The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-14
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saw
head the bullet entered" DR.. Nc
Curdy said. He intimated that the
autopsy was bungled.
DR.. j. Ramsay hewitt, coroner Of
the District of Columbia, took the
stand and declared that from the
description he had received Of the
autopsy on Mrs. Kepner's body, he
believed the autosy improperly per.
formed.
He said he qualified as an expert
In autopsies, and has had long ex-
perience with homicide cases.
Doctors who performed the au1
topsy were DR.. H. j. Maldeis. DR..
Meredith Smith. DR.. j. L. Hendrix
was an observer.
Recalls Kepner's Visit
In cross examination DR.. McCurdy
was asked whether Kepner had
ever come to his office recently.
''Kepner came over to see me on
June a" he said. HE complained
that he could not sleep because
he was so broken up over the death
Of his wife, I gave him a tonic
and a mild sedative. That was all
there was to it. >"
medical explanation Of how the
autopsy over Mrs. Kepner was per
formed. He said the autopsists multi
lated part OF the left side Of the
skull where there was q bullet
hole thereby destroying what could
later be used as indisputable evil
dence to prove which side OF the
head the bullet entered.
It was brought out that DIR. Nc
Curdy was retained some time ago
by Attorney Leo Weinberg, consel
for Kepner. The Frederick health
officer however, denied he was
being paid to testify in court.
Kepner Again Witness.
Kepner was the first witness on
the stand today. He completed his
testimony at 9:55 q. m. after having
spent five hours and fifty-five
minutes on the stand. He was
nervous and breathed a sigh of
relief when the prosecution an
nounced they were through.
Just as he was about to leave
the stand however Judge Edward J.
Peter recalled him.
There are some questions
want to ask you," he said. when
did you first get your wife's jewel
ry after her death?"
Tells Of Getting Jewelry.
'I got it from small box in the
bureau drawer Of her room on the
same afternoon of her DEATH" KEEP
ner answered, my wife's body was
on the cooling board in the room"
Judge Peter continued to inter-
rogate him regarding the first time
he obtained possession Of the jewels,
and Kepner responded as follows:
''I got the jewelry the morning
after she was put on the cooling
board. I remember it distinctly be-
cause went in the room hoping
to find a note from my wife"
Judge Peter then Queried Kepner
on visit he made in May to the
White Hotel and Frederick room
ing house during which he was
seeking a room for Miss Lulu v.
Ricketts,. Kepner said he first went
to the hotel and then to the board
ing house, obtaining a room at the
latter.
Did she go there to liver the
Judge asked.
Yes" IN
Got Room for Waitress.
why were you looking for "a
room? Why couldn't she have
looked herself?"
"She was out Of town after hav-
ing some trouble with Mrs. Kramer
(Mrs. Kramer is the wife of the
owner of the store In which Miss
Ricketts, worked. She telephoned
me to get her a room"
In answer to another question
his right name and he reserved
room.
"Was It your custom to go home
every afternoon and take a nap
about 4 o'clock?" Judge Peter asked.
''No, 1t was not my custom, but
I did 1t once in while. went
home the afternoon my wife was
killed because my gums ached and
I wanted to lie down."
When Kepner first took the stand
this morning, Aaron R.. Anders,
States attorney, resumed the cross
examination.
Odd You not tell me and De-
tective Charles KahIIr that you
knew nothing abouh the burning Of
your wife's clothes,
Ayes, did.
Odd you not testify to the
burned the clothes?
Odd you not tEstify yesterday
that you told Addie Taylor. the col
ored girl, to burn the clothes?
Ayes.
Q.-And didn't you also say at
one time that Smith told Addie>T ay-
Tor to burn the Clothes?
Al don't remember exactly
what l said.
Denies Wife Eagged. I'm.
Kepner then volunteered the state
ment that he could conscientiously
say he did not see his wife's clothes
burned. He made this statement
after he had told the court that he
saw Addie Taylor light a match to
the c<>nes.
Odd your wife ever nag you?
A.-No, never!
Odd you not tell Detective
Kahler and myself that you did not
know how to shoot the automa tic
with which your wife was killed?
A.-Yes.
Odd You not ten ud that you
nevf moved the gun from the
nantel of your room?
Ayes. but didn't recall a. trip
] made TO Harrisburg when I took
the gun along with me.
Kepner was then questioned re.
garding his finances. He said his
income last year was about SIP, 900.
An effort was made to learn from
him how much income tax he paid
last year. He said he hadn't the
slightest idea