Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-12-01

the stand at his trial at Fairfax
Courthouse for the Staying of Henry
Briscoe He admitted the shooting Of
Briscoe, but added that he did not
know he had shot anyone till the next
morning when the police called at his
home to arrest him His only defense
was that rocks were hurled at his car
by the Briscoe party.
On being cross examined by Acting
Commonwealth's Attorney Wilson
Fam, Oehlert proved a bad witness
for himself and at different times be-
came badly twisted in his testimony.
Oehlert appeared nervous and plainly
showed the effects of the strain he
was under.
The accused man was on the wit
ness stand about an hour Afterward
the defense rested its case, and final
arguments were begun at ? o'clock
this afternoon.
The case may not be given to the
jury till tomorrow although it is pos
siblc that it may reach the jury late
this afternoon. Judge Brent announc-
ed that he would not limit the at
torncys in their arguments. The tes-
timony Of Oehlert was substantially
to the effect that he obtained an old
pistol from man named Williams
the day of October ID and at ) o'clock
that afternoon he was to take man
in the country across Hunting Greek
and simply got the weapon for
"bluff."
Next Oeblert tch Of the circum-
stances leading up to the affair. He
said he and Burnett took a trip in
his, Oehlert's car. Late that evening
while they We're driving, Oehlert said
that they ran across the Briscoe party
on the Camp Humphreys road a few
miles south of Alexandria and there
was a row in progress where he saw
some cars had stopped. According to
Oehlert he got out of his own car
and went up to see what the trouble
was. He then went back to where the
men were and he asserted they had
rocks in their hands and they got
after him and chased him around his
car he claimed. He also claimed the
men had been drinking.
Oehlert then said that he got a
pistol from Richard Stuart at the
time Stuart being in his own car,
he having requested Stuart to give
him the pistol. Afterward Oehlert de-
clared he fired one shot into near
by ditch for the purpose of soaring
the men. -
Witness claimed that he then got
into his car and placed the pistol on
the seat Of his car and started to-
ward Alexandria. The ran in the
Briscoe party at this juncturc =
serted threw rocks, one of the +.
striking him on his shoulder. Oen-
lert then said that he took his pisto.
in his right hand and fired from the
back Of his car while the machine was
running he using his left hand to
steer the car with. Oehlert was un-
able to tell the jury just how many
shots he fired. Afterward Oehlert
says he drove to Alexandria and he
saw Richard Stuart and returned the
pistol to Stuart. When he fired the
shots he did not intend to hit any
one he claimed. Oehlert added that
he did not know he had shot anyone
till the next morning when the police
arrested him at his home.
Mrs. Oehlert, wife of the prisoner,
produced small stone which she
claimed she found in the automobile
of her husband. Mrs. Oehlert also told
of two dents in the car Of her husband
evidentally made with stones.
Police Sergt. Wilkinson testified
that Mrs. Oehlert had told him that
her daughter found the stone in ques-
ton in the car and he also testified
that he was unable to discover any
dents in the car such as described by
Mrs. Oehlcrt.
There were about 100 persons at
tending the trial today. Considerable
interest is manifested by residents of
Fairfax county over the outcome of
the case. The opinion around Fairfax
today is that the state has cstab-
lished an unusually strong case
against Ochlcrt.
The afternoon session OF circuit
court at Fairfax, which is trying
William H. Oehlert on first degree
murder charge in connection with the
fatal shooting of Henry Briscoe on
the night OF October ID was re-
sumed yesterday with Richard P.
Cralle on the witness stand.
On direct examination conducted
by Acting commemorative Attorney
Wilson M. Farr, Cralle had testified
to the events leading up to the al
legged shooting. He stated that after
the alteration between himself and
Richard Stuart, and after Stuart had
got into his own car and had pulled
fContinued on mage six)