New-York tribune., 1919-06-26
Acknowledges Admission of
e.. Ownership of Stick Pin
Would Damage Defence;
Apologies for Flight
Trial Is Nearing Its End
Jury to See Long Beach
Home To-day; Verdict
Seems Likely Tomorrow
Staff Correspondence

Staff Correspondence
MINEOLA. June 25.-Dr Walter
Keene wilkins said@the last word in his
own behalf, so far as his trial is con-
cerned, when he left the witness stand
with stumbling steps this morning. 1t
is expected that BEFORE friday night
the jury will have pronounced hir,
guilty or innocent of the murder of his
wife.
Tomorrow morning the jury will
visit the Long Beach home. The rest
of the day will be given over to the
summing up of the case for the de-
fence and for the prosecution. JUS
tice Manning is expected to deliver his
charge to the jury on Friday, and it is
possible the verdict will be announced
the same day.
The case for the defence wound up
rapidly after District Attorney Weeks
finished his gruelling cross-examina-
called by Charles N. Wysong, counsel
for the defence, testified to the good
character of DR.. Wilkins, but no evi-
dence was brought to light bearing on
the identity of the alleged burglars
Excitement Over Stickpin
There was momentary excitement
when District Attorney Weeks turned
heavy cross-fire on Ebert White,
member of the Long Beach police force
The witness had previously testified,
under subpoena, for the prosecution
When summoned to the witness stand
for the defence he told of a conversa-
tion alleged to have been held with
Allen 0. Myers, in which the detective
told him of finding the stickpin in the
house of the defendant. The prosecu-
tion contends that it was found in the
doctors coat pocket since the trial be-
pin in the Office Of the District At
torney in the presence of Mr.. Weeks,
Thomas A. Barbuti, Carman Plant, Ser
geant Schneider and Allen O. Myers.
II said to Myers that the pin he
showed me was not the one the doctor
lost" testified White. ~ told him that
he was showing me a 3O-cent pin.
said, This looks shady to me''
Didn't tell you outside the court
Just now that you lied?" exclaimed the
District Attorney.
a storm of protest broke from the
defence, but the judge overruled OBJ
lection and White admitted that it
was so. In rebuttal the District At
torney called Myers, Barbuti and
Schneider in quick succession, and thev
all swore that no such remark had
peen made IN their presence.
Defendant Takes Stand
The defendant came into court hao-
gard and careworn this morning. His
actions indicated that the strain of
cToss-examlnation was telling severely
His copious flow of language was pre-
emptorily checked by the judge, who
turned to him and said: "You have
great habit of verbal alteration with
the District Attorney. Please don't
argue, but answer the questions put to
you without making speeches"
With swift and merciless touch the
District Attorney pursued his cross-ex-
animation, while the defendant waded
deeper and deeper into a mire of con-
tradiction. The District Attorney
placed the greatest emphasis on the
flight to Baltimore and made the de-
fendant admit he had apologized to
him for running away from jurisdic-
tlon after promising to remain within
reach" Mr.. Weeks endeavored to
prove that it was lack of money that
brought the defendant back. He forced
from him the admission that he knew
the minute he admitted the love knot
pin was his, the whole story offered by
the defence was discredited. Further,
he got DR.. Wilkins to acknowledge that
on the night of the murder he noticed
dust on the inside of the glasses left
on the table. This was in direct con-
tradiction of the defendants previous
testimony that the burglars drank out
OF the glasses.
Noticed Glasses We're Dirty
Q.-Did you notice on the night of
the murder that the glasses were dusty
on the inside? A.-Yes, noticed they
were not clean, but l didn't examine
them closely.
Q.-But you told Ebert White that
the burglars had been drinking out
of those glasses? A-No.
Q.-How was the brandy drunk,
then? Alt might have been drunk
out of the bottle
Q.-Aren't you just saying that be-
cause you admitted there was dust on
the inside and you know, as an intel
ligent man, that your admission is
Damaging to your story? This is the
frst time you have ever admitted
there was dust on the glasses, isn't it?
As-Yes
..Q.-You considered the condition of
the bottles and glasses conclusive evil
aence that burglars had been there ?
A.-Yes, indeed
XDion you say to three people
when you took the 1915 will to Mr..
friess that you we're under the i'm
Pression that it was valid A.-No.
saw 1t wasn't attested.
-. Apologized for Trip
Q.-Did you not give me YOUR word
OF honor that you would not leave the
jurisdiction Of the law? A.-No.
did not.
Q--When you came back from Bal
timore didn't you turn every one out
OF the room and apologize TO me for
breaking your word and going away :?
Ain way, yes.
Q.-You weren't running awav. Of
course Al didn't consider it so.
Q.-You didn't tell any one YOU were
going? A.-No.
Qt-And you thought your arrest was
Imminent? A.-Yes
Q.-You knew on March 1s that whom
Ar. friesE turned over the will to The
District Attorney he was practically
turning you over to the law? A.-That
was the impression.
Q-And having that in mind, YOU
.oox tram TO Washington and got off
~ Baltimore; but, of course, you did
not mean to deceive any one? A-No.
Y.-Look at this hotel blotter and
teil me # "R. c. Howe" Is not written
IN your handwriting, disguised? Al
wouldn't call it disguised.
isn't 1t true that you came home
because II you had cashed q check in
bsItimore you would have had to use
yDuf own signature? A---No.
" Wlikins asserted that he had re-
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