Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1919-04-01
w, 4. 0EHLERT
TAKES STAND
Prisoner Alleges Shooting Of LinWood kidWell
Was Accidental.
PISTOL SHOWN TN COURT AS EXHIBIT
Number OF Witnesses Put On Stand For The Defense Yeste
day Afternoon Final Arguments In Case Being Held This
Afternoon

Before a crowded courtroom hlles
with interested spectators final ar
guments are being made this after
noon in the case Of William II. Och.
lcrt, chargd with shooting and kill.
ing Linwood Kidwcll.
The opening argument on behalt
cf the state was begun shortly before
o'clock BY Commonwcalth's Attor,
ney Howard w. Smith. He will be
followed by Attorney Edmund Burke
representing the accused and tn;
closing argument will be made by
Mr. Smith.
The instructions were read the
jury by Judge Chichester at $3.50
o'clock.
It is expected that the case will 90
to the jury about 6 c'clcck this
evening.
After the close yesterday CT the
Gazette's report CT the trial in the
Corporation Court of William II.
Oehlert On the charge Of shooting
and killing Lirwood Kidwcll in the
yardmaster's cfiice of the Southern
Railway last November, Charles T..
Goods, chief Of police, took the stand.
He tcld Of arresting Oehlelt at the
lattcr's home; found Him sitting or
his bed; Ochlert. ct first, attempte>
to establish an alibi by protesting
he had not been cut. Of the housS
since six o'clcck in the evening; used
threatening language toward w!tneS
and Officer Kerns, who accompanlc~
the chief; Cehiert eXtinguished the
I;rEt in the room and attempted t.
reach q bureau, bit was prevented
resisted en- the way to the statior
house ard attempted to get cut OF
the motorcycle; later the prisone%
was placed in a passing automobile.
Officer Kerns subsequently too'.
the stand. His testimony was sub
stantially that given By tne chief.
He. too, said Ochlcrt had used
threatening language to the cher
and himself. the yard master OF tn
Southern Railway.
Herbe,th Griffith, was the next
witness. He had heen called for the
defense. The object was to sho"
that railroad men generally carrie
pistols for their defense in the dis
charge of their duty. Witness al
ways supposed Oehlert and kidweIi
were fricndly-diSposed towards
each other.
Pcvton Ballenger was the mex
witness for the defense. He IS ar
cmploye of the railroad, being night
clerk in the yard. He said he IS ac'
cuaintcd with Oehlert and knew
Kidwcll. The relations between the
two were as brothers. Had ther'
been unpleasantncss between then
witness world have known it, be SAID
Harry Lipscomb, an employe OF tn
railroad company, was next callea
His testimony varied but little iron
that of the preceding witness.
Joseph S. West took the stand an'
he testified that. so far as he conl'
Judge. friendly relations existed be
tween Ochlert and Kidwell.
Arthur Welch was the next VII
ness. He supposed the prisoner an
Kidwell had been personal freno:
Geo. II. Waters, yard conducto
of the Southern Railway, testified
apparent friendly relations betwee
the two men.
Oehlcrt then took the stand to
rho nurpcse of identifying a plst;
which ne claimed was defective an
which, he said, was accidentally di:
ch,rrcd on the night kidwe!l VIZ
killed He told of it having pee
discharged accidentally on anoth'
occasion. :,
Robert Pitts testified to friend
relations existing between the pr
oncr and Kidwell. Identified Il
nisrol as the weapon which was a
cidentally discharged on another o
J cas:on.
! Arthur We!oh was again called
!, ,the s.and. He identified the p'st
IS the weapon brought to his ~hou
beat by the prisoner and which W