Evening star., 1926-12-01
RULE TAKESSTAND
IN own DEFENSE
Youth Accused of Murder on
Halloween Describes Fight
at Shack.
BY q staff Correspondent Of The Star.

BY Staff Correspondent OF The Star.
ROCKVILLE, Md, December L.
Richard Henry Rule, % years old,
son Of Henry Rule, an official of the
National Capital Press, who is being
tried before Circuit Court in the Mont
gomery County courthouse on charge
of numbering William J. Barhee, jr.,
son of a retired detective, during
fight between members Of two Hal
loween parties on October 80, today
took the witness stand in his own
defense and declared the fatal shot
was fired accidentally after he had
been assaulted and threatened by
large group Of men.
The tragedy occurred about mid
night on Halloween in front Of a boys
camp, Of which Rule was in charge,
located on the Colesville pike about
four miles north of Silver Spring, Md.
Barbee was one of a group bound for
a fraternity dance on the farm near
Burnt Mills, who had lost their way
and stopped at the little shack. called
the Biue Ridge Club. to inquire their
way.
describes Party Preparations.
Telling his story, young Rule re-
counted preparations which he and
others had made for halloween
party at the clubhouse, describing
various holiday costumes worn by
the 10 or 12 boys and girls Of late
teen age, who, had been invited and
attended with the consent or their
parents.
Two other boys. three girls and l
were seated IN an automobile parked
near the shack shortly before mid.
night" he said when one of the boys,
Jesse Ward, ran to me crying, Come
quick, Dick, there is a big gang COM
ing up it looks like trouble I went
to the front of the shack and found
there three strange boys standing on
the steps with about Is more in front
of the house. Some remarks were
made about our costumes and some
one struck me on the knee, so that
had to grab the porch railing to
keep from falling down.
II didn't like that" he continued,
land 1 said, "If you are looking for
trouble you will find it,"
what are you going to do about
it?' one Of the boys asked me.
II knew l was meant to fight, so
stepped from the porch and struck at
the boy. He hit me and knocked me
down, as didn't know anything about
fighting. I merely tried to hold his
hands. After we had struggled a bit
we were separated and as I was get.
ting up some one kicked me In the
law. The blow sort of daZed me-"
Rule then said there was consid-
cradle "cussing" and that he asked
that the swearing be stopped because
there were ladies' present. At that
juncture, he said, another boy struck
him in the face.
Intended to Shoot in Air.
II was badly frightened by that
time" the witness continued, "and
I saw the crowd gathering around in
a circle. I thought of my gun and
decided to fire it into the air to
frighten them away. Just as l was
raising it above my head it went off
and l saw a figure fall"
The defendant then recounted how
he went back into the shack to wait
for the arrival of officers, asking that
two members of the Staying youths
)artv stay with him, He said he also
begged them to bring the wounded
o<.v to the cabin, that he knew quite
bit Of first aid. Barbee, however,
already had been started to a hospital.
diving on the steps Of Walter Reed
without regaining consciousness while
In the arms of Henry Bowles Dalby.
Rule also stated that all but one
of the members of his club were Boy
Scouts. Early in the evening, he said.
he had fired four shots to frighten
two of the younger members Of the
party. and that following this Hal
,oween FUN" he left the gun in his
pocket.
Defense Attorney Barnard Welsh
then turned the witness over to the
State for cross-examination. States
Attorney Joseph c. Cissel then drew
from the defendant the fact that in
1920 he married AT Elkton. Md, girl
named Giadess NJ. Proctor, II years
old. of philadelphia, giving her age
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