The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-17
WILKINS MURDER
WITNESSES TESTIFY
The Prosecution Opens Case
Against Aged Physician Ac-
cused as Wife Slayer.
POINTS FOR DEFENDANT
Woman Alive When He Sum.
m0ned Aid, but Was I'm
able to Talk.

Upon the testimony only. ana under
the rule which requires that the de-
PENDANT must receive the beneft where
the evidence offered Is as consistent
with his innocence as with his guilt
Or. Walter X. wilkins. on trial for wife
murder at Mineola, had rather a good
day OF 1t yesterday.
DR.. Wilkins, who Is sixty seven years
old. is accused Of killing his wife at
their home at Long Beach in February
by beating In her skull with hammer
and a piece OF lead pipe. He maintains
that she was murdered by one OF three
burglars whom he and she surprised
looting the house. and that she was
struck down in the front yard to stop
the screams by which she was trying to
summon assistance.
The case was set for trial last week.
but the whole week was consumed in
getting a jury. The actual trial began
yesterday with an opening address by
the prosecution and the calling of the
States first half dozen witnesses. Dis
trict Attorney Weeks, in his opening. In
sisted on the physicians guilt in plain
words, but his witnesses swore to little
which is not consistent with DR.. Will
kins's account Of the crime.
The prosecution maintains that Mrs
Wilkins was killed unwarned and with
little chance to cry out. but a Mrs. Ru-
dolphine Duisberg called by the District
Attorney. swore yesterday that she
heard a woman screaming few minutes
before DR.. wilkins appeared at her door
and said that his wife had been attacked.
Mrs. Duisberg said also that DR.. Wilkins
was in a state Of excitement bordering
on frenzy. insisting on this. while the
District Attorney was trying to elicit
from her that the defendant was fully
master Of himself.
Disagree on BurxIars' ORGY.
II Ia the States contention that Or.
wilkins with guilty cunning set out
glasses and liquor and the stumps OF
cigars and cigarettes on his dining table
before he raised an alarm. TO sustain a
story, that the burglars had sat drinking
and smoking before or after they robbed
the house. Two Of the prosecutor wit
nesses declared yesterday that there
were no signs Of anybody having smoked
at the dining table when they first in
spected II, but q third, Albert White. a
Lone Beach policeman. said that he had
found four ends Of cigars and ten or a
dozen stubs of cisarettes He also said
that the defendant was greatly excited
and had broken down and wcpt over the
fate of his wife also that one OF his
dogs stood sick and trembling in a bed
room and that II was bleeding at the
mouth. Dr. Wilkins says that the bur-
glars beat his dog. Tho prosecution
maintains that the anirnI was not in
jured, but out OF three witnesses who
examined It only one could say that the
dog had not been hurt
Charles y. Wysong, DR.. Wilkins's
counsel. Opened the door, as the
legal phrase Is and made Harry
Snyder, another Long Beach policeman.
his own witness by questioning him.
upon cross examination, on matters not
included In his testimony In chief. For
his own purposes he had him Identify
the wallet which DR.. Wilkins says the
burglars took from him and put II in
evidence as the defences exhibit Snyder
too admitted that testimony he gave
yesterday was not on all tours with
testimony he gave at a coroner's inquest
He declared yesterday that DR.. wilkins
had shown him the burglars chairs
about the dining board and that there
were two OF them. He admitted that
before the coroner he had said posi-
lively that there were three.
And all of the witnesses called yester-
day admitted that Mrs. wilkins hat was
in the vestibule when they entered the
house. The State wishes to prove, as
showing that there were no burglars in
the house. that Mrs. Wilkins took Off her
hat and veil In her dining room at
leisure. and was In the yard subsequent
ly. feeding her dogs. when she was
killed.
Mr.. Wysong was able to prove also by
all the States witnesses who saw Mrs.
wilkins after she was attacked that.
although she was unconscious, she moved
her hands constantly and moaned. He
dwelt on the point with each witness.
driving the testimony well into the
tury's minds against the hour when he
will ask them II they think II proba BILE
that physician. after trying to kill his
wife, would summon help to her while
she was still plainly alive and while
there was a chance that she might re-
cover consciousness and accuse him
So that all in all II was a fairly sat
isfactory day for DIR. wilkins yesterday.
He will have his anxious hours, how
ever. II Mr.. Weeks fulhls two Of the
promises he made in his opening address
yesterday; one that he will prove that
there existed will by the dead woman
which supplies a motive for her murder
the other that he will produce and let
the jury examine the objects of which
DR.. Wilkins says that the burglars rified
his pockets.
Alleged Motive for Murder.
Mr.. Weeks told the jury of the will,
bearing Mrs. Wilkinss signature but not
attested. which was found after her
death and by which all she owned was
left to her husband. And he added that
he will be able to show that the instru-
ment had an attestation clause on a final
page which was torn away after Mrs
wilkins died and that he win adduce
testimony as to the signature and let the
jury Judge whether 1t is genuine.
The watch which DR.. wilkins says
he lost and little pin. a trinket fash
toned In lovers knot, Mr.. Weeks says
he will produce and show that they were
found in the stuffiing OF a sofa where
DR.. Wilkins might have placed them
but no burglar ever had.
In his address TO the jury yesterday he
described the domestic life OF the physi-
clan and his wife. saying that she was
we'll to do and he not industrious and
that she was niggardly with her money
and he fond Of good living and social
amusement DR.. wilkins. he said. had
had three wives in all and had married
each OF them for what she had The
wilkins home he described as almost
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