Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-25
EFFORT TO LEARN
WOMAk'SPASTIS
HALTED BY JUDGE
-. Garrison, States Most Important
Witress in Holmes Case, Takes
the Stand.
ELLIS OF PAST RELATIONS
a;,es Vivid Account Of Circumstances
Surrounding Shooting Of Mrs.
Emma Ghys.

Attempts Of the counsel for the de-
t,se to inquire INTO the past life of
Ms Alice Garrison, tie woman in
no case. were thwarted TO a certain
.,tent BY Judge W. T Church. when
mo hearing OF the Holmes murder
sse was resumed in circuit court this
morning.
MS Garrison is a witness for the
s,ats and the woman referred to in
,be opsning statement by c. J. Searle
:. having come into the life of John
Holmes in Marseilles. later becom-
Ing his housekeeper and continuing
n such position in East Moline for
Eve wears. he becoming more or less
,tached to her and inclined to aid and
4.s;st her. She is the woman who
ras under the influence of Mrs. Ghys,
i was commended, resulting in driving
4olmes to the frenzy that resulted in
lhe shooting of Mrs. Ghys in her apart
ments over the Peter Ghys saloon last
Aay.
Mrs. Garrison has been in the court
room almost constantly since the trial
vas opened. She was first called to
,ha witness stand yesterday afternoon,
her examination being resumed this
morning. She testified that she was
70 wears old. Today she was attired
in black when she appeared on the
stand
Inquiries revealed the fact that her
y-jt NJrc Chyc had
tended over period Of several years.
and that Holmes introduced her to
Mrs Ghys and also joined in many
yisits they had back and forth. She
stated that she ceased as housekeeper
for Holmes in April. 1917, and they
vent across the street to Frankels,
where she engaged two rooms, one for
Holmes and the other for herself.
Holmes stayed there until the night
Of the shooting and she remained I'M
III about Aug. /. She said that during
the four nights prior to the shooting
she had been staying at the Ghys
apartments, where She was doing
sewing preparatory to going east. She
added that Holmes had taken some of
bis meals there. but that he had not
been there Monday, until he returned
about II o'clock at night
At this point her testimony was the
same in substance as that Of Arthur
ingalls, who preceded her on the wit
ness stand and who was with her in
the kitchen al the time the shooting
took place She said that after set
ting the bread sponge Mrs Ghys had
gone to the bathroom and had been
aesent but two minutes, when Holmes
came into that room
Holmes Threatened.
She further testified that Holmes
upon entering, said he was going to
shoot any - he found in the place
She said she thought he had reference
to her and that she made no reply
nor did anyone. Holmes appeared
mad, she said She did not hear him
say anything in the hall, but heard
Mrs Ghys tell him he was welcome tC
come up there, but not to come up
md make things bad for her. Then
she heard the shot
We both got up and ran into the
hail. she said According to her
statement Holmes did not say any
thing when they came out ''He was
Standing with a gun in his hand" she
continued Il did not see Mrs. Ghys
until after the officers arrived thinh
told him he had done wrong He
vent away when the officers took him
] think he had started for the stairs
before they came"
With reference to the first time she
saw Mrs. Ghys after the shooting. shs
said she saw her after the officer:
cane. seeing her face through the
opening IN the bathroom doorway
sne added that she saw no gun will
me exception of the one Holmes had
ehe said Holmes had always been il
lhe habit Of carrying a gun.
I. }. Searle, in entering upon TIT
DISCRIMINATION. began at once i
question Mrs. Garrison with referenc,
10 her past. Although objections wert
sustained to most of his questions, HI
continued to ask them. Mrs. Garrison
sald she left her home in Elk Lick
ra, when she was about % years oil
ahd was engaged as a nurse. She de
med that she had married William
hedgrave Of Baltimore. Nd. She ad
united having been in Baltimore, At
ahla. Johnstown, Pa, and other cite
before coming to Chicago.
Agreement Hats Examination.
Alter proceeding on this line O
questioning the Issue arose as to JUS
now tar the questioning should con
i'hue. The examination was stoppet
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