The Washington herald., 1918-07-27
VICTIMS WIDOW
IS WITNESS AT
GAMBLE TRIAL
Mrs. Werres Testi6es, and
Mrs. Burgess Counsel
Pleads Abnormaity.,

Mrs. John P. Wsrres. widow of the
murdered Washington Jitney driver,
testified yesterday afternoon at the
trial OF Earle Gamble. the soldier
accused OF the crime In the court
house at Rosslyn, Va
Clad in deep black. Mrs. Werres
was led to the witness stand and
asked to identify her husbands ring.
pocketbook, scarfin. watch and the
Panama hat found near the body.
AT the sight of the heavy gold
ring, the widow burst into tears,
declaring II to be the one she had
given him before their marriage.
stiil sobbing, she likewise identified
the other articles as belonging to
her husband.
The Panams hat supposed to have
been worn by werres at the time
OF the murder was brought to the
witness stand. and Mrs. Werres was
asked IL she remembered II: Over
come with grief. the frail little
woman gasped and trembled. and
finally sobbed out that.i was the
hat he had placed upon his head the
aHoney. Yea Better Coz
4
John came home that afternoon"
she said. "and told. me that two
soldiers had stopped him and had
asked him to carry them out to Vir-
ginia that evening.
He asked me II I would mind II
he was late that night. and I told
him, No, honey. you had better go.
never saw him again."
arnuvAaA - -
grew strangely still az Mrs Werres
told her story. As she finished,
Judge Goolrick told her gently that
shes was excused, and her friends
carried her from the stand.
AS she passed the chair where
Gamble sat, Mrs. Werres turned
away her eyes. Not once during
the time she was in the courtroom
did sh glance in his direction'
Thursday when she came into the
courtroom, she gave one hurried
look toward the prisoner and faint
ed.
Gamble tried to keep HIS unbrok-
en- calm, but at Mrs. Werres con-
tinued sobs. he was seen to vince
slightly. and finally turned to the
window and kept his eyes averted
until she left the room.
Defense Ayers Soldiers Drank.
An attempt was made by the de.
fense to prove that werres and the
two soldiers had been drinking
heavily at the time of the crime
According to the defense. IL Gamble
and Newman killed werres with or
iron bar and beer bottle, as charged
- HnA ~
liquor. Detectives James Armstrong
and Joseph Grant were recalled Il
the stand. and asked by the defense
IL Gamble had not made some such
statement to them at the time oi
his arrest Both detectives denied
ever having heard Gamble make any
such statement.
Sergt. Atkinson, OF the Washing.
ton police department, testified thai
he had, asked Gamble II the two
had been drinking. and he had SAID
they had not. lid. .-..
"I asked him." Sergt Atkinson
stated, what had gotten them into
this mess" and they denied hav.
ing any whisky in their possession
They declared that all they hat
had to drink had been some soft
drinks they had purchased in Wash
ington."
Gamble himself declared that n,
had been drinking for three month.
before the night of the killing, and
at time had hardly known what he
was doing.
Confession Attacked.
The confession signed by Gamble
and Newman was attacked by the de-
fense yesterday. 1t was claimed thai
it was wrung from the two by unfair
means and should not be used AZ
evidence.
In examining Sergt. Atkinson. coun.
sci for the defense tried to prove that
the third degree method had been
used in obtaining the confession.
Sergt. Atkinson testified they had
first obtained a statement from New
man and then had approached Gam.
BILE. He stated that after a converse
tion Of three-quarters Of an nour with
the accused. he had finally confessed
and signed the statement. After sign.
ing the statement he had given then,
the details of the crime.
Gamble told me-" Sergt Atkinson
declared, that he had smashed q beeI
bottle over Werres' head, and the jit.
new driver had fallen back against
New man; Newman. using an iron bar
then beat him into an unconscioui
state and the two carried him into the
woods near the roadside and pro-
ceeded on to Richmond"
Read to Jury.
Other evidence in regard to tn,
confession was given by sergt. Wilt
shire. of the Richmond police. an,
Sergt. Goldsby, who arrested the two