Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-24
PRELIMINARY HEARING
OF GASTON MEANS TO-DAY
Federal and State Officials in Long
Conference With New York and
Chicago Crime Experts.
DEFENSE PLANS NOT REVEALED
Chief Counsel Says He Can't Say
What Stops VIII Be Taken Until
He Hears Solicitors Opening
Standardization Cheerful.
DEFENSE PLANS NOT REVEALED
IBy Assoelated Press


CONCORD. N. G.. September ga
Preparations vent rapidly forward
here to-day for the preliminary hear
ing tomorrow Of CASTOR IS. Means,
charged with the murder of Mrs. Maude
a. King, near here. August 30 last
Federal and State officials Including
Solicitor Hayden Clement. OF the Fif-
teenth Judicial District of North Caro-
lima; Assistant District Attorney nooI-
ing. of New York. and c. B. Ambrose.
OF the Federal Department of Justice.
were closeted almost the entire after
noon with corps of crime experts
here from New York and Chicago, the
wealthy widow having resided in both
places.
Counscl for the defense. including a
number OF local attorneys and two +, ON
Charlotte, held no formal conferences
as far as could bn learned. and Frank
I. Osborne, OF Charlotte. regarded as
leading counsel for Means, did not
come to Concord during the day. He
said. over the telephone. that he would
be here Tomorrow. but declined to in
dicate' just how deeply the defense
would go INTO It's side of the case
Whether that would be elaborated In
an effort to FREQ Means at the prelim-
mary hearing or whether the, defense
would content itself with showing Its
hand as little as possible remained
unknown.
II can't say publicly what steps we
will take until hear the solicitors
opening statement Tomorrow" he add
ed.
PROSECUTIONS PLANS
~ CAREFULLY GUARDED
Solicitor Clement and others repre-
sentinE tho prosecution were equally
reticent. Steps they might take at
to-morrow's hearing before Police Mag
istratc Palmer were as carefully
guarded as was their decision. sudden
ly announced Saturday. not to hold
second coroner's inquest. but to swear
out a warrant charging Means with
murder. and thus bring him before a
police magistrate.
It was said to-day that this decision
came after the State had reason to be-
liere that the defense would seek to
free Means by habcas corpus proceed
ings, should second inquest connect
him with Mrs. Kings death. The first
inquest verdict was that Mrs. King
was accidentally shot. and that ver-
diet still remains on record
Magistrate Palmer might either free
Means Of connection with the death of
Mrs King. or he might bind him over
TO the grand jury. Tho former action.
however. would not prevent the grand
jury taking independent action, If 1t
saw MT.
Means's first night and day in con-
fnement we're described as quiet ones.
and at the Jail 1t was said his de-
meanor was cheerful
MEANS IS VISITED
ny MEMBERS Of FAMILY
Il never felt better" Means said
shortly after he arose to-day. Later
his wife and baby girl. Julie. and Mrs.
Maize Melton. pister, OF Mrs. King. vis-
tied him with several other members of
his family. During the hours when
he had no visitors Means spent his
time reading newspapers and masa-
zines
While members Of Means's family
were visiting him. Means's large auto.
mobile. which carried Mrs. King.
Means and several others on tho trip
that ended in the.woman's death, was
(Continued on FIffh PoCo0