The Washington times., 1929-11-18
WIFE.
JURY To
HEAR
CONTINUED from Page I.

Grand Jury that on several oc-
casionS she saw Mcpherson slap
his wife and mistreat her in
other ways.
Ernestine, the youngest sister,
is expected to give even more i'm
portant testimony. She visited
the McPherSonS for several weeks
here last June. She is expected
to testify that on one occasion,
Mrs. Mcpherson refused to &C
cede to a wish Of her husband
because Of feeling indiSposed.
Mcpherson, she is expected to
tell the Grand Jury, slapped his
wife down until she agreed to do
aS he wanted her to.
It was while similarly indiS-
posed that Mrs. MCPHERSON was
slain.
After seeing her sister slapped
Flown, ErneStine, fearing further
bodily harm for Mrs. Mcpherson.
called her father in Chester on
the telephone and asked him to
come to Washington at once. It
was impossible for Hurley to
leave Immediately, but he called
Lieut.. w. O. Embrey, night CHIEF
Of detectives here, and asked him
10 protect Mrs. MCPHERSON.
Declined to Prosecute
Police were dispatched to the
Mcpherson apartment, Where
Mrs. Mcpherson admitted that
she had been beaten, but declined
to prosecute her husband, ex-
pressing the belief that he would
not repeat his conduct.
Not satisfied that his daughter
was receiving proper protection,
Hurley came to Washington in
July. Mrs. Mcpherson told him
that she was going to give her
husband one more chance. They
had reached an agreement to try
one more month Of married lie
from July 16 to August 16. u
they were able to get along with
out trouble, they would continue
to live together. But if her hus-
band abused her again, they
would agree to separate.
She told her father that she
was thoroughly capable Of earn
ing her own living, as she was a
graduate nurse. When Hurley
left Washington, Mcpherson
promised him that he would
cause him no more trouble and
would take good care Of Virginia.
The months marriage expert
Snent failed to work satisfactorily,
however, and in September the
McPhersons agreed to break UP.
It was several days later that
Mrs. Mcpherson was murdered.
Hurley is expected to present
TO the Grand Jury two letters
written by Mrs. Mcpherson to
her parents not long before her
death in which she told Of the
brutality Of her husband. These
letters were printed exclusively by
The Washington Times during
the first Grand Jury proceedings.
Mother Unable to Come
Mrs. Hurley is in poor health
and was not able to come to
Washington. Everything essential
that she could tell will be placed
before the Grand Jury by her
husband.
When seen by a Times re.
porter at the court house today
the first notice to anyone that he
was here to testify-Hurley de-
clined to discuss what his teStl-
mony would be. He said he had
been instructed by Laskey to re
veal neither his presence nor the
line of his testimony to news
paper men.
Mrs. Blackwelder. sister Of Mrs.
Mcpherson, was not subpoenaec,
as she had no first-hand inforrna-
ton Of McPherson's alleged bru-
tality. ..
The second Grand Jury probe
into the strangulation Of Mrs.
Mcpherson entered its final
stages today.
Joe T. Lewark, q conductor on
the Soldiers Home line Of the
washington Railway and Electric
Company, was expected to be the
most important witness Of the day
and a "star" witness from the
governments standpoint.
Mr.. and Mrs. Robert A. McPher-
son, parents Of Robert A. McPher-
son, jr., eStranged husband Of the
dead woman who was indicted by
q former Grand Jury on October
IA for the crime, are expected to
re important witnesses for the de-
>enSe.
Conflict Seen in Evidence.
In fact. the McPhersons and
Lewark are expected to directly
contradict each others Testimony