Evening star., 1937-02-26
HUNTER TO APPEAL
2O-YEAR SENTENCE
FOR WIFE Staying
Attorney Claims Virginian
Was Held Illegally for
Mental Tests.
HUSBAND IN TEARS
AS VERDICT is GIVEN
Faces Second Trial in Murder of
Friend-Date Not
Yet Set.
BY staff Correspondent OF The Star.

BY Stan correspondent OF The Star.
ARLINGTON COURT HOUSE. Va.
February 26.-An appeal will be taken
to the Virginia Supreme Court in an
effort to free John Francis Hunter. 40,
former railroad brakeman, from a 20
year sentence for second-degree mur-
der in the Staying of his wife.
A Circuit Court jury here early to-
day found Hunter guilty of shooting
Mrs. Anne Dalmas Hunter to death
in the modest Hunter home at Virginia
Highlands on May 7, 1884. The verdict
was returned after two hours and a
half of deliberation. The case was
placed in the jury's hands at 1920 last
night
Attorney NJ J. Fulton, chief of de-
fense counsel, said today that he would
appeal the verdict to the State Su-
preme Court in Richmond next week
The appeal would be based on Hunters
detention in the Southwestern State
Hospital, at Marion. for more than
two years after Mrs. Hunter and Hen
ry E. Corcoran, Veterans Administra-
ton claims appraiser. were slain.
To Claim Illegal Detention.
Fulton will claim that Hunter was
Illegally held and that under Virginia
law he should have been brought to
trial within the next three succeeding
terms of court after he was charged
with felony. Fulton made such an
aYYlaal for Af ha iY,l ioty
when Hunters trial opened here, but
was overruled by Judge Mccarthy.
Fulton made an oral motion that
the verdict be set aside on the ground
it was contrary to the law and to the
evidence" when it was returned today.
The motion was overruled
Hunter, when the verdict was pro-
nounced, sobbed convulsively as he
clung to his mother. who had been by
his side every minute of the trial.
Hunter also is indicted for first
degree murder in the Staying of Cor
coran. with whom. Hunter testified, he
was told by his wife she had been un-
true.
The climax of the trial came short
ly before noon yesterday, when the
pretty 14-year- old daughter of the
couple, Anne Dalmas Hunter, took the
stand to testify that her father was
drunk on that fatal May day when
she returned home from school to
find her father, mother and Corcoran
seated in the living room of their
home at TIC Walbrook avenue.
Girl Surprise Witness.
The girl was a surprise witness,
having been slipped into the court
house just in time to testify. and
then whisked away again by her uncle.
Victor Parke Dalmas, at attorney
employed by the Government. The
three children are living with their
grandmother in Roanoke.
The child, then only II years old,
testified her mother told her to hurry
out and summon Dalmas by telephone
when Hunter is alleged to have be-
come enraged. Although police claim
the girl was an actual witness to the
double Staying, Commonwealth At
torney Lawrence w. Douglas refrained
from questioning her about the de-
tails. Fulton did not croSs-examine
the child.
Date for the hearing on the indict-
ment charging first degree murder in
the death of Corcoran has not been
set and Douglas said today it will be
placed on the docket for the next
term of court and will be set for trial
some time during the term.