The Washington times., 1917-06-20
RE-ENACTS KILLING
OF HIS SWEETHEART
Youth Charged With Murder
Is Calm Before Jury.
HANDLES DEADLY WEAPON
Denies Memory Of Death Threat to
Possible Rivals.
HANDLES DEADLY WEAPON

Standing before a jury in the GRIM
inal division of the District Supreme
Court today, Edward Grinder, eight
cen years old, re-enGcted in panto-
mime his version of the shooting OF
his sixteen-year-old sweetheart, Elsie
Sacrey, last summer, a tregedy which
he asserted was accidental. but for
which the Government asks that he
pay the extreme penalty.
His natural paleness, heightened by
nine months in jail, made the defend
ant doubly conspicuous as he stood
before the twelve men who hold his
life in their keeping, but he betrayed
only a slight nervousness as he de-
scribed the death OF the girl he de-
clared that he thought more Of her
than any girl 1 ever met"
He had met the girl at the corner
OF Seventh and B streets southwest
by accident on the evening OF Sep
TENDER u last. he said. and after
talking a few minutes they separated,
but when he looked back she beck
oned to him and he returned to her.
Victim Wa In Happy Mood.
"Elsie was humming and swapping
her fingers, as we were standing very
close together" he said. 81 took the
gun out OF my pocket on the impulse
of the moment 1 don't know just
why l did It. / was holding II be-
tween us when Elsie hit the finger
that was against the trigger, and the
gun exploded"
Before telling of the fatal shot,
Grinder was handed the weapon by
HIS attorney, ]. A. OShea- He be-
trayed no feeling as he took the re-
volver and Identified IL, only remark
ing, The spring is stiffer than when
had it."
He testified that he had purchased
the gun" a .32-caliber weapon, from
a companion for IS cents, after he
had scared the companion by telling
him that the police were after him
for carrying concealed weapons. The
revolver had one cartridge in II at
the time OF the purchase. said Grin
der, and he later got thirteen more
for .25 cents
few minutes before the shooting.
according to Grinderf, he had refused
Elsie's invitation to walk toward her
home with him, and she had refused
his suggestion that they 60 for q
walk in a neighborlng park, but there
was no quarreling, he said. not any
thing that might have led to vio-
lence.
wouldn't Walk In Park.
"You used to walk in the park with
me-" he sverred h, said to the girl.
Yes, but 'used-to-be' isn't now,
was her reply.
While they were talking. he said. th'
revolver fell out OF his pocket anc
he showed her that 1t was loaded
before putting II back.
1t was after this incident, he said
that they babe each other good night
but resumed their conversation whef
the girl beckoned to him.
II was brought out by Attorney
O'Shea that Grinder had offered &c
sell the revolver to another youth
on the very day OF the shooting.
Grinder said he had purchased Il
''to go hunting on the fats. He
would not say that he had not
threatened to shoot a rival for Elsie's
affections. and his recollection as 10
many conversations and threats
brought out by the prosecution was
not clear.
The cross-eXamination of Grinder by
Assistant District Attorney Leahy. IA
expected to take up the entire after
noon session, and the case probably
go to the jury some time tomorrow.