Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-28
ADKINS REFUSES
|. TO GIVE CAMPBELL
Directed VERDICT
Holds Prosecution Has Made
Ample Showing of Venue
in District.
DEFENSE COMEDIES JURY
DELIBERATION JUSTIFIED
Report Of Goddard on Gun Test
Is Likely Lats Today
or Tomorrow.

While an unparalleled experiment to
determine once and for all the reliable
ity Of ballistics proceeded at the Bureau
of Standards. Justice Jesse c. Adkins
this. afternoon turned down a defense
motion for a directed verdict of ac-
quittal in favor of Herbert NJ. Camp
bell, on trial in the District, Supreme
Court for the murder of Mary Baker.
In refusing the plea of Defense At
torney Lucien Vandoren, the court held
there had been sufficient showing by
the Government of venue in the Dis
trict to warrant giving the case to the
jury and gained from the defense law
yer an admission that enough suspicion
had been directed on Campbell to
Justify the jury in weighing the evi-
dence against him.
Vandoren conceded, in response to
a query from the bench, that, "if the
ballistic testimony of Col. Goddard and
DR.. Souder is to be taken into consider
atlon,' there was cause for trial of his
client on the murder charge.
Justice Adkins remarked that there
had been some Government testimony
concerning pair of gloves, that also
had been directed against the defend
ant. The court had reference to a pair
of pigskin gloves, which hte Govern
ment showed were found with articles
OF Mary Bakers clothing after her
murder and which Campbell is alleged
to have claimed as his own early in
the investigation. The defendant later
repudiated ownership.
Defense Notes Exception.
The defense noted an exception to
the courts adverse ruling on the mo-
ton to acqIft and then began preSenta-
ton OF defense testimony.
The first defense witness called to the
stand was Gwendolyn Parsons, woman
companion of Campbell on an automo-
bile ride in Arlington County on the
afternoon of Mary Bakers DEATH When
originally questioned by police as to
his whereabouts that afternoon, Camp
bell failed to tell of his ride with Mrs.
Parsons. It was only when confronted
with the TACT that investigators knew
OF the incident that Campbell admitted
ne mad lied concerning activities that
afternoon, according to Government
EsfeStino1y. Prosecution witnesses have
declared Campbell admitted parking
With the young woman near the culvert
IN which the Baker girls body was
found.
In denying the motion of the defense.
Justice Adkins said he thought the
SFNNNNA-NN WcS NACuA llldJ R1dIN bdkEI
came to her death by one of two
means, choking and shooting" The
question in the courts mind, it was ex-
planned, was whether the evidence had
SHOWN the choking and shooting to have
occurred in the District of Columbia.
Contention Is Conceded.
In my opinion" the justice declared,
there is sufficient evidence to indicate
In,
Columbia"
Addressing Attorney Vandoren, Jus
tice Adkins said he presumed the de-
tense conceded there was sufficient
showing of evidence against Campbell
to warrant sending of the case to the
jury. The attorney conceded this to
be true providing the ballistic testimony
OF Government experts was to be con-
sloered. The judge then announced
refusal of the motion for a directed
verdict.
After noting an exception, Vandoren
asked the court which count, that of
choking or that OF shooting Mary
Baker, the Government elected to go 10
trial on. Prosecutor Collins contended
the Government should not be restrict
ed as to counts, but that the jury
should be left to decide this point for
itself. The court agreed to the prose-
eUtAo4A D a uiA4SitI. 11iS JURY ISLuIIleu
to the box and the defense then
launched its testimony.
A jury which had heard Col. Calvin
Goddard, noted Chicago balliSticS au-
thofity, and another renowned expert
Dr. Wilmer Souder of the Bureau of
Standards declare that Campbell's 32-
caliber revolver was used by the slayer
of the Navy clerk last April watched
tensely today the opening phases of the
crucial Trial of the reliability of ballistics.
Bullets Fired From Five Guns.
In guarded room across the street
from the District Supreme Court Build
Continued on page 4, column ID