The Washington herald., 1921-12-01
Alleged Slayer of H. E.
BriscOe viii Take the
Stand Today.
EASE COMPLETED
BY PROSECUTION
Eleven Witnesses Used in
Review of Fairfax
County Tragedy.

FNIRFAN. Va. Nov. 3o.--C"nf-
I lent Of tirSt degree conviction in
he ease against William H. Ochl-
RI. Of Alexandria. alleged slayer Of
Henry T.. BriScuc. = rc~tdcn; Of
fairfaN County, Guriu.. an dltCrca-
ion along the Camp Humphreys
cad ON tho night Of October 10.
he Prosecution rested its ease at
he close Of the opening session "f
he trial today before Judge sam
ICl g. Brent. Of the Circuit court.
Testimony submitted by eleven
witnesses tends to establish that
he accused man was the only one
Who fired revolver during the
Htercation in which Briscoe was
nortany wounded: that lie had
been drinking prior to the shoot
ns. and that he entered a friendly
argument" without apparent reason.
Claims Car Was Scratched.
counsel for the defense
Gurkc and Carl Eudwesky. both ~
klcNandria-attenpt to counter
let these statements by intimatinG
heir clients actions were caused
~ the fact that someone" had
!crdtchCd his automobile by striK-
n. "a match ON tn" side Of IL and
pr~lusc "sumcone" had thrown
tones in the direction of his au-
lnmobi1C a. hc was preparing to
lcpart from the scene Of the alter
alton. These allegations were
Wholly or partially denied by all
y the witnesses. including r. G.
S1rructt. Of tIcSandria. who was
.idiu-. in Dchlert's automobile at
h. time the shooting occurred.
Assistant Cnmrlonwe this Attor-
tpy Wilson NJ Farr. who i:' prose
Iltiu- the ease. asked Burnett
rhcther or not Mrs Oehlert. wife
v the accused man. and another
nan" had not attempted to make
am say that some Of the stones
.HIcr are alleged to have been
hrow nat Oehlert's automobile had
inferred the car.
Admits Conversations.
Mrs OehIert spoke to me about
he stones. but told her that there
Eerc none in the car when I left
I" said Burnett. a man. whose
lame ! do not know, also spoke OF
hem, and insisted that some had
his l said You better not try to
llace any in that machine. for there
we're none there when l got out
n it, That was all that was ever
aid to me regarding the stones
Oehlert is expected to take the
nand in his own defense tomorrow
A small Imam. Of slight ouild. pr-
wing the "two-gun man" descrip-
-
iccused slayer. Even though he Is
acinC a charge of first-deGree mur-
Ter. he assumes an air of nonchal-
Ince The only time during the
,vening session today that he
hanged his attitude was when his
wife and two daughters. Marion, Is
rears old. and Sarah. 3 years old
inferred the courtroom. As they each
Kissed him. he burst into tears.
The wife who is witness for
he defense. was led from the
courtroom with all other witnesses
Is soon as the trial began. The
daughters. however. remained near
him throughout the day.
With the defense experiencing
difficulty in securing witnesses. it
r believed that the case will be
placed in the hands of the jury to-
morrow afternoon.
Letter Held n, Important.
One piece of evidence to which
Prosecutor Farr attaches much i'm
,ortance is blood-stained letter.
Unopened and postmarke edd on the
lay that the shooting occurred.
which was found in the pocket of
Briscoe. after the shooting
This letter, according to Attor-
,ey Farr. bears out the contention
hat the motor truck in which
Briscoe, r. P. Cralle and II. L.
Iibbs were riding stopped at the
ane leading from the Camp Hum
,hries road to their home for the
purpose of securing mail from the
nail box. rather than 70 rthe pur-
pose of starting an alteration
with the driver of an automobile
With which a collision was mar
rowly averted-
While securing this letter. an
argument. which witnesses term
md Richard Stuart. As the dis
,ute was being concluded Oehlert
accompanied by r. c. Burnett.
Irove upon the scene in his Ford
automobile, stopped and demanded
20 know what was "goiEg on"
witnesses declared.
After a brief conversation with
Stuart. Oehlert is alleged to have
secured an automatic revolver
from Stuart's automobile and point
Ing il at Cralle ordered him to
keep his hands off of MY aUtOmo-
bile" He is then alleged to have
secured a second revolver frOIl his
,ip pocket and pointing one at each
Of the other two men. Briscoe and
Hibbs, ordered them to step back"
Five shots Fired.
Complying wit hthe order. the
three men. according to the two
survivors. turned and began walk
Ing down the lane in the direction
81 their motor truck. while Ochlert
boarded his automobile and started
toward Alexandria.
Five shots were fired at this time
lNo piercing Briscoe in the back.
Dehlert's automobile did not stop
but continued down the road in the
direction of Alexandria.
Mrs Monica e. BriSCoe. widow of
Henry L. BriscOe, and the mother
n ak children, dressed in dean