Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-08-30
Brllrrlfield
Case Up To
Grand Jury
Indictment Expected
Wednesday; Defend
ants Shoe Found
Close to Crime Scene

Roseburg. Aug. 30.-A Crane
jury composed entirely of rancher
Monday afternoon began the ex
animation of witnesses concerning
the murder Of Dennis Russell
whose body was found on the
morning OF July IA under the
burned automobile of DR.. Richard
M. Brumfield, who stands cha ,geC
with the crime.
The grand jury's members are
w. ]. Shupe, foreman W. l.. Mil.
Ter, Minor Applegate, &. Il. Kester-
son, j. G. Bacon, John Sutton and
Sam Critchlau.
Wednesday is set as The prob
able day on which the i,cthient
against Brumfield will lie return
ed. The panel of "a summoned
for the trial jury was e. cused by
Judge Hamilton, pending tbs an
ticipated returning Of the indict-
ment and the beginning OF Brum-
fields actual trial.
One OF the important new pieces
OF evidence which tho grand jury
will haze to consider IL the fiLd-
Ing Of one OF Brumtielis shoes
Saturday near The roint wHere his
automobile was wrecked
Starlnsr announced positively
Monday that l.rumfleld would be
tried in RoseDlrs. He void not
state his authority. 1t has been
generally ;eiieyed that the cent
lists attorneys would attempt to
get a change Of venue.
Joseph A. Hamme es!sy, first as
sistant district attorney of Multi
nomah county, was sworn III as
special assistant 10 District Attor-
ney N,nner for the Bru,nfield
case. Hammerslcy arrived from
Portland yesterday ana will re-
main here until the trial liz over.
Deputy Sheriff Hopkins, known
as the Shooting Deputy" who
has been working on the Drum-
field case, stated Monday that the
head Of Dennis Russell was severed
from the body by some sharp in
strument instead OF being blown
Off by dynamite, as has been com
mon belief. The officer has mad
considerable experience with ex-
plosives and he says that IL dyna-
mite had been used the victims =
shoulders would have been badly |,
burned. No powder marks OF any
kind were found on the body when
examined by Coroner Ritter.
Head Cut Off,"
Local authorities are now firm |
In their belief that Russell'r head
was cut off and that the murderer
threw II into deep hole in the
South Umpqua river. Had dyna-
mite been used, the officers point
out, a few fragments OF teeth aud
Jaw bone would have been found.
To partly substantiate this
theory is the evidence produced BY
Ed Weaver, who states that on the
night of the murder, a car drove
along the river from the Myrtle
Creek bridge toward his hons,
stopped for probably half an hour,
and then headed toward Roseburg.
In the opinion of the local officers.
the murderer removed the boiy
from the car at this place, severed
The head and cast II into the river.
Divers made several attempts to
Iocate the missing portion OF Rus
'ells body. but without success.
Brumfield Calmer.
The close proximity OF his trial
Toes not seem to affect Brumfleli
n the least. In fact, he informed
lis wife. who met him in Jail Mon
lay that he was feeling much
,etter than usual, and he locke |
he part. The prisoner was in
much happier mood Monday. He
onversed with Jailor Frank Hop
tins, who stated that Brumfioll
in much different
rame OF mind.
For the last few days Brumfield
ias not been wearing his charac-
eristic CHEEKY smile and his Gus
omary pleasantness toward the
Ulcers was noticeably lacking.
ut Monday II WAS different.