =
pearance, will also rest, and then ~
begin a series of summation spesess
which are expected 10 eohA.s
throughout tomorrow and Thutse,
The disability Of the case gong
the jury before Thursday evening
considered remote.
Mrs. Julie Means, Self-possessed y, y,
deliberate, proved good witne" 70
her husband. She corroborated nia -
corning the S25,c00 note which D
said he had signed with his VIE
a loan from the rich widow
money had been placed 20 her 81.
in the Lincoln Trust Company O. ~
York in order that in case "buc ~
she would be able TO claim the ~, ~
without delay. Mrs. King, ssia -.
Means, had befricnded her since ~
was FIVE years old and the g.
possible affection existed oe''
them.
Saws Switch Prevented Burns
That il would have been possiess %
Mrs. King 70 have killed herseal ~
Means was assured, for the reason
Mrs. King went through athletls L,,
cises every morning and was mos.
ferrous with her arms. The wines ~
played a switch Of hair which sac
had been worn by Mrs. King %
target shooting" party. The Mr.
aud position in which the sruhen,s9
was worn was shown for the oen.rr,i
the jury. That this switch eo.sre
the point at which the bullet essra
Mrs. Kings head and preventee s.Ib
ing of the flesh will be msin's'n's
tie defence. y
DR.. Ewelps testimony concerns &c
services to Means in conneenSs ~
the alleged second will OF tn' xa
James c. King, under which NJ D,
expected TO receive S2,00e,ooo .,s,,J;t.t
mmberinan's estate. The hsnass.,,-
expert also claimed 10 be sn y
on pistol wounds and he gave y as
expert opinion that the fatal SO. "a !,
have been self-inAicted ana .s.y
pistol in a position which he s ',,'i "
cause such a wound as xiv, "A