Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-04-12

whlSkey alleged TO nave Deen poisoned
and containing poison and which was
alleged to have been found by Thoma-
son in his automobile or to have been
given him by a stranger, was also
leXpressly excluded from consideration
by the jury.
In addItIon. Judge Kerr ordered that
the jury not consider any statements
made or alleged to have been made by
IThomason any statements said to
lhave been made by Mrs. Thomason in
lregard to the poisoned whiskey. OF
|anything connected with it.
! Judge Kerr, further instructed the
jury that all testimony given by any
witness in regard to conversations be-
tween the witness. Will Smith, and
Mrs. Thomason. regarding some work
or some dirty wirll" or any proposal
to put away" a man alleged TO have
been Thomson or anything of that
nature. any testimony in regard to
these alleged circumstances by any
witness was to be excluded from it's
consideration.
WeIch Tells His Story
| Jas. Welcu was put on the stand in
his own behalf by the defense late Sat
4
i just friend of his and he stated he
did not know why she wrote him the
love letter or the endearing phrases in
! his handbook. He said he was 81
years old, had lived in the Donerail
neighborhood for about four years,
that his wife died two years ago last
January and that he met Mrs. Thoma-
son at the home of her sister. Mrs.
| Baker.
| Prior to meeting Mrs. Thomason at
Mrs. Bakers home the defendant said
he had not known her He said he
! first started going to see Mrs. 1noma-
son alone in the summer after selling
a pony for her. He said he did not
| know Thomason very well and only
met him at the house on one occasion.
That occasion was when he went to
the Thomason home to turn over the
check for the pony 1t was about OF
$50 o'clock at night. he asserted
Thomason came to the front door.
towards the rear of the house, he
said. Mrs. ThomasOn went out and
: told him to come in the front door as
there is nobody here by Mr.. WEIGH"
He said he had been there fifteen or
! twenty minutes, when Thomason came
and that he remained five or ten min
utes after the husbands arrival. He
denied he hurried off or had any rca-
son to do SO.
In reply to a question by his at
| torney, the defendant said he had re-
| ceivcd the letter from Mrs. ThOmason
which was found on his person, when
! he was arrSted prior to the pony
transaction. He said he did not know
how she happened to write it to him.
When he called on Mrs. Thomason,
| Wclch said he would stay thirty min
utes or an hour and never stayed all
might. One night when it was raining
! he stayed little later. he asserted.
He, Mrs. Thomason. her children and
the negro nurse would remain togcth-
er in the parlor and lac denied he was
ever guilty OF any improper conduct
towards the woman.
Mrs. Thomason and her children
were at his home on the Sunday pre-
ceding the killing, the defendant said.
| They had gone there to bring his chill
/ dren some Christmas presents. He
had not called her up over the te4e-
| phone and had not seen her after that
lSunday until the afternoon Of the kill
ing.
| WcIch said he had come to LcXing
1 ton 10 bring his sitter, Mrs. Stivers,
who had gone to the show. He park
Jed his automobile in front of Wool
worth's ) and 10 cent store and was to
meet her there when the show ended
He said he was standing on the street
near his car when Mrs. Thomason call
cd him over.
Welch cmphatically denied that he
was d party to any conspiracy to Kill
Thomson. He said he had not seen
Mrs. Thomason until just prior to the
difficulty. that he had no arrangement
to meet her there at that time and thai
he did not even know that Thomasor
was in the city.
Mrs Thomason," the defendant
said. saw me standing there anC
called me over. They had been talk
ing about the sale Of her automobile
five or ten minutes when Thomasof
came up" His attention to Thoma'
son was attracted by Mrs. Thomason
who said There's Mr.. Thomason." She
said it twice in quick succession, ht
testified.
Thomason said Wclch, came from
the sidewalk hurriedly. He had hi
right hand in his pocket and wanted
to know what in the hell L was doin;
there" Welch said he started bacl
off and Thomason drew a knife ant
, advanced on him. 81 got my gun on
of my pocket and started shooting"
The husband looked pretty rough
, said Wclch. and he said anger was Wis
Iible all over Thomason's face. Welcl
said Thomason was within about fou
feet OF him when Thomason drew
knife. which. Welch stated on tn
! cross-eXamination, was open whe
/, Thomason pulled it from his pocket.
Welch said after backing off, Thorn
] ason continued to advance and h
] (Welch shot three or four times an
: stopped Thomason, he said. contin
e ued to advance and he fired anothe
series of shots and continued to shoe
+ until my gun quit"
. Welch said on his dirct eXaminatio
d that he had heard the testimony Fri
t day of Will Smith, who said Mr.
: Thomason had tried to hire him
: put somebody OFF, and that she late
+ admitted it was her husband. The dc
o fendant said he knw absolutely moth
ing about the alleged transaction
= Smith, he said had workd for hil
Y about week several weeks ago.
Upon his cross examination by Co
t Allen Welch said on two occasions h