The Washington times., 1934-12-15
NURSES STORY.
ASSA|LED BY
COUSIN


my office one day several
months ago and aSsailed and
abused me without reason.
"Then he seemed to forget
all about this and was friendly
as ever"
Relating the breakdown in the
church service, Mr.. Pitts said:
"It was at a meeting Of the
Bible class last August. Mr..
Bell was presiding and was
reading the opening prayer,
when suddenly he broke down
and began to cry.
FOUGHT OFF TEARS
HE had difficulty in regain
ing his compOsure, but finally
did and managed to conduct
the service to the end"
commemorative Attorney Al
bert v. Bryan demanded:
Don't you think that per-
haps these tears were due to
remorse? Wouldn't . man
guilty of a crime such as Mr..
Bell is accused Of be apt to
weep?"
Mr.. Bryan tried to show on
cross examination that the acts
of Mr.. Bel were not those OF an
insane person, but rather OF a
very shrewd business man.
While Deacon Bell sat with
downcaSt eyes, he heard another
close friend, John F.. Gouldman,
Fredericksburg banker, testify
that his actions we're peculiar"
Mr.. Gouldman said the church
man acted worried, and as
though he was under a terrific
pressure.
Mr.. Bell had difficulty in fill
ing out simple business and fl
nancial reports, the banker tes-
titled.
Proved "Dud."
Walton Smith Sheppard, West
Virginian who is studying to be
a lawyer, proved to be a "dud"
witness for the defense, he was
brought down to bolster up the
attack on the veracity of Nurse
Hill.
He testified that her reputation
for truth was bad" and that he
would not believe her under oath.
But on cross eXamina ton he had
to admit that he had never seen
Miss Hill in his life and all he
knew about her was from hearSay.
w. A. Bell, brother of Deacon
Bell, took the stand shortly before
the noon recess today and testi'
fled that his brother was an en-
balmer at one tiuae. He said the
Deacon was employed by his father
in-law who was an undertaken.
He was on the stand only 10
minutes.
The first night session of the
long trial was ordered for tonight
by Judge Coleman in an effort to
speed Up the proceedings.
Spencer Hill, big rangy West
Virginia mountaineer and first
cousin of the nurse, was the first
witness called by the defense.
and he testified that her repu-
tation for truth and integrity
was bad"
Calls Him a Liar
But the commonwealth at
torney mixed him up badly on
cross-eXamination, and he was
not good witness for the
defense.
After Mr.. Hill had left the
courtroom, the nurse rushed up
to him on the sidewalk outside,
her eyes blazing, and she
shouted:
"You are a dirty liar. You
had no right to get up on the
witness stand and say those
things that were not true.
"YOu are fine one to talk
about anyOne's reputation. Yours
is none too good. How dare you
do such a thing?"
It was Miss Hill who electri-
fled the courtroom day before
yesterday when she testified that
the day after his arrest on the
poison charge, Deacon Bell sobbed
to her:
"I'm guilty, guilty, guilty as
can be-"
DR.. John E. Cole, the Bell
family physician, who was the
last witness placed on the stand
yesterday by the State before it
rested its case, late yesterday, was
recalled to the stand for a few
moments, when court opened this
morning. He merely testified as
to receiving the bottles of poison
from the nurses. The defense
conducted the questioning:
Q.-Where did you receive
them (the bottles of pOiSon)?
AIN Bells home.
Q.-FrOm whom did you re.
ceive those bottles?
A,-FrOm the two nurses.
Odd you add anything in
them?
A.-NO.
Hill Gives Testimony
The defense then placed
Spencer Hill on the stand:
Q.-What is your first name?
A.-Spencer.
Q.-Where is your home?
A.-West Virginia.
Q.-How long have you lived
there?
ALI my life.
0-What age?