Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-09-15
MRS. EVANS, FREED
BY JURY, RETURNS
To G|RLHOOD HOME


charge that on the night of August
80 she murdered her husband, w.
w. Evans, Atlanta policeman, Mrs
Hazeline Evans would not go back
to the Dekalb county jail even for
her few possessions with whicI she
had been making her cell comfort
able for the preceding two weeks.
Instead, she climbed into the car
of her father, j. c.. Cobb, W had
sat at her side throughout the trial,
and with her two little daughters
rode to the home of her parents
near Wesley Chapel, in DeKalb
county, where she was born and
reared.
Mrs. Evans acquittal was the
elimination of two intense days of
evidence and argument in the SUI
perior court at Decatur. The +
dict that set her free w, brought
in at lilo o'clock by the trial jury
after an hour and a half E deli -ra-
ton. 1t was received with cheers
and applause by spectators whom
Judge John &. Hutchinson, presiding,
twice had complimented upon their
decorum. The judge rebukid this
outburst and Immediately adjourned
court.
The entire defense of Mrs. Evans,
conducted by Attorney w. Paul Car
penter, of Atlanta, had consisted of
the defendants statement to the
Jury and of cross-eXaminat,on by
which the attorney succeeded in
wringing from the states own wit
nesses before they left the stand al
ditional testimony which qualitled
their evidence against Mrs. Evans
or brought out additional evidence
in her favor.
Many Women Present
Four lawyers argued the case
Having submitted no evidence, the
defense was entitled to opening and
closing arguments. Pierce K. Burns,
who had assisted Mr.. Carpenter
opened for the defense. Robert c. w.
Ramspeck, solicitor of the city court
of Decatur, followed him. Solicitor
General Claude c. Smith closed for
the state, and Mr.. Carr enter con-
cluded for the defe.. e. Recess fer
supper interviewed, then Judge
Hutcheson's charge was read, and
roctnd wit h
the jury.
Throughout the two days Of the
trial the courtroom at Decatur was
crowded beyond its capacity, large
proportion of the audience being
women.
Mrs. Evans statement was i'm
pressive. At the start she appeared
self-conscious. AS she progressed
with her story, however, she became
engrossed in it, and without con-
scious effort poured forth her ac-
count of the events leading up to the
night OF the tragedy and the details
of those few final moments when she
and her husband were alone in the
dining room Of their home at 40
South Mayson avenue, Atlanta. Her
voice was clear and soft-toned
throughout the recital. She spoke
for so minutes, ending at O'Clock
Thursday afternoon; and when she
concluded most of the women and
not a few of the men in the court
room were crying.
Tells of GirlhOOd
Mrs. Evans began with her girl.
hood, spent at the home of her par.
ents in DeKalb county within five
miles of the courthouse where she
was on trial for her life. She de-
scribed meeting w. w. Evans, him
self a DeKalb county young man, at
Wesley Chapel and church, where
her father has been superintendent
ever since she could remember, she
said. A few years later she met him
after he had become a street cal
man of Atlanta. He cOurted her,
and they were married when she was
10 aud he was 23 years of age. Later
lie was appointed ON the Atlanta 20
lice force, she related. Some time
after that the work of policewoman
was created, and she applied and was
appointed, Their combined earnings
enabled them to get many things
they had wanted-a house, a car.
and other things.
Mrs. Evans said her troubles be-
gan when the police committee dis
missed all policewomen in January
of this year. This left the family
dependent on Evans salary alone,
she said. That was not enough to
meet the notes on the house and
the car. She got temporary work
from time to time, but stif1 they got
further and further behind with
their payments. Evans becameSwor-
RED and then began drinking stead.
lily, Sc said. 1t became a nightly
occurrence for him to come home
with whisky, which he drank before
going to sleep. She demonstrated
with him, but he grew worse instead
of better. He was a changed man,
she said. He claimed he could not
sleep without drinking
First Threat Comes
Mrs. Evans told of Evans threat
ening her for the first time
Il looked at him in astonish-
ment," she said. 1--WE had lived to-
gether all these years, and that was
the, first time he had ever talked
Ike that"
She said she went to see Chief
Beavers, telling him Evans was
changed man. She went to see At
torney Carpenter, whom she had
known in her work as policewoman,
and he advised her to go on; that
Evans was worried, and everything
would come out all right. That was
but a short while before the fatal
night.
Describing the night Of August 80,
after telling of going to the theater
that evening with Evans and her
niece, Mrs. Christian, and of going
out with Evans when he insisted on
getting some more whisky, Mrs.
Evans said they arrived home the
second time about - o'clock. She
told - $1,000, l,ni,cr in O ,nrnse