Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-12-18
SHEPARD s SISTER !,
SAYS MRS. CUTS
TOLD HER Of PLOT
Declares Mrs. Cults In
formed Her Shepard Was
Poisoned by ''PauIa and
Her Gang"
BY ED H. BRADLEY

\So%@A SO@SS0POAuSAC "a 1h0 JOUTud1J
MACON, Ga, Dec 1o.-The first
piece of general evidence In support
of the states charge that there was
a conspiracy to kill FreN D. Shepard,
the wealthy Fort Valley peach grow
er, was given this afternoon by Mrs.
Alice Crandall, sister of the dead
man, testifying at the preliminary
hearing of the four defendants, Mrs.
F. E. Elmer, former wife of Shep-
ard; Mrs. Iona Henry, her sister;
| Ernest Hopson, her son, and Mrs.
Annie Cults.
On Friday the prosecution recalled
Mrs. Crandall to the stand and used
other witnesses to strengthen the
charge that Shepard was the victim
of a poison plot.
Mrs. Crandall declared on oath
that Mrs. Cults, after Shepards
death, revealed to her the details Of
an alleged plot by Mrs. Elmer, MrsA.
Henry Hopson and DIR. Elmer to kill
Shepard to secure his property, say
ing Shepard was poisoned by Paula
and her gang"
AS Mrs. Crandall took the stand.
her testimony held the strictest at
tention of the crowd of spectators.
She told of being summoned to
Perry from Los Angeles, Cal, on ac-
count of Shepard's death, and of the
part taken by his wife, the present
Mrs. Elmer, in the handling of the
Shepard estate as Administrative.
Mrs. Crandall declared that on July
Z she went to Abbeville to see Mrs.
Annie Cults, at the latter's invita-
dalls attorney. L. l.. Brown, of Fort
valley. She did not see Mrs. Cults
that day.
paula and Her Gang"
In relating an alleged conversa-
ton July 13 between her and Mrs.
Cults, Mrs Crandall testified that
Emer Was WIDE" tho paSs Mgf e. f.
and that Mrs; Cults told her that
"Paula's gang were Mrs. lone Henry
Ernest Hopson and Dr. Elmer
Mrs; Henry, Hopson, Mrs. Elmer
ants in the case, but it was the first
time there had been reference to
, DR.. Elmer's name. Mrs. Crandall
went into other details without an
feature. After lengthy argument.
the court held that the testimony
; regarding Mrs. Cults alleged state
! ment should apply only to her case.
! three defendants, all of whose cases
!, are being heard together
r ST asked her whyl Fred was pol
soned, added Mrs. Crandall, "and
i she replied for his money of
course
, Prec, g Mrs. Crandall, a number
w Week G' of shepsrds life Don "e cross
l examination of l.. l.. Brown. OF,
, Fort Valley, attorney for the Shep-
ard family. the defense sought tc
bring out that Shepard was chronic
| MI loot nf dio-
eases and was a heavy drinker."
Mr.. Brown mentioned seven afflic-
r lions, of which he. said Shepard had
! complained, including throat trouble.
T dicitis. He also said Shepard drank
frequently"
DR.. G. D. Nelson, of Marshallville.
described a severe attack of nau-
death. He said he did not sus-
!. pect mercuric poisoning then, but ad-
mitted the symptoms were similar
, to those following poison.
Whepy Mrs. Crandal saw Mrs.
Cults, She had with her her SON
Fred Crandall, her son-in-law, David
Hume. and her friend, j. w. McMll-
At this point counsel for Mrs. Ell
mer, Mrs. Henry and Ernest Hopson
interposed objection to the adm1s-
sion of testimony as to converse
tions between Mrs. Cults and Mrs.
Crandallztnsofar as 1t might affect
those three defendants. After argu-
ments by both sides Judge Mathews
ruled in support of the contentious or
Mrs. Elmer, Mrs. Henry and Ernest
story of Alleged Revelation
Mrs. Crandall went on to tell or
her private conversation with Mrs.
Cults, saying that it lasted three
'she took me into bedroom" said
Mrs. Crandall, laid her hand on mine
at was my fathers favorite
daughter and in the presence of his
his hosts, I swear. ! am telling the
truth when I tell you that your
, brother, Fred Shepard. was poisoned.
II was terribly shocked and asked
her what h she meant ant She rsPi ed
that Mrs. Henry. Ernest Hopson,
Mrs. Elmer and DR.. Elmer consti-
tuted the gang.
MRS. Cults said the gang had
planned TO kill my brother, talking
about putting potash in whisky, and
about other poisons. When I asked
her why anybody should want to poi-
son my brother. she said it was for
his money, of course.
Fairy TALE" Says Defense
While counsel for the defense
characterized Mrs. Crandall's story
as fairy tale" and made sarcastic
references in making objections to
certain questions by Solicitor Gar
rett. the four defendants appeared
highly interested in the witness re-
cital Mrs. Flmeris face remained
impassve. while Mrs. Henry was
moved to visible Indignation al some
Of the. statements made by Mrs.
Crandall Ernest Hopson wore an in
credulous, ionic smile at intervals
during the testimony Of Mrs Gram
dali, while Mrs. Cults herself shookS
her head. laughed and showed other
evidences of derision as Mrs Gran
| dali told her story.
Judge Mathews ruling that al
/ legged staten ants of Mrs Cults would
not be taken as affecting the other
three defendants, w"s regarded by
| their favor
"Mrs. Cults told me something Of
| her life" said Mrs. Crandall "say-
| ing that she was a poor woman and
pay off the debts on her farm at Alb
beville. Her husband, she said. spent
his money on Paula and did not pro-
vide for her adequately"
Says Shepards Quarre1ed
Mrs. Crandall then went on to tell
how Mrs. Cults described the last
time Shepard was at the Cults farm
on May 20. According to her testi-
mony, Mrs. Cults story was to the
| following effect: That Shepard came
out of the house. his face scratched
badly, and said that he had had a
disagreement with Mrs. Shepard, de-
claring he was through forever and
was going to California Mrs. Henry,
who was present, remarked to Ernest
| HopSon, who was preparing to take
Shepard back to Fort Valley, that "if
anything is going to be done, now is
the time TO do it. Mrs. Henry then