Evening star., 1934-12-14
Spectators Looking for Sen
sation Surprised by
BriefneSS of Quiz.
MRS. M'MULLIN SAYS
SHE RECEIVED MONEY
Maid Testifes Former Deacon
Sprinkled Powder on
Wife's Food.
BY statf Correspondent Of The Star.

Dy otaH correspondent OF The Star.
FREDERICKSBURG, Va, Decem-
Der IA tense courtroom packed
with woman spectators heard one Of
the Commonwealth's key witnesses,
Mrs. Ella c. McMullin of Richmond.
testify this afternoon that she had re-
ceived gifts of money from E. c. Bell,
former Baptist deacon, on trial here
on charges of attempting to poison his
invalid wife
Mrs. McMullin, who said her maiden
name was Mary Ella Austin, was pale
and nervous when she took the stand
before a battery of appraising eyes
turned on her from a crowded court
room. A brunette. about 35 years old
and comely, she was dressed in a fur
coat and a smart brown hat.
Prosecuting Attorney Albert v.
Bryan asked the witness if she knew
Bell.
"Yes, for about three years." she
answered.
Have you ever received any money
from this defendent?"
Yes"
Admits Being at Beach.
Both Bryan and defense attorneys
announced that would conclude the
examination of Mrs. McMullin. Bryan,
however. recalled the witness to the
stand for one more question.
Were you at Buckroe Beach, Va,
last Summer"
Mrs. McMullin admitted this was
SO. 1t had been previously testified
that Bell sought to hire local resi-
dent for some detective work in trail
ing woman at Buckroe Beach.
Mrs. McMullin came to Fredericks-
burg with her attorney, A. c. Goode.
The latter said that at a conference
between Judge Frederick Coleman. de-
fense and prosecution counsel, Bryan
had agreed to ask Mrs. McMullin
only a few questions. The briefness
of the questioning, however, came as
surprise and disappointment to
specta tors who had been awaiting the
womanS appearance since the trial
began Tuesday.
The Commonwealth Is seeking to
prove Bells affections were vested in
Mrs. McMullin rather than in his
wife. A confession" letter from Mrs.
McMullin to Bell WIS described 10 the
court yesterday. together with rec
ords showing Bell paid s705 on an
automobile for Mrs McMullin and
purchased for her about s5C worth of
merchandise from a Richmond dry
goods store.
Maid Gives Testimony.
Earlier today a colored maid had
told how she saw Bell sprinkling
white powders" on chicken salad and
grapefruit intended for his wife. The
maid, Rebecca. Burroughs. declared
she was afraid to warn Mrs. Bell
or members of the household when
she saw the food contaminated
by Bell en- three occasions last Spring.
The servant admitted under cross
examination by defense counsel that
Bell openly spread the powders with
out any attempt at concealment.
Told Nurses of Incident.
The maid said she told the two
trained nurses attending Mrs. Bell
of the instance when she noticed the
nurses were setting a trap" for the
former Baptist deacon.
Testimony hat Bell asked him
questions about poison and its effec-
tiveness when spread on corn as an
exterminator of crows was given
by Carroll Raeger, Fredericksburg
chemist. Raeger said Bell asked him
if arsenic spread on corn would kill
crows.
Why not use potassium cyanide?"
Raeger said he replied. He added Bell
asked him to spell the name of the
poison twice as if to fix it in his
memory.
1t was w. A. Williams, a Richmond
drygoods merchant, who told the court
that during November and Decem-
Der, 1882, Mrs. McMullin obtained
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