The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-07-12
r. o N T | n 1 E n
from page one
Shooting Ascribed
By COroner's Jury
To Parties Unknown


witness. She said Libby, clad in neg
llgee. was taken to a room and that
Walker soon made his appearance.
The nurse and Miss Ethel Shore
night supervisor, said they heard a
commotion in the room, and investi-
eating. found Libby and Walker
struggling to arise from the floor
''Oh. my baby, my baby" Libby was
quoted as saying. and don't you
know I'm going to have baby?" In
reply to Walkers question of what
she meant
Miss Jenkins said she heard Walker
tell Mrs Reynolds not to discuss the
shooting before others.
Walker denied he had been maxine
love to libby at the birthday party
for c. G. Hill, where. others who at
tended testified. merrymakers were
drinking corn whiSkey and chasing
it" with beer
Hill testified that Libby and Mrs.
William Vaught. of Greensboro, whose
husband recently was burned to death
as he lay in bathtub of their home
when it was destroyed apparently
we're engaged in a drinking contest at
the party.
Libby's testimony she could remem.
Der nothing save the actual shooting
between II p. m, July and the aft
ernoon Of July 6, was coupled with
the evidence given by others of con
tinued heavy drinking at Reynolds
for several days
One Lucid Interval
During her one lucid period durinA
the time of the mental lapse she de-
scribed. Libby said she saw Reynolds
kill himself
Throughout her testimony she un-
derwent an apparently constant
struggle with her emotions
AS she reached the last days of her
husbands life she was hard put to re
strain herself. Coming to Monday
night. "a hours before his death, when
he said he was going to end their
marriage because he was not able 10
make her happy. she broke down AS
she told of the physical handicap
which she claimed had not impaired
her love for him. or caused her to en-
terrain his suggestion that she have
an affair with another, she cried:
"Oh! Such agony Oh, God"
Comforted by her father, she con-
tinued her story. which began with
her meeting the scion OF Winston
Salem's tobacco aristocracy and end
ed with the crash Of the bullet
through his brain.
Apparently not satisfied that a SUI
ficient motive for suicide had beer
established, the coroners jury like
wise refused to cast out The stories o.
Libby and Walker and left the case
open for any further investigation au-
thorities might wish to make
Walker testified he had seen moth
Ing out of the ordinary pass between
young Reynolds and the brunette
torch singer the fatal night, al
though he admitted Smith had told
him night or two before that he
had begun to question his own sanity
Drank Selves to Sleep
At this time, Walker said, he and
Reynolds went to hotel and drank
themselves to sleep.
Walker said that later, at the par
ty, Libby threw her arms around him
and cried:
Smith doesn't love me-"
Walker said she was very tight" at
the time, but denied she kissed him.
Leaving the boathouse, where sew
eral rounds Of drinks had been served
Walker said Libby entered the house
about II p. m, Tuesday night and re-
tired
At the time. he quoted Reynolds as
saying "she is probably roaming
around the woods"
An hour later. he said, Reynolds
entered the house and was joined by
his wife Entering Walkers room,
the witness said they remained about
IL minutes, when Libby ran out, fol-
lowed by Smith. Walker said Smith
returned to the reception room in a
few minutes, the young millionaire
saying he was going away and not
coming back.
I'm going to end it ALL Walker
quoted Smith as saying following an
nouncement that trip around the
world he had planned was off AS
he made the suicide threat he pitched
his pocketbook to Walker. told him to
wait and went upstairs.
A moment later came the sound Of
= shot.