Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-16
WITNESS RE-ENACTS
chips Staying
Member of DR.. Norris Church
Board Declares Lumber
Man Threatened Pastor.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
AUSTIN. Tex Janua6y 15.-The
killing of D. f. Chips IN the upper
chamber of the First Baptist
Church Office Building at Fort
Worth. nv Rev. J. Frank Norris last
Jrlv was dramatically enacted IN
the District Court room here today
NV L. H. Mutt, member OF Dr.
Norris church board.
Mr.. Mutt portrayed by word and
gesture the final act in the life of
/ the lumherman, who was shot down
by the fundamentalist pastor.
Like Mrs RoXie Parker, the star
witness for the State, Mutt happened
in on the tragedy which cost Chlpps
/ his life and the trial of Dr. Norris
on a charge of murder. Nutt was
I the ONLY eyewitness other than Norris
and his testimony was the high point
of DR.. Norris defense today.
Saws He Reached for Pocket.
Mr.. Mutt testified that Chips came
to Norris office unannounced and
threatened to kill the pastor if he
did not quit attacking Chlpps'
friends. among them Mayor Ii. G.
Meacham of Fort Worth. He was
shot when he made an apparent
move TO reach his hip pocket, the
witness declared.
Mrs. Parker told yesterday how she
had stepped 10 the threshold of Nor
ris' outer office just as Chips came
through the inner door. and a moment
later was shot. She testified as to
what she saw outside that door Mutt
today testified as to what happened
on the other side of the door.
Following Mutt who occupied the
50. s,A "a 0f the N3V.
several character witnesses were put
on in an effort to show that Chips
had a bad reputation as a drinker,
and that while under the influence OF
liquor he was Quarrelsome and un-
ruly.
SAYS He Heard Threat.
Considerable of this testimony about
Chips was given by Fred ID. Hol-
land. a former Fort Worth policeman,
who said he had heard Chips threaten
to kill Norris on the day before the
minister killed Chips. Holland said
he told Norris of this threat and gave
the pastor other information about
Chips actions and troubles.
Mr. Mutt called on DR.. Norris in the
Office up on the second floor of the
building adjoining Norris church. He
arrived about 4:30 pm. Norris asked
him if he knew Chips, but said
nothing about telephone threats which
Chips was supposed to have made
shortly before.
In a few minutes Chips opened the
door without knocking.
81 rose to my feet, Mutt testlned'
'tChipps said: i know this man, re-
ferring to me. L sell lumber all over
the country Chips shook hands with
me and sat down. | also sat. DR..
Norris was seated at his desk.
Says Chips Was Ordered Out.
"Chipps then said: I've got some
thing to say and I'll say it to you,
turning toward DR.. Norris. If you
saw anything more about my friends,
! I'm going to kill you. He had his INST
clenched."
Mutt then told how Norris answered
that he had his Sunday sermon pre-
pared and was going to preach II. And
he said Chips replied
"If you do, III kill YOU.
According to the witness, DIR. Nor
ris then shwed Chips the door. order.
ing him to leave. Chips remained
standing. looking at Norris, and the
nastor told him twice again to leave.
AS Chips opened the door ana
stenped into the anteroom, Mutt said
II was his recollection that Norris
took a step toward the door
At this point, Mutt was requested
to stand up before the jury and act
out Just what happened.
Mutt said Norris told Chipps, L
rapeat everything / have said" This
was said as Chips was going through
the door. The witness said that
Chipps turned and exclaimed:
Lets go to it; Ill kill you.
Something Dropped From Pocket.
"chipps made a motion with his
right hand and as he did so his coat
onened." Mutt testified. The witness
moved his hand back toward his right
hip pocket in imitation of the motion
he said Chips had made. The jury
was intent on this phase of the story.
AS he moved his hand back, Mutt
said, something dropped from Chipps
pocket. 1t looked like leather case,
but the witness didn't know what II
was.
eat this action shots rang out,
continued Mutt. 'Dr. Norris was
hack of me. Chips staggered.
Something looking like a leather case
dropped TO the floor and he stopped
10 pick it up. He took several steps,
came back into DIR. Norris private
Office and sank to the floor.
Chips tone was determined and
angry. and I believe he would have
i Killed IT.. GNDi AZ III -Ncthl no"
not shot him.
Mr.. Mutt withstood severe cross
examination from Attorney William
Mclean for the state. but stuck to
the main points of his story.
Norris Shows Emotion.
Mclean pressed the witness par
ticularly about an affidavit Mutt made
an hour and "A half after the killing.
Mutt said there were some discrep
ancies in the affidavit. though it was
true in the main.
The attorney then read a portion
of the affidavit. in which Norris was
quoted as follows:
II don't want any more out of you.
There is the door
The affidavit also said Chips ire
iuctantly got up and walked out of
the Office door
Mutt said this was true as far as
it went, but that il didn't state all
that Chips did
DIR. Norris invited him out several
anes before he left" Mutt said
Dr. Norris showed considerable
emotion during the recital Of Chips
death.
The trial will be resumed Monday