The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-03-24
SHEPPARD CASE in
COURT OF RECORD
Alleged That Defendant Had Attempt.
ed to Bride Witness to Leave the
City.

court or record yesterday, was tnat
given by Z. D. Cowart, a soldier from
Fort Barrancas, and Bunnel1 Albury,
hsuband of the dead woman, from
whose testimony an alleged attempt to
bride a witness to leave the city was
brought out.
When court convened at 10 o'clock
the room was crowded every seat be-
ing coupled and many standing in the
aisles.
A jury was empanelled, consisting of
Jesse Simmons, L. N. Webster, H. C.
Graham, w. c. Kelly, Jas. A. Bryars
and w. j. Hastings.
The first witness put on the stand
for the state was Bunnell Albury, hus-
band of the dead woman, who told of
his wife being i'll and that he had
brought her to the city on Monday
morning of the same week in which
Mrs. Albury had died. He stated that
he had taken her in an automobile to
the home of Mrs. Sheppard, the de-
PENDANT, on West Chase street, that
she had gone into the house. but i'm
mediately came out, later going to their
home after stopping at a drug store.
Major w. F. Mcclure, surgeon at
Fort Barrancas, was the next witness
for the state. In his testimony he told
of being called to attend Mrs. Albury
at her home, and that Mrs. Albury had
stated to him that a few days before
she had fallen off the back steps, and
had been suffering since. Major Nc
CURE, who later made an examination
of the deceased, gave it as his opinion
that she had died from the effects of
an illegal operation.
On cross examination of Major Me-
Guire, John p. Stokes, one of the conn.
sci for the defendant, fired question
after question at the surgeon, asking
for opinions and statements of a medi-
cal nature APPARENTLY leading to the
possibility of the dead woman having
performed an operation on herself. On
several occasions works of medical au~
thorities were introduced and passages
read in an effort to prove or disprove
some theory of the witness.
Major Ned o. Lewis, also a surgeon
at Fort Barrancas, testified to having
been called in on the case. He also was
questioned particularly about surgl-
cal possibilities, evidently tending to
show of the possibility of the abortion
having been self-inflicted by the dead
woman.
E. d. Cowart, private stationed at
Fort Barrancas, on direct examina-
ton by VIII Fisher county solicitor.
stated that the defendant, Mrs. Shop
pard, had approached him, asking him
If he knew Bunnell Albury. Replying
in the affirmative, he stated that she
wanted to know if he could trust Al
bury. Also replying in the affirmative
to the inquiry, Cowart stated that Mrs.
Shepard then made an offer to him
that If he would get Albury to leave
town she would raise $500 to be given
him, giving as a reason that testimony
at the coming trial would be damaging
to her, and that If he could be got
out of the way she would probably not
be convicted.
Mrs. Sheppard, so Cowart testified
had stipulated that Albury need leave
town for a short time and could later
stating that her lawyer would
fix things with Albury's employer to
hold his job for him. At another time |
she told him, he said, that Albury
would have to stay away, and that she |
could not make arrangements to hold
his position without her lawyer fixing |
it with Mr.. Hays, and that he did not |
want to do this.
According TO COWafLS testimony
this offer was made in several CONVEX
sations held between him and the de-
PENDANT, part of which were held in
person and part over the telephone.
Albury, according to the witness,
when first approached by him, refused
to have anything to do with it. The
next day, however, he told Cowart
that he had changed his mind and that
he would take up the offer.
BY Sunday all arrangements had
been made between Cowart and Mrs.
Sheppard, the latter stipulating that
Cowart should purchase a ticket for
Albury to Atlanta, and to give the lat
ter the balance of the money with
holding $25 for himself in pay for his
trouble.
Cowart said he received this money
from Mrs. Sheppard about 4 o'clock
Sunday afternoon, and Immediately
went to the Hays Motor company gar
age. where Albury is employed, giving
Il to him. Albury handed the money
back to Cowart and the two went to
the L. & N. depot where Cowart pur-
chased a ticekt for Atlanta, keeping
S25 and turning the balance over to
The witness stated that he was
afterward arrested charged with at
tempting to bride a witness.
Bunnell Albury. on being recalled to
he stand, corroborated the testimony
IF Cowart, stating, however, that after
to listen to the proposition of
accepting the money and leaving town
he had told one of the men in the gar
lge where he was employed and upon
his advice had called up Cowart and
agreed to the proposition, with the in
ention of getting evidence against the
defendant of attempting to bride a wit
less.
Solicitor Fisher, who had a hand in
securing this evidence, according 10
3unnelrs testimony, was at the depot
when the ticket was bought and the
Money turned over to Albury by Cow
.rt. Bunnel stated that the balance of
he money, SS62.4S was put in an en-
'elope and sealed at the time by Mr..
Fisher, This envelope was produced by
he solicitor and identified by Albury.
t was then opened and the money
Lawyer Stokes on cross-examfnstioni