Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-08-09
SHOOK DENIES
HIS CONFESSION
Professor Weeps AS He
Tells Story of Staying
Coed Lover

COLUMBUS, Ohio. Aug. 9.-tP-
Intimate love letters OF DR.. James
II. Shook. which he had signed with
the name MABEL" to his Ohio State
coed paramour. Theora X Xix
were read to the jury at his first
degree murder trial here today IL
an effort or the prosecution to show
that Shook, not Miss Xix. was re-
spcnsible for the Illicit love affair
that ended in her violent death.
DR.. Shook, on the stand today. re-
pudiated his signed confession OF
the killing. He said he remembered
beating Miss Xix with a hammer
because she injured him and threat
ened his life. He testified he could
not remember cutting her throat,
and in several OF the instances dis
agreed with the signed confession.
The former professor. his steady
composure twice shaken by tears
held the stand throughout today's
session. beginning with a recital OF
events leading up TO the girls death
on a lonely rifle range near here
the night OF June Is and accusing
his captors of intimidating him into
signing q confession before he was
turned over to Prosecutor John j.
Chester, Jr.. for cross-examinatlon
AS he approached the telling OF
the fatal minute when he struck the
first hammer blow on the girls
head the steady voice faltered. his
eyes filled with tears and he cried
openly.
For more than a full minute he
sat struggling for speech and dab
bing at his eyes with his handker-
chief.
DR.. Shook testified that he struck
the first blow TO protect himself
from an attack by the girl as they
sat in his a parked on a lonely
rifle range.
The blow stopped her. he said,
and she jumped from the car shout
ing! Damn you. I'll kill you. too"
Thought She Had Gun
Her purse was in her hand. and
defendant. fighting for his life
from the witness char T@-ln-ed N7
thought she had a pistol in the
purse and was leaving the car vo
shoot him.
Il was sure she was going 10
shoot me. MY only thought vas to
stop her. ! sprang after her and
struck her again"
"Dr. SnooA. at any time that
night when you struck the first
second or third blow. did you intend
to kill Theora Hix?" Max Seyfert,
defense attorney. asked.
Heavens, no; she was q good
friend Of mine. I never thought
she would dc it,"
AS he answered the question. Or.
Shocks voice broke again, he pulled
off his nose glasses and rested his
head in his hand while he wiped
the tears from his eyes.
Voice Low
His voice was so low that attor-
neyS on both sides asked for the re-
ply to be read by the court reporter.
AS the e~X-professor sat shaken
and trying 70 90 on, Prosecutor
John j. Chester, Jr.. suggested q
recess which the court allowed.
The story was the climax to DR..
Shocks account Of his three-yesr
love affair with the medic COED.
II had carried them to the New
York Central rifle range where they
sat in his parked car arguing be-
cause he intended to leave town "a
visit his mother at Lebanon.
Denies Dragging Girl
He contradicted the contention OF
the state that he had given the girl
a sandwich containing an emotional
stimulant. Miss Xix. he said. had
the sandwich when she got IN his
a and gave IL to him as they
drove to the range.
DR.. Shook said he went home
from the scene Of the killing and
that he slept that night.
He identified a blood stained
dress Miss Xix wore the night OF
her death and claimed ownership
OF a knife. He said he found il on
the floor Of his car the morning
after the killing.
| DIR. Shook, under oath, If Theora