Imperial Valley press., 1927-05-04
AUTO May
feature
IN TRIAL
Hardwick Defense Asks
That Car Be Brought
Into Court
YOUTHS TESTIF Y
Son and Nephew of Chief
Say Taylor Made Move
Toward Pocket.

An effort to have the automobile
in which William A. Taylor was
seated at the time of the shooting
in Calexico on the night of Febru
arv 3, brought into the court room
TO assist the defense in presenting
its case. featured this mornings
session of the trial of Joe Hard
wick, chief Of police of Calexico on
Il charge of assault with a deadly
weapon. The matter Will be sub
nitted to the owners Of the car TO
determine whether or not they will
permit it to be used
Only two witnesses took the stand
this morning. They were Frank
IEardwick, nephew of the accused,
and Ralla Hardwick, son of the
chief.
Frank Hardwick said he was
standing just across the street from
the scene of the shooting, waiting
for Chief Hardwick to take him
home in his car.
He told of the scuffle between
Taylor and the chief, during which
Taylor s sleeve was torn and that
Taylor then called Hardwick vile
name and finished his remark with
"Ill get you AS Taylor reached
toward his hip pocket Hardwick
fired. He said that as Taylor
reached for his pocket, he stepped
back and that he saw the flash Of
the gun as Hardwick discharged it.
Answered Fathers Call
Ralla Hardwiek testified that he
answered his fathers call with
Frank and that upon reaehinga sthe
car his father told him to get
policeman. He started away in the
direction of the police station, and
returned to the car when he heard
the shot fired.
Upon request of a person whom
he believed to be Mrs. Taylor he
went to the police station to deter
mine how badly Taylor was injured.
AS he entered the station he heard
Taylor remark to his father that
he had shot too quick and that his
father replied that Taylor shouldn't
have reached for his hip pocket.
1t was expected that the defend.
ant will be called to the stand late
this afternoon.
Further testimony was offered by
defense witness yesterday afternoon
which tended to show that Taylor
was in an intoxicated condition
when he was shot by Hardwick. The
tostimany was also to the effect
that members of the Taylor party
had carried on in more or less
hilarious manner when they were in
CaleXico on the night of February 3.
six witnesses were questioned
during the afternoon session. They
were NJ. X. Davis, a farm laborer;
j. p. Taylor, an automobile sales
man; A. II. Slaughter, former sher-
iff of Arizona; Ralph Williams,
Calexico motorcycle policeman; A.
L. Dilbeck and w. Z. Druehart.
Davis testified TO the disturbing
effect of the Taylor party while in
Calexico, describing some of the al
legged actions or antics of the mem
bers.
Jacob Lieberman, Los Angeles at.
torney who is assisting the prosecu.
tion in the ease. handled the cross
questioning of witnesses.
The spectators who crowded the
courtroom We're given several oppor-
tunities 10 laugh during the ques
tioning of j. Z. Taylor. Even Judge
Finney was forced 20 smile az one
time in the procedure when Lieber.
man tried 10 find out az exactly
what time in the course Of tho
events of the evening the shot was
fired.
Now exactly when was the shot
fired! go he asked.
II was on the night 0f February
3, Taylor began, but was halted
by the ripple OF laughter which
swept the audience as Liebermsn
raised his hand in token that he
had been misunderstood.
Identifies Gun
Slaughter took the stand after
Taylor was relieved. The gun which
y alleged to have been used by
Hardwiek on the night in question