The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-08-20
FATHER FAINTS
AS APPAREL OF
GIRL IS SHOWN
Signed Statement Of Negro
Barred, But Story Of
Crime Recited
KILLER APATHETIC -.
AS CASE PROCEEDS

ASHEVILLE, Aug. 20. (UP)-
The negro Martin Noore's confess
sion in the murder of Helen Clev-
enger was entered into the court
records of the murder trial today,
although Moore's signed statement
admitting the crime was barred.
Judge Don Phillips permitted
the alienist,, DR.. Mark Griffin to
testify that the negro told him he
killed Miss Clevenger, although he
ruled that the signed confession
was inadmissable as evidence.
J. F. Clevenger, Helen's father.
here from Great Kills, N. Y, to
attend the trial tainted , in the
after his daughters
pajamas were waved before the
jury. ~.
The negro testified he made his
confession because he was afraid
the police would whip him.
ASHEVILLE, Aug. 90. (UP)-
Five witnesses began reconstruct
ing the murder, Of blonde Helen
Clevenger. for q jury in Buncombe
county superior. court Wednesday
Is the state. built, It's case with
which it will attempt to send Mar
in Moore, lanky negro, to death
n North Cardinals gas chamber.
Prof w. L. Clevenger, uncle of
he slain New York university
,o-ed, was the first, witness to tes-
,ify. Fighting to retain his COM
,osure, 'Clevenger, .rotund little
nan, opened the states case, de-
his visit to ,Asheyille pri-
Or to the, time when he opened the
door. Of iHelen's room in the Bat
.ery Park. hotel at $3.50 a: M, July
l6, and found her body. @,,.l.
The dairy professors testimony
vas given after a jury of Is
men, all married and the major"
ty of them middle aged, had been
selected. .s $50 -...t..
Of the nearly, 1000 persons
ammed into the. fifth floor court
.oom Moore, former hotel hall boy
Who confessed to the crime, ap-
,eared the least interested in the
proceedings. r. :, -. -"
During the proceedings Moore
stared duly at Solicitor Zeb W.
lettles. chief of the prosecution
itaff, or shifted his eyes to Judge
;. Donald Philips, strict. court
who is handling the
Ease. .-... ".' ..-'
Nettles, who has a record of
lever having lost a murder case
Turing his six years in office and
Who gained nationwide promi-
renee for his handling Of the Col
mel Luke Lea bank trial, asked
he baldheaded, short stocky
Clevenger to reconstruct the crime
n detail.
Speaking clearly, Clevenger
old of the tour he and his niece
we're taking in Western North
Carolina. Then he told of going
% her room to awaken her.
81 tapped on the door once"
said. "There was no re-
,ponse. l tapped louder. Still there
vas no response, and I called her
name. When she did not answer |
shook the door knob and the door
opened and I saw the sight" p.
He was. excused and corroborat-
ing testimony. as to the condition
of the body and the investigation
by officers was given by other
witness These were Harry H.
Latche, hotel carpenter: Raymond
R. McCommas, assistant manager
of the hotel, who summoned Pat
Branch, his superior officer, who
followed him to the stand, and
DIR. David NJ. Buck, Jr., Battery
Park physician. -
There was . spirited clash of
defense and prosecution counsel
when Branch, obviously nervous
in the witness chair, told the ne
gro's attorney, Tom W.. Jones, Jr.,
that he thought the hall boy had a
"good character" Under re-ex.
animation by Nettles, the hotel
manager said he gathered his
opinion because the boy worked
two or three years and never
gave us any trouble"
: Earlier in the session, Netties
challenged the right Of Sanford
Brown Ashevilie attorney, to
prompt the negro's lawyers during
Inc questioning Brown satisfac-
torily qualified himself as . isRal
representative for Moore when he
explained he was acting on tele.
graphic instructions of Mira Riser
If Montery, Mass, q sister Of the
prisoner. SO - -
j.. Scroops Styles, who with
Jones was appointed by Judge
Phillips to represent Moore, ask
ed to be discharged from his task,
but Judge Phillips refused,
The special venife Of Is pros
pective jurors contained the name
Of one negro. He was excused
from duty when Q physician certi-
fed he was not in good health. .