Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1919-10-09
SELF DEFENSE PLEA
ON MURDER CHARGE
Mark Thompson. Formerly OF Abb.
Iene, Made Strong Witness.

Hutchinson. Oct. 4.-(Special) =
No verdict has yet been rendered IN
the Mark Thompson case and probab'
ly will not be until Tuesday.
Thimpson. who formerly lived IN
Abilene has been on trial three days
for the murder of George Miller. july
10. who he claimed broke mp his
home. The jury went out Friday AZ
tcrnoon.
Mark Thompson took the witness
stand on his own behalf. Thompson
was well dressed and his manner
was entirely calm lie answered
questions directly and CA the whole
made good witness for himself
Under examination Of r. r. Foote
Of the counsel for the defense Thomp-
son related the story of the killing
and events leading up to It. He had
been home and cooked his own sup
per on the evening Of the tragedy
and then Went back to the office
shortly after o'clock he returned
home
When he reached the dining room
he saw George Miller in the kitchen,
he stated. Miller looked up, accord
ing TO the witness and said; Have
you seen Ramsey today"
II told him.. said Thompson. that
| had seen Ramsey and further order
ed him to get out of the house right
then"
you IN fix you" Miller
is alleged to have rctorted.
II told him, said Thompson, that
didn't want any trouble and he turn
ed back into the kitchen. He then
wanted to know if / had changed my
divorce petition told him had not
and didn't intend to-
Miller Went After Knife.
Miller again swore and declared
he'd kill Thompson at this time, the
witness stated, and turned back into
the kitchen again 1t was here.
Thompson said, he reached into buf-
fet drawer and secured small revol-
yer. Miller started forward, he said.
and had a butcher knife in his hand.
A chair near a table in the center Of
the room blocked his way and as he
turned sideways to pass between the
chair and table Thompson states he
fired the shot which resulted in in
slant death.
Miller stepped back two steps.
Thompson said and then fell face
down and head forward. lie was in
the doorway when he fell Thompson
then called the police.
The accused man stated that Miller
had lived at his home for about ten
months, except for period Of about
week last spring. He left at that
time on Thompson's orders and re-
turned without his consent, the wit
ness said.
The unwritten law did not enter
into the case except as an important
sidelight. The attorneys for the de-
Tense in their argument did not dwell
on this phase as a justification of the
homicide.
Mrs. Miller, who had divorced her
husband, she admitted, on account OF
his relationship with other women,
appeared in the period set for the
states rebuttal testimony Little of
her evidence reached the record. With
her, in the courtroom, was ID
months old baby boy for whose sup
port she depended a great deal on the
$40 a week alimony paid by the man
who is now dead.
The accused mans wife, whose
parents live in Abilene, did not APP
pear in court during any part Of the
trial. It was expected that she would
at least be there, if not testify.
In his argument to the jury GUSTAV
Smith stated that evidence did not
show the killing was in self defense
He exhibited the severely burned |
shirt and undershirt of the dead man I
as evidence that the revolver had been |
almost pressed against his body when
tho Fatal shot was frpd