Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1921-05-04
PRICE 3 CENTS
TAKING OF EVIDENCE
IN BOWMAN HEARING
COMPLETED AT NOON
Bowman Takes Stand In Own
BehaIt-CaSe To Jury Today

Bo(ore Circuit Court adiourus
this afternoon W A Bowman.
charged with the murder of w A.
Murray. whose death here several
weeks ago was produced nv strych.
nine poisoning. viii probably know
MIS- fate. At eighteen minutes aft.
er f. O'Clock today the defense rest.
ed aud the state siGniliod no tuten.
ton 10 use rchuttal evidence. Judge
J VI Woods then adjourned until
o'clock. whom attorneys for both
sides submitted to him their in
structions. which NE will consider
before instluctinG tho jury. The
arguments viii follow and indica-
lions are that the outcome 81 the
case will be known by o'clock.
The defense used few witnesses,
taking little time in comparison to
that occupied by the State Tha
prosecution did not conclude it's tes-
timony until twenty-five minutes be-
foro II. Bowman took the stand in
his own behalf al that time and told
his side Of the story for half an
hear After he had finished tho
general opinion in the court room
seemed to be that he had not prov.
on a good witness for himself.
Neighbours On Stand.
This morning shortly after .Iudga
Woods opened court. the proseeu-
ton placed Mr.. and Mrs +. A. Ellis,
ncighhors Of tho Murrays. ON tha
stand. They told practically tina
same story. explaining the condition
in which they saw the body Of Muir.
ray when they arrived at his house.
a short time after his death. His
form was very rigid. his lips were
turned mp and his face had a pecu-
liar appearance. thcir testimony
showed
Dr. William II D. Penniman. Of
IattimCTe. who examined the stom-
aeh Of Murray several days after the
lattcTs death, told the jury that he
located at least half grain OF
strychnine as the result OF his
search Tho deadly poison. he said.
he still has in his possession and
can produce 1t at any time The
state, however, did not ask for lis
Introduction as evidence.
Dr. Penniman, who is a noted Bal.
timOre medico. being member OF
the partnership Of Penniman and
Brown. Is connected with the State
Department 0f the Government. Two
wears ago he prepared chemical
data for the presidential party which
attended the peace conference at
Paris His examination Of MUIR
rays stomach took place al his pri-
waite laboratory IN Baltimore In
brief the doctor explained the chem
irHIs he used in examining the dead
man lntestines and The methods re.
sorted 10.
Dr. Daniel e Sprecher, Of Sykes
sillc, followed tho Baltimore pbysi.
can on the witness stand He told
Of having performed an autopsy on
the body OF Murray soon after the
latters body arrived in Sykesyille
He explained the condition OF the
body, showing that the symptoms
were that the man had died from
poisoning
Daughter TestIres.
Dolly Murray. aged thlrtsen years
laughter OF the murdered man, told
~ a search through tho clothing OF
bowman some time after her faith
er moved to Martinsburg She said
she found Il bottle, on which there
waa a head OF a skeleton. but do.
clared she did not know what the
bottle contained.
on being questioned by aha prose-
cution Dolly stated that two days
before the arrest OF her mother and
bowman aha heard him ask her to
20 10 church with him. When she
declined, he said according to the
girls testimony I've sent my soul
10 hell to win your love and now
You don't love me-"
D. c. Carver an empolye CT
local wooden mill, testified that ne
know Murray and Bowman slightly.
and that Bowman told him on March
II about the death OF Murray tho
might before Tho Witness, having
seen Murray ue long before, ex-
rcseed surprise and Bowman told
liam that NutraI had been Ill for
.Hrrn week. referring 10 his Prev
oils atta ss oil n'W hc termed "in'
(a