Evening star., 1923-07-26
Frederick Social Leader,
Held as Wife Slayer, to Be
Tried August 7.
FRIEND GIVES TESTIMONY
SAID TO SWAY JURORS
Hardware Man Reported as Telling
of Request to Teach Husband
to Use Gun.
By a STAFF Correspondent.

FREDERICK, Md. July 26.-'AIy
conscience is clear. Before God am
innocent Of this horrible crime, and
am confident that man. too, will
judge me so when the time arrives.
He who saved the world will not see
justice miscarried.''
With these words, B. Evard Kepner.
wealthy Frederick architect, church
trustee and former bank director,
reconciled himself to the cold comfort
or his bare cell in the county Jail
here until week from next Tues
day-August when he must stand
trial for his life on the charge Of
having murdered his wife, Grace Sim
mons kepner, charge made yes
terday when special grand jury
summoned TO investigate the case re-
turned an indictment against him.
But the man who once helped die
tate the social and business affairs
Of Frederick is broken in health to-
day. The iron will that held him in
good stead during the trying DAYS
when first coroners inquest and
then the grand jury were literally
weighing his fate in their hands has
snapped. His lawyer, Leo Weinberg.
mad physician visit him at regular
intervals this morning. 1t was said,
however, that the collapse was only
IeLlpoFary' due to mental excitement.
Attorney Confident.
Mr. Weinberg is confident of vim
dlcation for his client when the case
comes to trial on August 7. He and
States Attorney Aaron r. Anders
waited on Chief Judge Urner and AS
sociate Judge Glen H. Worthington
of the circuit court at ten O'Clock
this morning. Both agreed upon the
date for the trial and counsel for the
defendant Immediately elected TO
have the judges try the case He ask
ed that the full bench be present
Nearly an hours delay was oc-
casioned by Judge Urner's efforts TO
get in touch with Judge Peter of
Rockville. the third member of the
bench. When he returned he an
ready on the date mentioned and
August : was Officially set.
An assistant from the state attor-
ney generals office will help States
cution. Mr.. Weinberg had hoped for
trial not later than the coming Tues
day, but the town prosecutor pro-
tested 1t would be unfair to expect
the new lawyer coming in to acquaint
himself with all of the details so
soon. 1t was then that a compro-
mise was reached on one week later.
Surprises Promised.
Mr. Weinburg promised some SEN
sational surprises at the trial. "AlI
of this case has not been heard by
long shot," he said. 81 have learned
some things that will give it an en-
tire1y different complexion and clear
Mr.. kepner SO thoroughly that not a
person in this city will doubt his in
nocence. 1t would have been foolish
for me to expose my hand before the
grand jury. What we want is vim
dication in the open, out where the
whole world may hear what we have
to say"
More than one generation will pass
before Frederick forgets the sensa-
tional climax that marked the clos
ing hours of the grand jury's inves-
tigation yesterday afternoon.
The eleventh-hour testimony of a
local hardware man welded the jury
from n split body to what is said to
have been unanimous agreement
upon an indictment. Information
trickling out of the carefully guarded
jury chamber indicated more and
more yesterday that the Jurors were
turning away from an indictment.
Then, suddenly. States Attorney An
ders rushed out, hatless, about II
o'clock and disappeared on a secret
errand.
When he returned he told the jurors
he would have a witness who would
clear the case almost Immediately
That witness was a close personal
friend of kepner. He told the Jurors
how ever since Mrs. kepner had been
found shot to death in her wealthy
fathers home, he had been spending
sleepless nights over matter he be-
lieves the authorities should know.
Asked How to Use Gun.
81 did not know what to do" he
testified. IL did not wont to hurt Ev.
Kepner, yet ] believed you should
know what 1 had known for weeks
Finally, l confided TO a friend and he
advised me to tell the states attorney,
which did, and now L am here to
tell you
Then. according to members of the
jury and the states attorney, the
hardware dealer described how, two
days before Mrs. Kepner was mur-
dered, the husband had come to him
with an automatic pistol and asked
the merchant to show him how to fire
it. 1t was the same pistol, the wit
ness declared, that was found lying
in the lap of the dead woman when
Three-Quarters of an hour later the
jurymen sent for the states attorney,
ask ed him to draw up an Indictment
and inform the circuit court that
they were ready to render a verdict.
Only q small crowd was in the court
room when that verdict was present
ed, but within less than ten minutes
the courtyard was jammed with peo-
pie waiting to see the prisoner
broughts to the court. so quickly had
the news spread.
Kepner HeartbrOken.
In this, however, they were dis
appointed because Sheriff Jones'
Lieut. Detective Charles A. Kahler
and Leo Weinburg hurried to Kep-
ner's office, where he had been await
ing the verdict, and rushed him to the
county jail through unfrequented
streets. So utterly heartbroken was
Kepner as the officers led him out of
his office door that he was almost run
down by a passing automobile. Mr..
Weinburg alone probably saved him
from injury by leaping out and pull
ing him back by one arm just as the
car whizZed past.
The usual formalities were hurried
through at the all and kepner was i'm
mediately assigned to a permanent cell.
Murder being an unbailable charge in