Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-26
COUNSEL SHAPES
TESTIMONY SUIT
THEORY DEFENSE
Mrs. Alice Garrison On Stand All Day
Yesterday In the Holmes Murder
Trial.
Is GIVEN SEVERE CHILLING
Contention That Defendant Objected
to Woman Going to Ghys Flat
Carried Out.

The counsel for the defense In the
Holmes murder trial yesterday. by
constant cross-questioning. shaped
the testimony of Mrs. Alice Garrison,
the woman in the case. to fit the
theory put up by the defense.
In his opening statement c. J.
Searle stated that John A. Holmes was
NOT himself on the night OF May 28,
whea Mrs. Ghys was shot, in that he
was laboring under a severe mental
and nervous strain. brought on, he
contended, by actions of Mrs. Garri-
son In breaking up their home and in
fdulging In continued carOusals at the
Ghys home and going with other men.
This condition, the defense contended,
existed for over year.
Mrs. Garrison refused to admit that
she had been under the influence of
Mrs. Ghys, stating that she went to
the Ghys fiat at all times Of her own
accord. She denied that she knew
that Holmes had consulted several
physicians with regard to treating
her for a morphine habit or that he
was attempting to keep her from the
Ghys home She stated that she con-
tracted the drug habit IL years before
she was cured in 1916. She stated fur
Their that she did not know that
Holmes had paid her expenses during
the time she was confined as vOlun-
taTy patient at the Watertown hospital
for the drug habit Mrs. Garrison also
denied that she drank liquor to ex-
cess. stating merely that she took a
drink now and then.
Testimony Contradictory.
Her testimony was contradictory at
one point. the defense bringing this
cut through notes taken at the coron-
er's inquest. At first Mrs. Garrison
denied that Holmes said anything to
he-' after shooting Mrs. Ghys on the
night of May %. She stated that she
told him he had done wrong, but that
lie said nothing in reply. Notes taken
at the inquest. however, indicated that
Mrs Garrison had testified that
Holmes had many grievances against
her and that she could not enumerate
Them all.
When questioned further along
these lines, she admitted that she
knew that Holmes did not want her to
go to the Ghys home and that he had
eeupbraided her on numerous occasions
for going out on parties" v
Arguments as to just how far the
defense could delve into the past life
.of Mrs. Garrison did not end before
a O'Clock yesterday afternoon, Judge
w T. Church allowing c. j. Searle to
go back as far as 1904.
: AdjOGrns TO l Monday.
2 Judge W. T. Church announced at
noon today that court had adjourned
until Monday afternoon at l o'clock,
when the questioning OF witnesses will
be resumed. Mrs. Alice Garrison was
unable to take the stand again this
morning, word being received that she
was confined to her home in Davea-
port with an attack of tonsilitis.
: Just before the adjournment of
court last evening the counsel for the
defense asked Mrs. Garrison where
she had been staying since the shoot
ing on May Is. The state objected
and the matter was argued at length
when court opened this morning.
PatrOlmen are Heard.
Patrolmen Alphonse Forret and
Rene Willie of East Moline, the first
officers to arrive on the scene after
the shooting. were examined today.
Eorret stated that when he arrived in
the hall upstairs Holmes was standing
there alone, Mrs Garrison and Arthur
lngals being in the doorway of the
kitchen. He stated that Holmes asked
him how Mrs. Ghys was, and not
knowing he did not answer Then he
claimed Holmes said Il guess it will
not amount to much"
Patrolman Willie stated that while
Forret had gone to telephone Holmes
said to him. "She was going to shoot
me and | would not take any chances
He said further that Holmes said to
him, YOU'D better look for the other
gum Willie said that he and Officer
Maberry did look for another gun and
found one in the dresser in the bed
room. He added that the doors lead
ing from the hall TO this bedroom and
the dining room were locked and that
fnr anI tn tx,, l.