Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-03-31
STEVENS HELD FOR MURDER

SIGSCuS Will SuODL-
ing Katherine Littleton at her home
in Bolivar sometime during the nigh
OF March 20, was given a hearing
before Justice d. II. Nichols Of Har-
per's Ferry District last Friday after
noon. The hearing was held in the
Hall of the Patriotic Order Sons o.
America and although there was
large crowd inside the building. there
were many who could not gain en-
trance.
The case for the Safe was conducted
BY Prosecuting Attorney John T. Por-
terfeld. and the prisoner was defend
ed by Col Forrest W. Brown.
All the witnesses examined were
for the State. the defense not putting
any witnesses on The stand.
Miss Beatrice Niskimmon was the
first witness. and testified as TO hav-
ing seen a young man Jump of car
the evening OF the tragedy.
Miss Eleanor Mccormick testified
that she and several other young girls
and three or four Young men wen u
m the Scottish Castle on Bolivar
Heights on Sunday evening, includinr
Katherine Littleton. and that they were
getting supper when Stevens Joined
them about o'clock. That after hay.
ing supper, and singing, etc, they lef'
the Castle in couples about l0.ls
O'Clock. She said that in getting some
dishes out Of cupboard or press shf
came acros "gun" and took il ou'
and the company examined il. togeth
er with a pistol which Stevens had o.
his person. That on the way down
from the castle home Stevens fired his
revolver of. She said that Stevens had
been going with her sister a shor'
while. That she looked at her watch
when they got back to Bolivar, and that
it was 1855 o'clock.
Miss Nellie Mccormick was then
placed on the stand, and said thar she
was with the party at the Castle. am
let Stevens in when he came. That
she heard gun fired on way down from
the Castle Saw Stevens and Kath-
crime Littleton 90 into the house about
II o'clock. Were Just going in N
answer to questions of the Prosecuting
Attorney, that young Stevens had bee
going with her about two months, and
had always acted perfect gentleman
Miss Florence Mccormick was then
put on the stand and testified that shc
she had the "gun" that belonged 10
Stevens in her hand at the Castle
On the way back from the Castle. she
heard Stevens say "Watch them jump
and heard the gun fred. She went
| far as home with Katherine. and saw
her and Stevens go into the house.
Miss Vivian Sponsler said she saw
Stevens and Katherine going into tho
/ door about | o'clock, and heard gun
| fired on way down from castle.
/ Do,,clnI ,,,nthar nf
the dead girl, was then placed on tn,
| Sunday afternoon Katherine said tina
/ she was going with the girls UP to the
Castle and that if anyone called. for hc
to send them on up there. That to-
wards night Stevens called. AMI wen
up to the Castle on her telling him
that Katherine was up there. She sal
that she and her husband and two
boys went to bed about 10 o'clock, and
that they did not hear any noise dur
ing the night That Mr.. Ramsdell ha1
q severe headache and that when the
alarm went off before six o'clock she
went down stairs to get something TO
him. That she on her way down stairs
went into Katherine's room and saw
that she had not been in bed. but sup
posed that she had spent the nigh
with one of the other girls. That
she went down stairs the front door
was standing open. That on her v
back upstairs something prompted he
70 look into the parlor and saw Kath
crime reclining on the sofa with her
hea~ Gaming over TO the right That
she had her hands in her lap. and tina.
she I'd piece of chewing gum in he,
right hand between her finger and
thumb, and thai her left hand was
closed. That she put her hand on her
and found her cold, and that she final
y got out Of the room and screamed for
help.
Mr.. John Ramsdel. step-father o.
the dead girl. testified to hearing his
wife scream and Immediately rar
down stairs and saw Katherine reclinnr
on couch. Saw three or four hair
. pins on the floor around the couch
Made search for pistol or she'll elected
| from pistol, but could not find anv
Noticed blood stains on door knob Of
back door.
. Mr.. J. /. Echols, the undertaken was
then placed on the stand, and said tha,
/ he was called early Monday mornin,
and went TO Halltown after DR.. Perry
about $50 o'clock, Mrs. Ramsdell be
! ing in very nervous state. He tes-
tilted to seeing Katherine Littleton sir.
/ ting on the sofa with her head over 4,
! the right. That he looked for the bull
/ ct and saw that it was lodged in the
wall slanting slightly upward. No
| ticed hairpins on the floor, and that the
bullet had entered the corner Of the
/ right eye and come out the back OF her
head That there was no powder mark
/ or the face Of the dead girl That
he afterwards, on the request of the
. Prosecuting Attorney, examined her
mouth and found a piece of chewing
gum therein.
Mrs Lucy Sponsler, grandmother o.
the dead girl, was then placed cn the