The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-07-17
Declares Billy Scared Her
And She Shot in De-
tense.
.AAD NO HARD Feelings
Sympathetic Dog Enters
s Court Room and Goes
to Witness.

Z shot to protect my own life. /
had no i'll will against him and did not
know he had any against me. He
made at me with his knife drawn back.
] got scared and shot one time. He
. kept coming and shot two or three
more times"
Mrs. Cora May, 10 year old wife Of
the late William May, said that when
she went on the witness stand this
morning to relate to the jury the cir
Eumstances which led to the shoot
ing by her of her husband.
Mrs. May was on the witness stand
for more than an hour and was very
closely cross-examined by Prosecut-
ing Attorney Walter Haggerty. She
talked in a loud tone OF voice and an
swered every question distinctly, oc-
casionally laughing at some of the
yuestions which Prosecuting Attorney
Iaaggerty asked her
Attempt after attempt was made to
get her to say that she was angry at
her husband, but she always replied
Nthat she was not angry and had not
been angry.
W She testified that she had known
William May for about two months be.
fore she was married to him; that
she had been in Fairmont for about
one year and that she had been work
ing for May about one month when
they were married. She stated that
he ran a restaurant, gambling den and
q rooming house. She said that men
and women went there and got rooms
aud that frequently colored women
and white men would be accommodate
ed..
While she was giving her testimony,
q white dog came running into the
court room and went directly to the
chair occupied by the witness ana
crawled upon Mrs. Mays lap as IL to
sympathize with her. The dog was
annoying to the witness as she tried to
answer questions and it was taken
from the court room. Attorney Shaw
asked Mrs. May If the dog belonged
to her and she replied that 1t did not
In continuing her testimony, Mrs.
Nay testified that she had been to a
c6lored show at the Grand opera
house; the show was out about IL
o'clock after which she fent to dance
on Water street, remaining there until
about 1880 a. m. when she started
for her home which was only about
one-half a block away.
When she entered the May res
\ taurant she saw Charles Moore and
Charles Davis, both colored, and the
latter asked If she would play game
or two Of checkers. She consented
and after a game or two were played,
she went behind the counter and there
saw her husband. Hello, Billy" she
said, and Billy replied Hello"
She went down stairs to get her dog
and there found several men in the
gambling room.
She then went upstairs to her room
and found her trunk open and her
clothes gone. She went down stairs
and asked Billy II he had rented her
room later asking where her clothes
were. Where is my gun" May ask
ed. You can have your gun when
you 80 upstairs" was the reply. Mrs.
May then told about going upstairs and
kxetting his gun for him, returning to
#e Kitchen. May then asked where
e had been since the show and she
Ns1d him that she had been to the
dance. whereupon he became angry
and upon exclaiming you are a d.
| liar, and have not been to the Dance"
started after her.
According to Mrs. Mays testimony
The wns almost in reaching distance of
| her when she fired the first time. She
4estified that he kept coming and she
| fired two or three more times and he
still kept coming after her.
Mrs, May ran out and went toward
/ tho river bridge, there throwing the
gun into the river. She went across
CONTINUED on page three)