Evening star., 1926-11-23
bLUEF|SH HERO
OF MURDER TRIAL
Testimony Indicates Almost
Everybody Scanned Watches
When They Saw Henry.
BY FRANCES MOVES HART.

23.-The bluefish was the hero Of
the Hall-Mills trial yesterday. Or
Saturday it was obliged to divide
honors with Henry Stevens, but yes
terday 1t had things practically tC
itself. The fish weighed six pounds
That is about the only thing about
it that isn't in dispute-in which this
fish story differs radically from the
general run. But when and where II
weighed six pounds are apparently
mighty debatable matters.
The consensus amongst the impos
Ing array Of alibi witnesses summon
ed by the defense seems to be that II
was on Thursday night. September IL
1922, although some Of them have
light heartedly sworn. on other oc
casions. that it was Friday. or maybe
the 18th, or any day that week. Yes
terday they could none of them recall
having made any such flexible state
ments, however. All doubts and un.
certainties had vanished into thin
air. and they knew that 1t was Thurs
day-Thursday the 14th and the
night that Henry Stevens must show
that he was in Iavallette. fishing, in
stead of having been engaged in less
idyllic pursuits at a spot some 90
miles distant.
All Looked at Clocks.
Every one in Lavallette looked at
their clocks that night. apparently
and all of them said half past 10. II
they didn't have watch to take
with them on the beach they waited
quietly at nome. and there, by a for
tunate coincidence. would be Henry
Stevens. sitting right on the porch as
the clock struck half past 10.
One obliging gentleman hurried up
from Philadelphia, for the first time
that he could remember in his life
picking a Thursday to do 1t on. 1t
was his habit to leave on g. Saturday
FOR Lavallette and to spend Sunday
there l,ut this time he went on
Thursday. because he had been in a
little automobile accident and 1t had
left him apparently pensive and up
set He had gone out for brief
stroll on the beach. and, incredible as
IT may seem. he wasn't quite sure OF
the time. While the spectators were
pinChing themselves to see IL they
were really awake at this simple ad-
mission, Howard Price rudely dispelled
their dreams.
He had momentarily asked some one
the time and had been enlightened.
And who had enlightened him? 1t
was, indeed. Henry Stevens, and no
other. And what time was it? No,
it wasn't 1890; it was minutes to
10. neither more nor less. And as 1t
would take considerably more than 80
minutes to do so miles, 1t was just
about as good
Mr.. Price, though pleading guilty
to a slight haziness as to anything
else that had occurred at that time.
peered intelligently at Simpson out Of
a. pair of dark trimmed. spectacles,
closed a mouth like a steel trap and
became distinctly taciturn. Tortoise
shellrimmed SpectaceS seem to have
been adopted as an official uniform by
the witnesses in this trial. Nine out
of ten, male or female, indulge in
them.
Fisherman's Wife Testifies.
Maize Applegate. the wife Of Art.
the proud carpenter who hooked this
notorious fish, took the stand with
an expression that BODIED Ill for any
who attempted to interfere with her
frantic desire to tell the Iruth-and,
by all means, the whole truth. The
look was far from misleading-even
Senator Cases abortive efforts to
stem the tide of irrelevant informa-
ton as to the home life and doings
of the Applegates were frustrated.
and Maize, eyes glittering behind the
familiar trimmed spectacles. high
color mounting higher on her cheek
homes, turned to devote her unleash
I'd energies to Senator Simpson.
1t took the Senator, who is unusu-
ally quick of perception. a good five
minutes to realize that Maize could
shout about three times as loud and
long as the prosecutor himself at his
best. Before the incredible clamor
oh iyoo6 v,f sxyo hod
learned q good deal more about the
bluef1sh and the Applegates. And
we had also decided that hell hath
no fury like a woman croSs-exam-
ined.
The tumult and the shouting died
eventually. however. and the hus-
band of the redoubtable Maize moved
quietly forward to take his oath. Ar
thur Applegate was a fine, stirring
figure in his loose workingman's
clothes-the gray flannel shirt and
dark plaid tie became him well. Tall,
lanky, bronZed, with clear deep eyes
and slightly graying hair, the lines
OF grave humor deep etched about his
fine mouth. There was about him
something of Lincoln and a touch
of the Greek.
This was the figure that we have
seen hundred times in our minds
eye, swinging across wide plains with
lariat coiled about gauntleted wrist
hracing itself, harpoon in hand, on
slippery decks plunging through heav-
ing seas-coonskin capped and leather
1acketed, welding a mighty ak against
mighty trees on new frontierS-Art
Applegate. pioneer. and then, alas.
Art Applegate opened his mouth, and
the visions receded hurriedly.
Vision Recedes Hurriedly.
Better for him if his lips had re-
manned closed-better for us. too.
We need our illusions. Arts voice
was as pleasantly low-pitched as Ma
xie's had been strident. but the words
that he uttered in that pleasant voice
were far from reassuring. and the
fine mouth was full of ruined teeth.
Applegate could recall, with miracu.
lous precision, all the events Of that
most eventful night, when. according
TO Art. a bluefish was caught-and
girl and a man were murdered.
Unfortunately, Art had not always
been SO certain. Once, under oath, he
had testified that he could not be sure
of the date--once again. under oath,
he had sworn that 1t was on Friday.
Now. however. under the contemptu-
Gus storm of simpsons questions, he
shakes a dogged head. forgetful of the
sworn testimony before the grand jury
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