The Washington times., 1930-11-21
HUSBAND is
FIRST ON
STAND
Trial In the Shooting Of Mrs.
Elsie Davis Gets Under Way
at La Plata, Death Scene

(COntInued From rage ~
was good enough to hurt some
one in this case"
'Then what happened?"
Stopped by Policeman
'When ] could see after my
eyes stopped hurting, I saw my
wife and one of the boys run
ming around the corner Of the
house. Then / looked and saw
Elsie covered with blood.
81 turned the car around and
went to look for . doctor.
when found the doctor he
looked at her and told me to
take her to . hospital. /
started for Washington.
"When I got to the District
I was stopped by q cop for
speeding. told him I was
taking q woman who had been
shot to the hospital and he
told me to 90 on"
States Attorney Edelen then
turned Mr.. Gamble over to the
defense for cross-examination.
John F. Mudd. defense attor.
ney, attempted to shake Gam
ble's story of where he had been
that night with Mrs. Davis, but
was unable to do so.
Doctor on the Stand
MIR. Mudd also attempted to
bring out the fact that Gamble
and his wife had quarreled over
his relations and associations
with Mrs. Davis.
Mr.. Gamble admitted that he
had quarreled with his wife, but
declared she had never re-
preached him with his conduct
with Mrs. Davis.
Mr.. Mudd attempted to bring
out that Mrs. Gamble had men
toned to other persons that her
husband was running around
with Mrs. Davis, but the court
sustained an objection to this
line of cross-examination.
DR., Fred r. SanderSon, Of Provi-
dence Hospital, testified to treat
ing Mrs. Davis for wound In
the head when she reached the
hospital.
He declared she never regained
consciousness and that the cause
of death was a bullet in the
brain.
Wife Admitted Shots
Mitchell Cochran, La Plata
marshal, was the next witness
called by the prosecution. He
testified that late that night Mrs.
Gamble came to his home and
said:
mitch, shot Elsie, but /
don't think ! hit her."
Marshal Cochran said that Mrs.
Gamble admitted she had waited
several hours until her husband
and Mrs Davis came in.
On croSS-examination, it was
brought out that she had waited
in her own home until she saw
the lights Of the car, near i
o'clock in the morning, then she
took the pistol and went over to
Mrs. Davis home where the
shooting took place.
She was accompanied by her
son, Billy.
Marshal Cochran said that she
was crying and seemed to be
more or less hysterical as she re-
lated the shooting, but insisted
she, did not think she had hit
Mrs. Davis.
The states attorney will call
only one more witness. He will
be DR.. James e. Nolan. who first
treated Mrs. Davis and then
directed that she be taken to a
hospital.
Boy to Take Stand.
The defense will call but two
witnesses, Mrs. Gamble. who will
tell her own story Of what hap
pened on that night.
Her little son, Billy, will also be
called by the defense to give his
youthful version Of the tragedy.
Following their testimony the
final arguments will be rendered
and the case will go to the jury
late this afternoon. States Attor-
ney Edelen announced definitely
that he will ask the death pen
atty.
The little courtroom was packed
to capacity. more than 100 per-
sons standing in the aisleS and
around the walls. There has not.
been so much excitement in La
Plata in many a day.
Sets Up Lunch Stand
Some enterprising woman set
up lunch counter on the steps
of the courthouse and did al
thriving business serving country
ham and fried chicken to the
hungry throng.
Mrs. Gamble seemed on the
verge of collapse as she was
taken back to jail at the noon
adjournment, and her attorneys
express fear that she will be un-
able to stand her ordeal this af- |
ternoon on the witness stand.
She was dressed in a cheap
brown gingham dress and her
only ornament was her wedding |
ring, which she twisted ner-
Sously as her husband told his
Story,
She did not look at him once
be had taken the stand, but sat
With downcaSt eyes and, fought
hard to keep back the tears. |