Evening star., 1918-06-18
June TRIAL ASKED
IN WERRESSLAY|NG
Judge at Alexandra County
Courthouse to Set Date
Monday. !.
MEMS PARENTS MAY AID
n,snatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ALEXANDRIA COUNTY COURT
HOUSE, June 1s.-Monday morning
at 10 o'clock was set today by Judge
Goodrich as the date for the arraign-
ment Of Charles Gamble, Robert l..
Newman and Mrs. Catherine Burgess.
charged with the murder Of John P.
Werres. Washington jitney driver.
Date of the trial will be set at that
time.
A preliminary skirmish as to
whether trial Of the trio shall be held
during this June term of court or
postponed until the fall was won by
counsel for the defense. Upon appeal
of Attorney w. C. Cloth. assigned by
Burgess, time was granted until Mon
day for him and Attorneys H. r.
Thomas and Amos C. Crounse to look
thoroughly into the indictments
against the three charged with mur-
der.
Attorney Cloth is determined to de-
mand a separate trial for Mrs. Bur
CESS. Under the laws of Virginia
tnlS Is a tight OIL pcTSOub dEEdikuco
on a charge Of murder. It is probable
the two soldiers will be tried together.
thus making not more than two trials.
although three separate trials may de-
velop.
Parents May Aid Defense.
A new development was thrown into
the case this morning by the attor-
neys for the two soldiers. They stated
to the court that the parents Of both
Gamble and Newman had communi-
Gated with the prisoners and 1t was
probable that they might take an ac-
tive part in the defense.
Mrs. Burgess, wearing the Same
white waist and black skirt, was in the
courtroom with the two soldiers while
the preliminary tilt was in progress
between Commonwealth Attorney
Tense as to when the trial shall begin.
Handouts were removed from the two
men. Mrs. Burgess, although charged
with the same crime. has not been
manacled.
During the entire time the prisoners
Mrs. Burgess sat with her profile to
the many farmers who had gathered
in the court hoping that the date of
the trial would be set this morning.
Most Of the time she sat with her
head bowed upon her breast and
scarcely lifted her eyes to look at the
spectators during the time she was in
court.
Asks for Early Trial.
Commonwealth Attorney Ball, in
pointing out to Judge Goodrich that
Jointly. asked for a trial as soon as
the, court could grant 1t conveniently.
'They killed Werres for the sake Of
robbing him Of his automobile" said
r. T1-1 aT~sT H. y H.
cation or justification of any kind.
and left his body in the woods"
The prisoners, Mr.. Bell stated, had
ample time and opportunity since
their Incarceration in the Jail here to
communicate with their parents and
several letters from their people. the
attorney stated. and
it is a matter Of great public concern
that the trial be not delayed until
fall.
Declaring that Mrs. Burgess Is "a little
Cloth asked the court for time to look
into the Indictment against her to see
II 1t IL sufficient The case Of the
woman, he pointed out, is different
from that of the two men.
Counsel Not Sure Of Status.
Some little diniculty seems to be
|bothering the minds Of Attorneys
Crounse and Thomas. as they both
declared to the court that they
scarcely knew whether or not they
had been retained by the two defend
ant soldiers. Crounse said he under
stood an attorney from Texas had
come to Washington to look out for
Newman.
Thomas declared that there was
some doubt in his mind as to whether
or not he had been formally retained
by the prisoners and that he did not
wish to interfere in any plans for
other lawyers to handle the case.
The prosecution is ready at any time
to proceed with the case. Common
wealth Attorney Ball will base the
states case against the soldiers on
several confessions alleged to have
been made by them and on the known
circumstances in the murder.
Under the laws of the state of Vir-
charge with the men. since she was
a party to a murder committed for
robbery and it is alleged a receiver
OF property stolen from the murdered
man.
It was quite evident in the court
this morning that the customary
gaIlantry Of Virginians would see to
1t that Mrs. Burgess will receive a
separate trial. There is some prob
ability. however, that the cases NAV
not be tried until next fall, although
Commonwealth Attorney Ball is de-
termtned that they shall be tried dur
Ing this June term.