The Washington herald., 1920-05-25
COTHRON TRIED
DESPITE PLEA
First Degree Verdict Re-
turned at Rockville After
! Prisoner Admits Guilt.
TELLS OF SHOOTING
Wife Now Serving Prison
Sentence Is Also Placed
On Trial.
TELLS OF SHOOTING
Especial to The Washington HeraId.)


Rockville. Md. May 24.-After
Clarence Cothron. of Miami, Fla,
had pleaded guilty before Chief
Judge Hammond Urner and Assoc
ciate Judges Edward C. Peter and
Glenn H. Worthington in the Cir
cult Court here this afternoon to an
indictment charging him with the
murder, near BurtOnsville, this
county. on June IL of last year, of
Homer Jones, coloTed chauffeur. Of
Baltimore, the court directed that
testimony be presented to deter
mined the degree of guilt.
Several witnesses were placed on
the stand. including the defendant,
after which Chief Judge Urner an
traverser guilty of murder in the
first degree. Sentence was deferred.
Under the verdict the court can
either sentence Cothron to the gal
lows or to the penitentiary for life.
When Cothron was arraigned he
refused to plead to the indictment
and the court directed that a plea
of not guilty be entered. The de-
fendant and his counsel held a short
conference. following which the
lawyer announced that Cothron de-
sired to plead. and upon being
asked by the clerk If he was guilty
of the matter whereof you stand in
dicted." he pleaded guilty.
Tells of Planning Robbery.
COthron stated on the stand that
the morning of the day of the muir
der of Jones he and his wife. Grace
Cothron. and William Eugene Lam
ders hired Jones to drive them in
an automobile from Baltimore to
Howard County. where they had
planned to rob a bank. They wait
ed for some time. but there were
so many people about that they
decided to give up the plan. He
stated that on several prior occa-
intended to rob the bank.
After leaving Highland the day
of the murder. he testified. they
drove toward Burtonsville, and
down a byroad leading into a bouy
of pines. They left the automobile
near and went into the woods and
prepared lunch. After partaking of
lunch. he said. it was suggested
that target practice with revolvers
be INDUCED in. and all agreed.
While Jones was stopping over
placing a tin can in position as a
target. Landers. he swOre. shot him
IN the back of the head. killing him
instantly. He testified that he. the
woman. and Landers then motored
in Jones' machine back to Balti-
more. and from there went to At
lantic City. where they sold the
auto. dividing the $3.50 received for
1t. A day or two later. he said
Landers left them.
Cothron at first swore that he had
shot Jones. but changed his testi-
mony, declaring that Landers had
killed him. He testified that his
wife and Landers had both urged
him to shoot Jones. but that he re-
fused. When asked why he had
made the first statement. he replied
that he wanted to protect his wife.
Mrs. COthron and Landers are also
charged in the indictment with the
murder of Jones. Landers has not
been apprehended. but late this aft
ernoon Mrs. COthron was placed on
trial. She pleaded not guilty. and
asked to be tried by the court.
Admit EIktOn Statement.
A statement Mrs. COthron is all
legged to have made in Elkton. Md
was admitted as evidence today. In
it the defendant corroborates her
husband in regard to the intention
of the trio to rob the Highland bank
and also regarding the killing of
Jones. She claimed in the state
ment. however. that she was not
present when Jones was killed, but
that she and Landers were at the
machine and that her husband fired
the fatal shot.
Cothron was found guilty of MUIR
dering Weldon in Cecil County and
is now serving a life term in the
Maryland Penitentiary.
AS the two prisoners sat side by
side in the dock they had practi-
cally nothing to say to each other.
Once or twice a word or two was
passed.
Court Holds Night Session.
During a night session of court
tonight, Mrs. Cothron completed her
examination in chief and cross-cx-
animation will begin tomorrow
morning.
During her testimony she insisted
that Landers was the man who shot
Jones, repudiatinS the statement
she is alleged to have made at Elk
ton She said she and her husband
were at the automobile when they
heard a shot. Soon after, she tes-
tilted. Landers came to the auto
mobile and said: That makes the
third one for me-"