Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1921-10-04
STEPHENS ACQUITTED.

In the Jefferson Circuit Court
last Tuesday morning, the trial of
John A. Stephens, better known as
Jimmie Stephens, for the alleged
murder of Miss Katherine Littleton
at her home in Bolivar on Sunday
night, March 81, 1921, was begun.
Little delay was occasioned by the
selection of a jury. One member of
the yenire, C. M. LaRue admitted
when questioned by the court that Re
had formed an opinion in the case,
but he was not tenacious; that after
hearing all the evidence he believed
he could render a fair and impartial
verdict. Thereupon the following
jury was empaneled to, try the in
, dictment against Stephens: Charles
Kidwiler, T. o. Everhart, j. R. Bane,
Geo. w. Shull, Joseph Writ, c. M.
LaRue, w. w. Burch, c. c. Henshaw,
Clayton Fleming, VIM. A. Fulk, G.
w. Glasscock, and Walter T. Kearns.
Short opening statements followed
the empaneling of the jury of Prose
cutting Attorney John T. Porterfield,
for the State and Col. Forrest w.
Brown for the accused. Mr.. Porter
field was assisted in the prosecution
by attorney Tracy L. Jeffords, OF
Washington, and Harpers Ferry.
The largest number of witnesses that
have appeared in any case in recent
years were sworn to give evidence
for or against Stephens. The wit
nesses summoned were Bruce and
John Stephens, Mrs. Fannie Cramp-
! ton, Edna Dean, Mrs. Nelson Zom-
bro, Goldie Coulter, John Mills, Mrs.
Edward Mccormick, Helen Spon-
seller, Hilda Dinkle, Mrs. Annie
Wiley, Sam Michaels, John O'Kane,
Albert Porter, Ralph Barker, I. G.
! Henkle, George Baumgardner, Jr.,
Charles Kenneford, Grover OFT,
Arthur Littleton, Walter Harris,
Maud LeRue, Raymond Lancaster,
Annie Snyder, Minor Napier, Ger
trade Reynolds, Bertha Edwards,
Carl Grubb, Rumsey Smithson, Flea
nor Mccormick, Nellie Mccormick,
James A. Smith, l. F. Glass, Lucy
Sponseller, Vivian Sponseller, John
Rockenbaugh, Elmer Peacher, ]. L.
Eackles, Leona Mccormick, John
Ramsdell, Mrs. John Ramsdell, Maui
rice Wentzell, Chippie White, Buck
ss,xanseller, DIR. w. E. Perry, and
Harry Cummings.
The state lead off with its side of
the case by placing Lyle Eackles, the
Harpers Ferry undertaken on the
stand. His testimony contained in
detail report showing the position
in which he found the body of the
, victim of the shooting, the relative
positions of the articles of furniture
in the room, and how pieces of chew
ing gum were held in each of her
hands. DIR. w. E. Perry described
the bullet wound that caused the
death of Miss Littleton. Mrs.
Ramsdell, the mother of Miss Little
ton, John Ramsdell, stepfather and
Buck Sponseller, uncle, corborated
one another in their testimony in re-
gard to the circumstances connected
with the discovery of Miss Littleton's
body the morning after her death, all
of it agreeing in detail with the
evidence they had given before the
Coroner's inquest few days after
the tragedy.
A half-dozen witnesses told about
a party or musical rehearsal attended
by them with Miss Littleton and Jim
Stephens at the Scottish Castle, the
Halam residence on Bolivar Heights,
Sunday afternoon, March FL. Their
testimony, however, threw little light
on the tragedy that had resulted in
the grave charge against Stephens.
The accused himself was the
second witness for the defense. In
a calm, straight forward statement,
he gave his version of the killing Of
Miss Littleton.
"My name is John L. Stephens. l
Stephens began, 81 was 10 years old
on March 81, last. work in the
Halltown Paper Board mill, have
been there three years. On Sunday
afternoon, March 81, went from my
home in Halltown with my brother
Bruce Stephens, George Baumgard-
ner, Jr., and Charles Kenneford, in
an automobile, to Bolivar to visit
Miss Littleton. Baumgardner and
Kenneford continued on to Bruins
wick, my brother to Harpers Ferry.
| carried an automatic pistol in my
pocket to protect myself against
hold-ups. My brother had been held
up a few nights before. / had the
pistol about two weeks when made
the trip to Bolivar on March 81.
Until that day l had never fired it.
II had known Miss Littleton
slightly for four or five months. The
engagement to call on her on March
81, had been made a few nights
previous at dance in Harpers Ferry.
Miss Littleton was away from home
when / reached the house, her
mother telling me she had gone to
the Castle. l went to the Castle
and found gathering of young
people there, among them being Miss
Littleton, all of them enjoying the
music that some of the party were
rendering. We had supper there
about o'clock and an hour later all
of the guests started for their homes.
| in company of Miss Littleton to her
home. On the way one of the young
men of the party tried to fire re-
volver he had, but the weapon would
not go off, so l fired my pistol at the
request of members of the party in
advance of us. Arriving at Miss
Littleton's home, we went in and she
brought a lighted lamp into the room
We entered, and placed it on a stand.
We then. talked for awhile. My pis-
toll being heavy in my pocket l laid it
on the organ stool. Conversation
drifted to the girl friends of Miss
Littleton, she saying that most of
them had been sighting her. Hear
ing car approaching from Harpers
Ferry, l turned to look out of the
window, thinking it might be George
Baumgardner and the other boys on
their way home. While my attention
was directed to the passing car, Miss
Littleton snatched the pistol, saying
Il believe I'll shoot myself" and
instantly fired. She never SPOKE
afterward. did not see how the
shooting was done. / was scared so
l didn't know what to do. Going