Evening star., 1926-11-24
WILLIE STEVENS. ON STAND.
DENIES KNOWING OF MURDERS
Describes Search for Rev. Mr.. Hall in
Early Morning; Says Gun Was Taken
From His Room.

exec; except I; to see about this bill of tht
Then did you go back to you,
room?"
Yes"
How about the door to you,
room?"
II kept 1t locked" he replied.
He went to bed that night about
$50 or O'Clock. the usual time. he
said
Then what happenedc"
II was. rather restless and coulC
not sleep. The cover was too heavy
1 threw some Of 1t off and theT
went to sleep"
Anything happen afterwards"
Called by Sister to Hunt Hall.
my sister knocked at my door
and told me to come and go with her
for he had not come home. dressed
and went with her"
The witness then described ths
route he and Mrs. Hall took, saying
they went out the front door and took
q path by the cellar door. then a SIDE
gate into Redmond street.
"Do YOU know what time It was?'
asked Senator Case.
"Oniy from what my sister told me.
that it was about 2:30 a.r1l.,' said
Willie.
They stopped and looked at the
church. he said, but there were nc
lights in it.
Then my sister said we might as
we'll 60 see if 1t is possible that he Is
at the Mills home"
do you remember IL your sister
said anything as to why he might be
there" put in Case.
"She thought there might be some
one sick
House Was Dark. ::
At the Mills house, Willie testified
there were no lights. 80 he and his
sister turned their steps homeward
passing into the Hall residence
the rear drive. but going into
the house by the front door. Then
they went to bed.
The next morning. he related, ne
early and had breakfast
about 7:30. But here his memory be
came less sharp. and of events of Fri
day he could remember but little.
Saturday-the day on which the
bodies of Rev. Mr.. Hall and Mrs. Mills
were found lying under the crabapple
tree. in an embrace of death--he was
seated in the Hall parlor, reading. Mrs
his aunt. entered.
You may as we'll know it," he quot
ed her. Edward has been shot"
With that. Willie said. he put aside
his book and began to cry.
Are you right-handed or left
handed?"
Right handed"
did you have anything. to do with
the murder of Mrs. Mills and Mr..
Hall?" Senator Case asked.
Absolutely nothing at ALL"
do YOU know anything about it?''
Nothing at all.
Cross Examination Starts.
Taking Willie for cross examina-
ton. Senator Simpson began with
questions about his birth. This
brought from Willie the statement
that he was born at Aiken, S. c., but
that he did not know whether his
birth certificate was on record there.
Senator Simpson. in previous phases
of the trial. had asked questions OF
Willie's paternity.
"You have told of being cursed in
this courthouse; what was that?'
Simpson asked.
II was cursed and abused hour
after hour"
WHY"
Because I could not tell the con-
versation my sister and l had on
the way to the church"
when you went out to the church
with her Mrs. HalD did she seem
agitated?"
"She seemed alarmed"
Then. after going to the church,
you went to the Mills homer"
Yes"
Did you knock and try to awake
mo. sir: the lights were out"
"You didn't knock to see II Mr.
Hall might have been taken sick and
was in the Mills homer
mo, sir"
You say your sister called you
n $50. You told the Middlesex
p. .osecutor it was 1870 o'clock. didn't
you?"
II have no such recollection"
Ibid YOU 20 to the home Of Mr..
Halls mother to see IL he was there!''
"No."
Turns to Murder Scene.
Senator Simpson then went into ar
a analysis of the story Willie had tolc
of what he and his sister did on the
murder night, Willie describing then
and movements without ex
hibiting any Of the eccentricities
which the State alleged were usua
with him.
Then Senator Simpson switched his
to the murder scene, ask
ing:
Lane is?"
II do
when did you find out?"
After the murder. The day L was
brought here to Somerville, l told Mr.
David that didn't know where thf
lane was and he pointed it out II
me-" !.
'You had never been there beforet'
mo, sir; not in 40 years."
Ibid you know where the Barker
home was?'
mo, SIR"
Were you ever in 1t when Mr.. Hal
had services there?"
mo, SIR"
Ibid you tell Louise Geist the nex'
that something terrible haC
happened?"
''1 don't recollect."
Says He Can't Recall.
eff you said 1t you were not refer
ring to the murder. were your"
II don't know what / was referring
to since I don't recollect having said
It," replied Willie.
When did you last see Henry Stew
ens?"
About a year before the murder"
The witness said Henry Stevens had
not visited at the home of his brother
and sister for year before the double
so far as he could recall.
What was the reason he didn't visit
your" asked Simpson.
II can't tell you, SIR" answered the
witness.
do you remember going to the fire
station on the Friday morning aftel
I he Ynr1rdor7"