Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-18
STARTS |.
IN SHEPARD CASE
Defense Rests After Doctors
Voice Doubt Wife Died of !
MercuriaI Poisoning.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
KANSAS CITY, Kans., December 1s.-
The defense rested its case today In
the trial of Maj. Charles A. Shepard for
the alleged poison murder of his wife
after calling several medical witnesses
who cast doubt on the prosecutions
contention that Mrs. Shepard died of
mercurial poisoning.
Testimony was rapidly drawing to q
close as the Government began to pre-
sent witnesses in rebuttal.
Prosecution attorneys indicated they
would complete the rebuttal evidence
late today or tomorrow morning.
DR.. j. Wesley Faust, general prac-
titioner, and DR.. Charles M Stemen,
surgeon, both Of Kansas City, Kans.,
testified for the defense that in the
absence of a complete autopsy they
would not care to give any opinion as
to the cause OF Mrs. Shepard's death.
Declares Case Not Typical.
DR.. Faust, who served as an Army
physician six months in the World War.
testified in response to a hypothetical
defense question that "this Is not q
typical case of mercurial poisoning"
Dr. Faust testified mercury is alb
sorbable when taken into the mouth as
a mouth wash. The defense previously
had established that an Army dentist
prescribed mouth wash containing BIZ
chloride of mercury for Mrs. Shepard
in treatment of trench mouth during
her fatal illness.
On croSs-eXamination, DR.. Faust said
the discovery of two or three grains
of mercury found in the viscera, as Gov
eminent witnesses testified, tended to
indicate considerably more than that
amount of mercury had been in the
body. "The presence of mercury was
presumptive evidence of mercurial poi
Soning," he said, adding that he could
not be certain without complete au-
topSy.
Associates and others with whom Mrs.
Shepard had frequent contact testified
yesterday that she drank bootleg liquor
in unusual quantities, that she was
Staggering drunk" the day she became
Ill, that she had spoken of using mar
cotics and frequently predicted that her
death was near at hand.
Shepard Leaves Stand.
Their appearance followed dismissal
from the stand of Maj. Shepard, who,
through two days of direct and cross
examination remained firm in his
denial of the Governments allegation
that he poisoned his wife to be free
San Antonio, Tex, stenographer.
Before leaving the stand Mai. Shep-
ard explained in answer to prosecution
questioning that he did not suspect
poison was the cause of his wife's fatal
illness, and therefore took no precau-
tons against it.
Miss Lillian Turner. beauty shop pro-
prietor at Junction City, Kans., near
Fort Riley, yesterday testified Mrs.
Shepard was Staggering drunk" at IL
am. May 20, 1929, when she called to
have her hair dressed. That was the
day she was seized with the fatal illness.
Mrs. Veda Snyder, another Junction
City beauty shop operator, testified that
on May II, 1929, Mrs, Shepard told
her this may be my last time in your
shop" Mrs. Snyder said she asked the
majors wife why she was transferring
her patronage and received the reply,
no, that isn't what mean at ALL"
Orderly Is Questioned.
The witness said she was called by
Mrs. Shepard during her illness. ,"She
asked me to dress her hair after her
death. told her she mustn't talk that
way"
Pvt Robert l.. Crawford, colored or
derly for the Shepards, testified Mrs.
Shepard drank two bottles of beer and
three-fourths of a water glass of whisky
before 8 am. the day she was stricken.
Three-fourthS of a tumbler of whisky
was her customary" drink, he said
He testified he purchased liquor from
bootlegger almost daily for the ma
jor's wife.
Crawford also said that Mrs. Shepard
had talked to him Of death and said
ne had heard her mention possible di-
Vorce and marriage to another man.
Once when she was alarmed by a
storm, he said 1T asked her why she
was afraid of lightning when she said
she was going to die anyway, She said
she wanted to die, but not that way"
Called Solitary Drinker.
The wives Of two Army captains. Mrs.
Ruth Winchester and Mrs Helen HOW
cross, told of remarks by Mrs. Shepard
that she was going back to California
''in box"
Mrs. Holycross said she heard Shep-
ard urge his wife to take good care
OF yourself; when you get well enough
! am going to send you to California
for complete rest"
Yes, but am going back in a box"
the witness quoted Mrs. Spepard as re-
plying.
Mrs. Winchester testified Mrs. Shep-
ard had indicated to her she was using
arsenic and narcotics to improve her
complexion.
Mrs. Elizabeth Stricken, wife of a
Fort Riley surgeon, characterized Mrs
Shepard as solitary drinker."