The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-19

, also at the detective headquarters on the day of the alleged shooting and that Stephenson came there to try
 to get officers to search the convent In West End. He was nervous and
 did not stand still. but walked about as he talked. He said he saw Ste phenson at D. m.
 W. R. Sulser, of East Lake, testi- fled that he had known Stephenson six years, and his character was good. J. D. Holcomb of Anniston testified
 that his character was good when he lived there. T. J. Williams, barber of Anniston, testified that Stephen son had worked for him and his character was good.
 Morning Session
 Court was called to order promptly at 9:30 yesterday morning. Mrs. Stephenson and Mrs. + H. Dansforth, Stephenson's sister, entered the court room at 9:1o, and greeted the de- fendant when he was brought in shortly before the opening of court.
 Judge Fort warned the spectators not to make any demonstration dur ing the trial, and said it would be necessary to exclude them from the courtroom in case a demonstration was made.
 Mrs Stephenson, by the agreement
 of the state attorneys, was per- 1 mitted to remain in the courtroom during the trial, although she has been summoned as a witness pr. J. M Mason was the first wit ness introduced by the state. He tes- tffied that he found two wounds on
 the priests head when he was brought to St. Vincents hospital, one in the back of the head and one in front of the left ear. He believed they were made by one bullet. The x-ray picture made was a poor one, due to the restliness of the patient, pr. Mason said, did not show the course of the bullet.
 Second Witness Miss Marcella Coyie, sister of th@ priest, was the second witness. She said she was in the back room/ of
 theN rectory when the shooting oc- cured, and she was first attracted to the front porch by the three shots fired in rapid succession. She saw q man leaving the yard as she came
 to the door Asked if she would recognize him if she saw him, she looked about the court room and pointed to Stephenson.
 The witness testified that she saw no weapon in Stephenson's hand Miss Coyle described the position in which
 the priest was lying when she came on the porch. and the position of the chairs and swing, as Solicitor Tate drew diamgran on the court room bla aboard.
 ". D. Chiles testified that he was standing iu front of the courthous SC when the bhots were fired. talking to his brethef-in-law, Edward Mo Ginny. Ike said he saw Stephenson hesitate a moment after the shots had been fired, then walk over to the side door of the courthouse He said a man had thrown a chair off theI rectory porch when they ran there.
 If Witness said he did not testify at 1 tho preliminary trial. He was first | approached on the subject of the
 shooting the next day by a detec- tive. after which he went to the
 Bodeker Detective agency and made a statement.
 Came From Indiana After much hesitation. he admitted to Judge Black defense attorney, that he had been promised his expenses from Indiana. where he is now liv- I ing. if he came and testified at the trial He said he had the telegram they had sent him. He testified that he was living in Pratt City at the time the shooting occurred. Asked by defense attorneys, he said he was a member of the Catholic chcrch.
 Edward Mckinney, when placed on the stand, practically corroborated Mr. Chiles testimony. He said he was a member of the Catholic church.
 J. r. Greer, Pratt City. testified that the chair was thrown from the porch. He said he had given his name to the coroner and for that reason had been summoned. He told of having found books and maga- zines on the porch of the rectory. He said he saw no weapon on the porch. The chairs and furniture did not seem out of or0er.
 The state rested it's case at 1l;s0 after calling only five witnesses, It was understood in the courtroom that its attorneys will make their prin- cipal fight in rebuttal.. The defense asked that time te granted them 10 confer with their witnesses and court adjourned until o'clock.
 Large crowds were at tho court house yesterday, but only the num- her vbo roulI hA corn fort a h1v seated