The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-13
LANCASTER DENIES PARTICIPATION IN
 KILLING OF BAIRD
tContinued from Page One)


 tCOntinued from Page One) about the killing of Baird would fol- low him or that he pointed to him self as having killed Baird. After breakfast he returned to town to go on his regular guard, at B o'clock, he testified.
 Denies Owning Gloves
 He denied ownership of any kid gloves or that he had ever worn them as testified by states wit- ness named Gewin or that he ever used an amber cigar holder. Gewin was an ardent union sympathizer, he testified. He also denied that Cap tain Lollar had told defendant to go anywhere at midnight as testified to by a states witness named Alvis.
 ''DId you and your katro, or
 other soldiers get In Leslie
 Vests car and go 10 the union
 join and from there ,U camp and
 get the captains car and return
 and go from there to Jasper
 with him that night and accom-
 pany him to the taii ank wrapped
 in overcoats go into the Jail and
 take William Baird out on the
 road and shoot him to death and
 then return to the barracks and
 dispersef'
 "No, sir. I did pot.''
 This was defendants answer
 to the question by A. H. Car
 michael in denial of hts alleged
 participation in the killing of
 Will Baird.
 ro michael which was previously identi- fled as being found boarded up be- hind the barracks walls and which bore the initials "R. L." the de- fendant identified 1t as one he had formerly owned but which he said he had exchanged for another some time prior to the date of Bairds death.
 He denied any knowledge of clothes being behind the barracks wall or putting them there. On cross examination he testified that sew eral days before Baird's death he and others went to the jail at Jasper and saw Baird.
 Did Not Make Statements
 Kelly Watkins was the first witt ness called by the defense when court reconvened this morning. He testi- fled he was a member of the Town ley detachment of Company M when Baird was killed. He testified that he was in the mess hall at break fast the morning after the lynching and contradicted Clyde Springer, states witness, who swore that Lan- caster had said he would put a notch on his gun and that if anyone told he would follow Baird. Wit ness testified neither of these state ments were made by Lancaster. Wit ness was on guard duty from four to eight that morning, being awakened by Joe Keys, and neither saw nor heard any automobile enter or leave the barracks. The witness testified that Lancaster and Springer had no conversation with each other in the mess hall that morning.
 Entered No Automobile
 Corporal Ernest B. True testified that on the night of the Baird kill ing he was on guard from 8 to 12 on Sergeant Lancaster's patrol In Townley. Coming off duty at mid night, the witness said, he and sev era1 others went to the barracks followed by Lancaster and others. None of them got in the car of I4es- AiC " Cot OA any ONncI CATs UG toS- ttfied. Witness went into 1an- casters room when he go. to the barracks and Lancaster came m. Witness left in few minutes, he said, leaving him there, ant slept. awakening between 4S0 and o clock next morning. When witness got up at 6:s0 Lancaster was dressing he said. The car known as the Cap tains car" was in front of the ord- erly room when witness came off duty, he testified. and during the night he neither saw nor heard any auto enter or leave camp. He res tified that Knox's drug store, from which states witnesses had testified Lancaster and other soldiers left with Leslie West, closed at ) o cloc. and all the lights were out when wit- ness came off duty at 12 o'clock.
 Drug Store Closed
 Robert Ingram, another member of the Townley detachment, testified that on the night of the lynching he went on guard duty at midnight on Sergeant Cox's patrol, coming off duty at 4. He went to the barracks when he came off duty and went to bed, he, testified. Witness did not sec or hear any automobile leave or en- ter camp during the night. Knox's drug store was closed when witness went on duty at midnight. he testi- fled.
 sergt. S. K. Thompson testified he was on duty at Townley the night of the lynching He was off duty he said, and remained in the bar racks, going to bed at s:30. being awakened by a telephone message
 
 for Captain Lollar and asked if all men were in quarters and to get them out and go to the Jasper road