The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-03-12
SHOOTING WAS
ACCIDENT, SAYS
THE DEFENDANT
Asserts He Had No Inter-
est In Auto Race And
Knew None OF Drivers


LAS CRUCES. n. ~. March IL
Major y. ~. scaniand. charged with
flrs, degree murder "a connection
with the death OF John r. Ilutchlnea,
race ear driver Ia the ~ Pano-Pnoe-
nix road race. who was killed near
l.anark. \. NJ, November 2. took the
stand In his own defense at his trial
here today.
Ne declared h. had no intereai Ia
The race ard did not know the names
uf tne en,fits until after the tragedy
occurred
Major scaniand said he was sta
TONED at the btsc hospital az Fort
Bliss but had purchased "a house ia
East ~ Pnso and obtained pcrmlpalon
10 sleep ln one Of the rooms, tho
balance OF the res.denco being occu-
pied by Mrs. II. /. Holbrook
Met Chalk Anitnnih
u was hcre he said. that he met
Chalk" Aultman, also charged with
murder IN connection with HutcninHs'
death and Harry Dversirctt some time
before the tragedy.
He said he was invited 20 go with
the motor party up the valley TO view
the races and accepted. The party
arose az o'clock sunday morning
the day OF the race and started FOR
the valley. When they reached the
spot In New Mexico near where tho
shooting later occurred they AossSd.
built Is tire ana engaged Ia target
practice he said. The gun he used.
according 10 his testimony. was pur-
chased IN Paris. France. from tho
army. and the gmmuuitioh which was
In the Weapon came from Camp sher-
man.
Al this point In his testimony he
wa sasked by j. "a. paxton, one Of
his uttorneya. if be ever heard of
Hutchings. the race car driver. or
Onyef Leo, who was In the car with
uutchings.
Inc witness replied;
No tuAasst In Racc.
Asked ii he knew any Ot the en-
tries in the race. Major Scanland said
not until after the shooting whea
Judge W. u. Howe came up to whore
tue Parry was and told them one of
race ear drivers had been shot. lie
reiterated he knew none OF tho en-
trlcs and had no Interest l., The road
race.
In his testimony the major de-
scrlhcd some of his experience while
overseas with the army during tho
war objections were raised 70 this
by the prosecution.
MAJOR HtAuiAuu tllu AnAt ne anu
Aultman had traded guns Just before
the Hutchings car came along. and
that he gave Aultman's gun back 10
him between the time the car passed
and when Judge W. ID. Howe OF III
Paao cnmo back ana said a man had
been shot.
Nhy They Traded Guns.
Major Scundland said that he and
Aultman had traded guns because
Aultman had not had any luck with
his own gun In the shooting match
which had neen held, and that no
(Scanland) wanted TO see II Ault-
man could do any better with his sun.
What Aultman did with my gun
when car number rs came along ! ann
not able TO say" said Major scand-
land.
Major scanland told the jury that
is TO pass on his case, that Auitman
was too drunk to drive his own car 70
Las Cruces after Judge Howe had
come back ana told the party that
Hutchings had been shot. Harry
OVorstreot, OF II Paao, Major Scan
land said, drove the car containing tn.r
Scanland party from where they were
campod along the race course TO Las
Cruces because OF Aultman's condi-
ton.
Al Las Cruces. the defendant said.
each member OF the party was arreia
ed by deputy sheriff. Tho army ofii-
Ger said that his gun and Aultman's
had previously been surrendered "a
Judge Howe aud that the deputy sher
~ OF Dona Ana county found only u
few cartridges for hia (Scanland' }
40 In HIS overcoaI A few cartridgeii
he said were also found IN Aultmun's
overcoat None OF tho cartridges NJ
testified, found In Aultman's oVercoai
wero for Aultman's automatic. and
some were for the as, which belonged
10 Scaniand.
Didn't Hear Shots.
Major Scanland testified that he "a
not hear shots fired np caT number u
came by for the reason that cyliude
exhaunts made 80 much noise that
was impossible to hear.
The penetrating power OF the KEN
/ OF gun Scaniand carried on the dn
| OF the road races was the subject q
much questioning By attorneys for n
/ accused. Tho direct questioning wa
/ conduC, "a by ]. n. Paxton. Al moo