Evening star., 1928-05-03
CALL ARMS EXPERT
IN MILLS MURDER
States Attorney Outlines
Testimony in Effort to Hold
Bethesda Contractor.
BY a STAFF Cnrrcsnondent Of The Star.

By staff Correspondent Of The Star.
ROCKVILLE Md, May 3.--The State
of Maryland this morning had laid most
of it's testimony before Judge Samuel
Riggs of The Police Court in the court
house of Rockville whereby it hopes
to influence the judge to hold Samuel
T. Robertson. Bethesda building con-
tractor. whom it charges with the mur-
der OF Edward l.. Mills Montgomery
County dairyman. on July Z last.
States Attorney Robert Peter, jr., in ad-
vising the court about the testimony
he proposed to produce. disclosed that
Calvin Goddard. New York firearms ex-
pert, who testified in the Sacco-V -Vanzetti
| and Hall-Mills murder cases. as well
as numerous others, will be one of the
witnesses.
In making his opening statement Mr.
Peter told the court that he expects
Mr.. Goddard to appear tomorrow, as
he was detained on another case today;
that the records of the r. P. Andrews
Paper Co. of Washington show that on
July .. 1927. an Underwood typewriter
No. 5. was purchased by Robertson
for $65.
Declared Case Within Case"
"This case is most extraordinary in
that in trying this case you have to try
a case within a case" the States attor-
ney said. I'VE will show you that on
July Z, 1927. Edward l.. Mills got up
about 4:30 am, and, after dressing,
went out into field to drive in horses
and COWS; that his son, Paul Mills. went
to a dairy. and that Clarence Miles. a
boy who was working there, saw Mr..
Mills go out on hill getting horses, and
saw a man pull out a gun and fire
number of shots at Mills
Mr. Peters statement was interrupted
by Stedman Prescott OF Rockville. coun-
sci for the accused, who insisted that
certain witnesses in the case be ex-
cluded. and despite the States attorneys
objections. the judge had a group Of
witnesses file out of the courtroom.
Note as Evidence.
Continuing his presentation, Mr.,
Peter informed the court that Miles
was not sure whether four or five shots
were fired; that he ran and got Paul
Mills. son of the slain man, and that
the hired boy went to the garage and
called him to the hill: that Mr.. Mills
was then lying dead on the hill and
pinned to one of his shoulders was
note. which. he said, will be introduced
| in evidence.
After the shooting the figure of a man
which .!as seen bending over the body
was seen to run into some woods and
while search was made for this person
nothing was found. he said An officer.
Mr. Peter continued, later found four
cartridge cases unmarked. and. although
every effort was made in Washington.
Baltimore, nearby Virginia and Mary
land to locate some similar, no success
was met with.
The States attorney asserted that on
/ the night of the llth OF March of this
year. Samuel T. Robertson went to the
home of MIR. Trout, at Potomac, Nd,
and there was an alteration there and
that firearms were discharged, and that
later Robertson delivered to Ofhcer Case
Savage automatic with the number
filed off. and that there was discrep-
ancy in the stories as told BY Robertson
and Trout of the affair.
Says lie Owed $3.50.
Mr.. Peter asserted that Robertson
| had told the story that Trout had owed
j him $3.50 that he had no evidence OF
/ the Indebtedness: that he had seen
Trout the day previous at Bethesda and
| Trout had told Robertson To come to
his home. Continuing the story that
ne said Robertson had set forth, Mr.
Peter declared that Robertson had met
| Trout at the side of the houSs e::s:
| that Trout had suggested having q
| drink, which he did. and Trout hac
two.
After that. Mr. Peter informed the
court, Robertson had said that Trout
told him he did not owe him any
money ana Trout pulled an automatic
out of his pocket; there was Scufie
and a gun exploded and Robertson hit
Trout on the head.
Gun Number Identified.
MFR Peter said he asked Robertson in
Rockville IL he had a gun. and was told
he had an automatic-~he turned over
to the police q Savage 80 automatic
gun. with the number filed of, which
was sent TO the Bureau OF Standards IN
washington and by chemical process
the number was made legible.
Goddard, the firearms expert, who WIT
testify, Peter said, has given testimony
In 800 cases. including the Sacco-Van-
zetti and Hall-Mills murder cases, that
he Is q former professor in Johns Hop
kins University: that he took the bull
let's and gun involved in this case. and
that he came 10 the conclusion that the
bullet that killed Mills was taken from
the gun delivered by Robertson 10 the
police. We will expect your honor 10
hold Robertson To the action OF the
grand Jury" Mr.. Peter asserted.
Given Typewriter Test
At the time that Mills was found
slain IN the field a typewriter note was
found on his shoulder. MIR. Peter SAID
and that this note was written on
typewriter. The day that Robertson was
arrested. the States attorney continued,
a typewriter OF this same make ana
model was found at his home and he
was requested bv the Baltimore police 10
write sentences which were taken from
the note which was found on Mills
body. In this note. Mr.. Peter declared,
several abbreviations were used citing
Mont. Co" for Montgomery County.
and that when Robertson took this die
tation on the typewriter from Capt.
Burns he made similar aobreviation
and that In the letter there were
great number of capitals used and that
words were split In peculiar way ana
that Robertson wrote words similarly
on the typewriter.
The word "knowed" is used Tor
knew" In the note. Mr.. Peter asserted
and Robertson used this in conversation
he Insisted,
witnesses Called.
Following the half-hour presentation
of his opening statement. Mi. Peter
called To the witness stand William II
pumphrey, jr., Rockville undertaken
who told OF the body being brought
to his establishment and said that a
bullet was found outside OF the body
when removing the clothes,
The next witness was DIR, William
T. Pratt of Rockville, health ofncer Tor
the county, who described his eNam'na-
ton OF the body, ~,.,..
Joseph atarkey. Montgomery County
surveyor. testlfied 10 making measure
ments near the Mills home near hunt
Ing Iiill, Md, near the scene Oh NV