El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-01-20
WOMAN TELLSOF
DOUBLE KILLING
Says She Heard Cry: Don't
Harry, and Later Saw
Face of Mrs. SPANIEL.


san Angelo. Tex. Jan ga de-
scription of the shooting of Lieut.. Col
N. c. Butler and Mrs. Harry J. Spaniel
was given today in the trial of Span
ell. charged with the murder Of the
two. Mrs ". II. Harrison. of Alpine
who claimed she was an eye witness
of the tragedy. testified that she heard
a woman's voice ring out from an
automobile in front of her house. cry
ing. Don't. Harry" and later saw the
blood stained face Of Crystal Spaniel
in the car. Spaniel broke down and
sobbed in the court room as Mrs. Har-
rison testified.
Mrs. NJ g. Butler. widow of Lieut.
Col. Butler. was again on the stand
this morning She said the two taml-
lies had gone TO Maria on July TO a
dance She said Mrs. SPANIEL and Col
Butler danced together, but the de-
PENDANT did not dance They RODE IN
the car. was their custom When
asked as to Col Buffers conduct 10
Mrs Spaniel, the witness replied Per
would have him be to a lady friend
Her conduct, said the witness OF Mrs
Spaniel. was lady like" She testl-
fled that she had never seen anything
wrong between the two. She told Of
Col Buffers expeditions into Mexico
and the time he spent in the Philip
pines.
Tells of Tragedy.
At the afternoon session. Lee Han
cock, Of Alpine said he was near the
spot where the automobile containing
Mr.. and Mrs Spaniel and Col Butler
stopped. He saw flashes and heard
shots and voices but could not say
whether the voices belonged to man
or woman
Hancock As approached saw
SPANIEL. who said. Lee. go TO them.
I'm going TO Jail Witness said he
then went 10 the auto and saw the
bodies in it
Mother OF Mrs. SPANIEL Testifies.
Mrs. John Holland. mother of Mrs.
Spaniel. was put on the stand She
said that she was very bitter against
the defendant and that Mr.. Holland
I had employed three attorneys to assist
in the prosecution She testified that
the Spanells were making preparations
10 move TO a cottage Of their own She
said she believed that Spaniel had been
drinking for two days before shooting
and that she thought ne was intoxicat-
cd She never saw him stagger- She
said she had never seen him drunk
that she knew If. and that she mad
never smelled whisky on his breath
Sold SPANIEL Gun.
Harry Richardson. Of Maria. testified
that he sold SPANIEL gun several
( weeks previous to the killing He de-
| scribed il as forty-tive, single action
| 4 pistol was then introduced and he
| identified il as exactly the same pat
! tern and probably as the same weapon
Z He said he also sold another pistol
/ in the same hotel after that TO another
party He said Spaniel was not IA
/ miliar with the working OF the gun
/ and he instructed him.
/ Col. Buffers Widow Testifies.
Mrs Malcolm c. Butler. widow of the
1 late Lieut.. Col. NJ. c. Butler. was the
I principal witness for the state
I Mrs Butler told of the automobile
: ride she Mrs Spaniel and Butler took
; shortly before the shooting to the home
( Of woman suffering from tuberculo-
! sis who had written COl- Butler ask
ing him 10 furnish her tent so she
( could live in the yard instead OF the
| house After Butler conferred with
! the woman. the witness testified they
! returned to the hotel. all three Soln
I TO Buffers room TO wash their hands'
| fearing cOnta giOn from the SICK room
J While in Buffers room, Mrs Butter
| said Spaniel came up stairs and she
! saw him peeriug about as II LOOKING
! for some one Then he saw Mrs
| Spaniel in the door Of Buffers room
and. according to the witness, said
SPANIEL Upbraids Wife,
Crystal. haven't told you not to
! come up here alone2
I'm not alone, Mrs Butler IS here,
! Mrs Spaniel replied spaniel then
I called to me, asking If | was there.
the witness said. SPANIEL was angry
, and said. hereafter when you come
| m here turn on the lights The lights
! had been turned off preparatory to
! going downstairs. Mrs. Butler said.
/ Butler already having gone down.
/ SPANIEL. his wife and witness then
I went downstairs. Mrs Butler said, and
: while she was waiting for her husband
/ to come in from the street. SPANIEL,
his wife and their little daughter got
i in the automobile. After going a rev
feet the witness testified, Spaneli
| stoDped the car. the daughter got out
! and Spaniel called to Butler:
/ Major. come get in Butler did so
: and the car drove of
1 -b1o+rnc~