Evening star., 1926-11-20
FIFTY MILES AWAY
ON MURDER NIGHT,
STEvENSSNEARS.
Henry Offers Fishing Trip
and Evening at Home as
Staying &Iibi.
WITNESS is UNSHAKEN
ON CROSS-EXAMINATI0N
Admits knowledge Of Weapons,
But Says He Has Not Fired
Pistol in Is Years
ey the Associated Press.

by the Associated Press.
COURTHOUSE. SOMERVILLE, y
j., November 2o.--Taking the witnes:
stand on his birthday. Henry Stevens
charged, with his sister and brother
with the murder Of Mrs. Eleanor r
Mills, September IA. 1922, told jur!
at Lavallette, n. j., more than 81
miles away, that day and night.
The witness said he spent the
morning downtown" and f1shed lr
the afternoon and evening. Mrs
Stevens was in New York. he said
but the cook was present when he
had the evening meal at home about
6 o'clock.
During the early evening. he said
he went to a neighbor's house to tel
him that fish were biting and also
weighed a ski pound blue fish for a
friend.
Familiar With Shotguns.
Mr.. Stevens said that he was thor
cughly familiar with shotguns anc
knew something of cartridges fer al
arms. He declared that he had no
owned or fred a pistol in ?5 wears.
nesses as to his movements. He wal
not in New Brunswick when Mrs
Mary Demsrest told of seeing him thu
day after the killing. he said. and wal
not near the scene of the Staying G
rear later, as testified TO by Mrs. Anna
Hoag.
He said that at the time former
State Trooper Henry L. Dickman told
Of questioning him on fishing pier
at Lavallette, he was in Florida. anc
that no such fishing pier" was in eX
istence then or now.
On cross-exam mination Special Prose
cutor Simpson emphasized the fact
that the witness had not come tC
Somerville when he received the news
of his sisters arrest and 40-hour con
finement in Jail, although he was ir
Philadelphia at the time. He also
questioned Stevens as to what the
prosecutor termed his failure to come
to see his brother In jail until he him
self was arrested. The reply to these
questions was that he could not have
done any material good.
Time for Drive Questioned.
Simpson also asked the witness ir
detail as to the time required to drive
by automobile from Lavallette to New
time required was about two hour!
and a quarter, and that he had never
made 1t in less than two hours. The
prosecutor asked II he had not tolt
Q man that he could drive 1t in ar
hour and a half by a back road"
This Stevens denied. saying thai
there was a road other than the one
usually used which was shorter, but
that such time could not be made
on it.
STAND UP, Pete" called Simpson.
A man in the audience arose.
Didn't you tell this man that yol
eould drive 1t in one hour and half?'
II did not.
asked Clarence E. Case of defense
counsel
"Fifty-seven years this happens to
b my birthday" answered Stevens.
Is Slightly Deaf.
The witness spoke in an easy man
ner, but explained he was slightly
been born in New Brunswick, where
he lived until 1890. Then he lived ir
Roselle Park. n. j.. for a few months
where he was married. Later hi
moved to Lavalette. n. j.. where he
now resides
During the life Of his fathe,
Stevens said he lived in an apartment
in New York City during the Winter
months. Upon his fathers death ir
1922, he began making his home II
Lavalette the year around
The witness had some difficulty II
remembering the year he gave up hi!
New York apartment. In previou.
statements he said he went from thu
Hall home. after the funeral Of III,
Rev. Mr.. Hall TO New York to ar
range for closing his apartment there
What has been your business
asked Mr.. Case
IT retired in 1920" said Mr.. Stevens
Previous to that | taught people th'
art Of trapshooting al Atlantic City
Previous 10 that l was with the Rem
ington Arms Co
Explains His Work.
What was your work with tn
latter company"
Demonstrating trapshooting, ca
ling on dealers, etc"
"In your work with the Remington
Arms Co. did you have to do witt
shotguns?"
Yes"
ibid the Remington Arms Co. r'ak
pistols7"
then recalled that the company di
manufacture an o.ifa shiorti pisto
which II had sold for about 100 year
in the South.
Have you any knowledge of pis
tols?" asked Case.
yes" replied the witness; "ou
company made cartridges for pistol
and I had 70 know about them.
could you use a pistol?
mo"
"Did YOU ever own one?"
est had one about IS years ago. bu
rave II ava" before 1875"
! P"Have you owned any small fire
arms since them"
"In 1924 I bought a .3s.cal!ber auto
Yoatfc for Mrs. Stevens"
Before that id you own any re
'"i had one in 1891 or 1892
From 1915 to 1924 did you hav
mo"
Subject Probed Thoroughly.
INA defense was going thorough.
TWO the subject of small firearms, a
~ Mills was shot three times Il
fhe head with 32-cal.ber pistol. Th'
Sitness said he had not fired a pisto
In 26 years.
''Yeur experience has been will
Ihotguns?'
YES" answered the witness,
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