The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-03-24
NEWT ASNCRAFT, CONFESSED SLAYER OF
CHARLES DIXON, HELD TO DISTRICT COURT
WITHOUT Ball. MRS. DIXON RELEASED

-'N"e -NSHCisi AT COHltSSeu slayer Ol
Charles f. Dixon, was bound over for
trial in the district court without bail
oy order of Judge NJ. f. Winfrey, at
the conclusion of the preliminary hear
ing which was conducted in the county
court room Wednesday afternoon.
The defendant did not show any emo.
ton whatever as the presiding Judge
rendered the order, and maintained an
e1pressiontess countenance throughout
the hearing, chewing all the time on
toounpick, ANA grinning occasionally as
witnesses testified as to the manner in
Whlcn Ashcraft mad told them The trag
edy had occurred. The accused mans
eyes wandered to the sides of the rooms
ST various times.
The largest attendance whioa ever
witnessed hearing or trial in sither
The county or district court room was
present during the procedure. Two
hours before the opening hour of the
nearing. observers, among whom were
some of the most prominent people Of
the city, gathered in the corridors wait
ing for the doors TO the court room
10 open The room was filled to ca
pacity long before the judge entered
the room, and the aisle and large cor
ridor outside the room We're filled to
capacity. The surge of the crowd as
it gathered in the hall threatened to
break down the doors and the judge
ordered them TO be kept open. Many
railroad men and their wives were
among those present, all friends Of the
slain man, who was a brakeman on the
Rock Island railroad
A half dozen or more of deputy sher-
ifs were scattered throughout the room
keeping careful watch lest some dis
turbance break out during the course Ct
the hearing.
At 1855 o'clock the defendant was
brought in accompanied by Sheriff
Buck Garrett and deputies Bud Bal.
lew and Horace Kendall.
County Attorney Mathers entered
leaning on a cane. The county attorney
has been LII with rheumatism for the
0tast week and is still suffering from,
the effects.
T1nSioehiit SOohhy <ALLOi IlOd6St IL
II. Brown and Russell Brown took their
seats in the attorneys row. The two
Last named have been employed by the
Brotherhood of Railway Trainment to
assist in prosecuting the case.
Prior to the opening of the hearing
Judge Winfrey asked Ashcraft whether
or not he had employed an attorney to
defend him.
NO" answered the defendant.
What's your plea" asked the judge.
II want to waive my part, judge,
answered Ashcraft.
The names Of the witnesses who had
been suppoenaed in the case were then
read
On account of his illness, County At
1orney Mathers explained to the judge
that he had not taken an active part
state, and Assistant County Attorney
Hodge announced that the state wa,
ready for the nearing of testimony.
Judge Winfrey asked the defendant
whether he was ready, Shereupon the
latter replied. NO, / want to waive
eny part. l have nothing % say"
Attorneys for the prosecution arsuei
that the state was entitled to takf
testimony whether the defendant de-
sired 10 waive or not. and the judge
ordered the hearing to proceed.
Bud Ballew Testifies
Bud Ballew was the first witness call
ed. He described phe wounds which he
had seen on the head of the slain mar
the morning after the killing hal oc
CURED. He told of the blood which he
had seen spattered over the death cal
when he visited the location of tn,
crime, and stated that there was nC
damage TO the machine visible whatever
with the exception Of q brokenwind
shield. In several places there wer,
pools Of blood on the car
He told how Deputy Sheriff Horac,
Kendall and ne had gone TO Dixon:
home in east Ardmore the morning
srter the crime had been committed ant
there found Ashcraft in bed and ar
rested him.
Ballew testified that the story OF th'
manner in which Dixon had been kille,
as told him by Ashcraft was as fol
lows: That during the motor ride from
Berwyn TO Ardmore, Dixon's mat hs,
blown off, and Ashcraft stopped tn
car while Dixon went after his hat
That Dixon got in the rear seat whei
he recovered the hat, and Ashcraf
continued 10 drive. That as they ap
preached q rough portion OF the road .
car was coming towards them in tn
opposite direction and Dixon. fearini
that they would collide, leaned owe
the front seat and grabbed the steering
wheel. That this caused the car to g
over the embankment, and Dixon fel