The Washington times., 1923-07-24
To REFUTE
STATES
THEORY

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bers Of the Houck family are said
to be indignant over the manner In
which the grand jury examined her
as to her statements.
Miss Houck was at the courthouse,
but her sister, Miss Eleanor Houck,
said she did not believe she could
stand up under the strain any
longer.
Inquiry Is Thorough.
States Attorney Anders this after
noon was said to be less confident
Of Kepner's indictment than he was
yesterday morning. However, he
has not given UP hope and believes
that the testimony Of other wit
nesses who will appear before the
jury tomorrow will clinch the case
from the viewpoint of the State.
The inquiry moved with usual rap
idity this morning. However, only
persons whose testimony was OF
minor importance testified. Among
them was ]. Marshall Miller, official
in a local banking institution, a new
witness produced by the State, and
1t In reported that he was called
upon to tell the jury of the amount
OF money and bonds which Mrs.
Kepner kept in that institution. The
jury is said to be trying to learn
how much money and bonds Mr..
Kepner would get from his wife's
estate. Mrs. Kepner willed every
thing to her husband.
William F. Schmidt and William
z. Anderson, undertakers, are re-
ported to have told the jury that
no blood was spilled on the floor
on the day they removed Mrs.
Kepner's body from the bed on
which she was found dead.
Blood-spots were discovered on
the floor Of the room, and the
State is contending that Mrs. KEEP
that she fell to the floor, her body
later being moved to the bed by
her slayer.
Denies Fits Of MeIancholia.
george Il. McCleary Is said to
have testified to a conversation
which he had with Ezra Houck, jr.,
brother of Mrs. Kepner, on the
night Mrs. Kepner was buried. He
said at the recent coroner's inquest
that during this conversation, Mr..
Houck told him that Mrs. Kepner
several times before had attempted
suicide. This-statement Mr.. Houck
has denied.
DR.. H. J. Kline, at one time
physician to, Mrs. Kepner, is said
to nave told the jury of Mrs. Keep.
ner's general condition before her
death. and also is said to have ven
tured the opinion that Mrs. Kepner
was not subject to serious fits Of
melancholia that might cause her to
take her life.
Herbert s. Hahn's testimony is
said to have been about meeting
Kepner In a drug store in Frederick
ut 2:45 o'clock on the afternoon
Of the tragedy.
Some fifteen other witnesses are
gtill on the list Of those to be called
by the jury.
The last witness before the grand
jury this morning was DR.. Howard
J. Maldeis, Baltimore physician, who
performed the autopsy on Mrs. KEEP
ner's body. He is said to have told
the jury that in his opinion, Mrs.
Kepner could not have committed
suicide.
In presenting the case against
Kepner, the State yesterday put on
witnesses to show that the man
had the opportunity to kill his wife.
Today the State expects to show:
1. The motive for the killing.
Q. That the murder was carefully
planned.
3. That the murderer carefully
destroyed practically every bit Of
evidence which indicated murder,
overlooking, however, several minor
details.
A little later in the day Miss
Ricketts, will be called on to tell
the jury that on the night of the
same day or several nights i'm
mediately thereafter Kepner met
her on a dark corner in Frederick
She will then tell of a whiskey
party to Baltimore.
Kepner, silent, remained in his
office, two blocks from the court.
paced up and down his office suite,
now and then calling his attorneys
office and inquiring whether the
grand jury had taken any action.
Kepner, the well-know and wealthy
architect Of Frederick. Is doing little
or no work these days, turning over
to his assistant most of his plans on
which he is working. UP to the time
that the cOroners jury announced a
verdict that his wife had been muir
dered.
From all reports Attorney And
ers has a stronger case before the
grand jury than he had before the
coroner's jury, this despite the fact
that seven witnesses whose testi-
mony Is admittedly in favor of
kepner are among the witnesses
today.
Again today. despite the rain, a
large crowd gathered around the
courthouse. Witnesses were given
a private chamber in the court
house. Still another private room
was turned over exclusively for the
use OF members OF tho Houck fam
ily,.
"RUSSELL BABY'S" MOTHER