Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-29
Virginia Real Estate Man
Takes Stand in Own Behalf
in Effort to Establish AIibi
In Murder Case.
WIFE OF DEFENDANT
ALSO OFFERS EVIDENCE
Story Of Prisoner Had Already
Been Given in Piecemeal in Two
day Procession Of Witnesses.
Ballistics Test by Experts Still
Under Way.

Fighting for his life before
District Supreme Court jury that
has heard the Government accuse
him of the brutal murder last
April of Mary Baker, Herbert M.
Campbell, Arlington County real
ty dealer, today took the stand
and swore to his innocence of the
crime.
The fiorid-faced, well groomed
Virginian, gazed intently at the
jury as he detailed his alibi and
denied, in emphatic tones, that he
ever knew. saw, choked or shot"
the Navy Department clerk.
The story he told already
had been given in piece meal
form by a two-day procession Of
so-called alibi witnesses mar
shaled by the defense.
While the defendant talked smoothly
and positively to the IL men who sit in
judgment on his fate, q bailistics ex-
pert for the Government was engaged
sational experiment intended to prove
the prosecutions contention that Col.
Calvin Goddard and DR.. Wilmer
Souder, noted ballistics authorities
could not have been mistaken in their
identification of Campbell's gun as the
one used by Miss Bakers slayer.
Court Awaits Report.
A report on the outcome of the criti-
tncf 81 tnnr fx.aR fnva of bn
court by Col Goddard for the purpose
of determining the dependability Of the
science of bullet Identification, was
being eagerly awaited by the court this
afternoon. The expert will seek TO
demonstrate his ability to differentiate
between 10 test bullets 1ted from B
.32-caliber revolvers, / one Of them the
alleged fatal weapon.
When Campbell had completed hia
running account of his movements, At
torney Vandoren stepped q few PAGES
forward and said:
Did you ever know Mary Baker,"
No. the prisoner replied with
emphasis.
Did you ever see Mary Baker?"
mo"
Did you choke Mary Baker?"
No"
Did you shoot Mary BakerP"
NO"
The questions and answers succeeded
each other with machine gun rapidlty,
while every one in the court room
leaned forward tensely. Then Camp
bell quickly volunteered:
Il never choked nor shot Mary Baker.
I never choked nor shot any woman"
The scene was easily the most dra-
matte of the extraordinary trial.
Vandoren continued the questioning.
DO you know what kind of q Car
Mary Baker had?" the attorney asked.
NO" replied the defendant with q
in one of the new Fords"
Did you ever see her carp" Vandoren
inquired.
Campbell hesitated before answering
in the negative, and then he added:
Il want to explain that hesitancy
by saying that after they took my palm
prints they took me over to the Ar
iington County Court House and the car
might have been there. But If 1t was
1t was not pointed out to me-"
Campbell was preceded to the stand
by his fashionably attired wife, Mrs.
Ruth Callahan Campbell, who declared
her husband was in their Virginia High
lands home from $50 to 7;30 o'clock on
the evening of April IL, last The Gov
eminent has charged that Campbell
StI angled and shot the girl in her auto
mobile at or near Seventeenth and B
streets about 6 o'clock that same eve-
ming.
the prisoner, wearing a dark-blue.
well-tailored SUIT, cream tinted shirt,
blue four-in-hand tie, and carefully
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