The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-06-23
ACCUSED MAN
DENIES GER N
DEATH CHARGE
Defendant Expects to Strike
Chief Blow in Defense of
Murder Accusation
TO BE CROSS EXAMINED
Grove to 1nterrOgate Wit
ness on Every Phase
of His Life

Chicago, June 23.---(P)-William d.
Shepherd took the witness stand at
11:24 a. m. today to strike the chief
blow in his defense of the charges
that he used typhoid baccilli to slay
his millionaire foster son, William
Nelson McClintock.
crowded room of spectators who
had fought for admission, strained
forward tensely as Shepherd was
called. A great mass of a man, wide
and stocky of build, curly hair, iron
gray, and his face chalky white with
its prison pallor, Shepherd ambled
leisurely to the witness box.
Denies Murder
"Did you murder Billy McClin-
tock?" asked William Stewart, his
chief counsel, after the usual identi-
flying questions.
81 did not" Shepherd replied in a
firm voice.
The defense attorney took Shep-
herd through each charge of the in
dictment of 22 counts covering the
death of McClintock by poison germs
and unknown manner"
In each instance the defense an
swer was a firm II did not"
He denied that he ever saw
Charles c. Faiman, his chief accuser,
until after he was taken into custody,
ever had written letter to Faiman's
National University Of Science re-
garding course in bacteriology, or
had ever seen John T. Marchand, a
representative of Faiman's school.
He denied that he had seen DR..
A
rest.
General Denials
In three minutes Shepherds gen.
eral denials of each and every ac-
cusation against him had been for
mally entered and Stewart sat down
with remark, take the Witness" to
the prosecution.
Photographers, officially banded
from all Cook county criminal courts,
scooted about the court room "shoot-
ing" the we'll composed m"u in the
witness box from all angles.
Mrs. Shepherd, who has been in
the court room every day of the five
weeks and two days of the trial, sat
with composed countenance as her
husband offered his testimony.
The tiny court room, crowded to
capacity, hung in breathless silence
during the denials uttered by the de-
fendant.
Every available inch of space was
taken up, even 25 camp chairs being
placed in the clerks space at the
right of the official dias occupied
by Judge Thomas ]. Lynch.
Cross-examined
Cross-examination of the defend
ant was begun in low voice by Pros
ecutor Robert E. Grove, his tone fail
ing to carry passed the middle of the
court room. In keeping with it, Shep-
herd dropped his voice and the major
ity of the spectators were left to
wonder just what was being said.
Court recessed at 1928 p. m. to
2 p. m. with Shepherd still under
cross-examination.
Prosecutor Grove was taking him
step by step over all his life from
cradle days to the present. At re-
cess the year 1923 had been reached.
The cross-examination was con-
cluded in four minutes after the
afternoons session was resumed.
The prosecution did not ask a Ques-
tion regarding the illness or death of
Billy McClintock, Faiman, Marchand,
the letter Shepherd is alleged to have
written to Faiman's school for the
school itself.
The defense rested its case at 2:3O
p. m, after Shepherd was excused
from the witness stand.
Shepherd was obviously astonished
as the prosecutor said, That's ALL"
Arguments Begin
The court room was taken by sur
prise.
Five minutes sufficed for arrang-
ing the division of time for argu-
ments and George German, first as
sistant states attorney, Immediately
began the first Of the arguments to
the jury.