Evening star., 1920-01-02
HALL MURDERCASE
. Jury IS UNABLE TO
AGREE;D|SCHARGED
New Trial April 5-Indict-
ments Against Other "Dry"
Inspectors NoIIe Pressed.
From a SiaT Correspondent.

From STAFF Correspondent
MANASSAS Va, January after
eighteen hours deliberation. W X
Hooker, foreman of the jury Sitting
in the case of w. &. Hall. prohibition
inspector charged with the murder
of Lawrence Hudson last March, told
Judge Samuel G.. Brent. in the Prince
William county circuit court here.
that it would be impossible to reach
d verdict.
nine for conviction against three Tor
acquittal. The attitude of the minor
,ity, however. is believed TO nave
caused the reply. ut is absolutely
impossible to reach verdict, made
TO a question by Judge Brent.
Thanks Jury for Services.
Judge Brent discharged the jury
thanking them for their services in
the case.
on motion of Prosecuting Attorney
Thomas II. Lion, a third trial for Hail
was ordered set for April 5. The cases
against Deputy Inspectors W. G. Dun
lcavy. Harry +. Sweet and j. II. Sulll-
van. who were jointly indicted with
Hall for Hudson's murder. were nolle
I pressed. Hall was placed on bond in
the sum of S2,500.
This was the second trial of Hall
'on this charge. The first trial, last
September. also resulted in a dis
agreement of the jury.
Asks for Conviction.
Declaring that the defendant had
overstepped his authority in the kill
! ing of Lawrence d. Hudson. alleged
bootlegger. on last March 26 near
Winchester. Judge F. :. Tavenner.
last night at s o'clock rested the
case for the prosecution by calling
for the conviction of w. S. Hall. pro-
hibition Inspector for murder in the
second degree.
The jury filed out at sos and was
locked up for the night preparatory
TO bringing in verdict today.
Judge Tavenner occupied exactly
fifty-eight minutes with his final ad-
dress to the jury. He charged that
Hall. with his deputies-Harry F.
Sweet. w. G. Dunleavy and J. H. Sui
livan-had killed Hudson. who had
made no attack, on the night when.
with Raymond Shackleford, the lat,
ter had been cornered by the dry
agents in a car loaded with whisky,
in order to leave no dangerous living
witness of the killing of ackleford
He called upon the jury as Virgin
ians to uphold the majesty OF the
law. so that justice might reign in
the commonwealth of Virginia, ana 10
convict the defendant. who had over
stepped his limits of authority.
Makes Plea for Acquittal.
Attorney L. o. Wendenberg. in
sweeping denunciation of whisky IN
terests who were financing the prose
cution through the employment of ad-
ditional counsel, told the jury in his
concluding remarks to send home
this man. pointing to Hail. as New
Year gift to his family: so that the
officers of the law in Virginia might
know and see that Nirginians who
had made laws would back up the ofh-
. GERS who enforced them.
He characterized Hudson and Shack
leford criminals, and declared that
Hail. when he shot Hudson. who had
grabbed him around the neck and hit
him with a whisky bottle as Hall was
firing at Shackleford, was acting in
self-defense. Hall did not know what
was coming next. he said. The law
calls for the officer enforcing it, she
shouted. to press on and not retreat /
when arrest is being resisted. Hall ;
did no more than his duty. he said. and
as a matter of justice he should be
acquitted.
Instructions to Jury.
Instructions to the jury stated that
when an officer of the law was in be
lief that his life was in danger. and
defended himself under bona fide
impression of such, that he should not
be held responsible even OF the killing
of the resistant
Besides this instruction Judge
Brent also told the jury that if they
found from the evidence that Hall
was acting in sef-defense he had an
additional right which is accorded
every civilian to protect himself.
Defense Sees Double Reason.
The defense stressed this point time
and again during the concluding re-
marks. declaring that Hall had
double safeguard under the law for
the shooting of Hudson. which was
Sadmitted The first was that of an
officer, who not only could. but must"
press on in face of resistance. The
second was as a civilian and an Amer
lean citizen who could guard against
an attack intended to do him serious
bodily harm or to infiict death.
Liquor questions We're barred dur
ing the empaneling of the jury. but
the dry" act was frequently referred
to during the concluding remarks of
the defense. Commonwealth Attorney
Thomas II. Lion of Prince William
county. j. NJ. Bauserman, special
counsel for the prosecution: B. F.
Walton. special counsel for the de-
Tense. and c. j. Meetze. counsel for
the defense, also addressed the jury.
d. S. r.