Evening star., 1937-06-27
W0MAN'S Staying
INQUEST DELAYED.
Prince Frederick Officials
Hope Husband Will Be
Able to Appear Later.
D, a Stan Correspondent Of The Star.

b Stan Correspondent Of The Star.
PRINCE FREDERICK, Nd, June
26.-Hopeful that the husband Of the
slain Washington woman will recover
sufficiently from stab wounds to tes-
tify. States Attorney Arthur w.
Dowell today postponed for a week
an inquest into the butcher knife mur-
der last night Of Mrs. Margaret Nor
ris, 38.
The husband, James w. Morris, A,
a Navy Yard employe. is in a serious
condition in Calvert County Hospital,
while his friend" Wilson Jones' jr.,
25-year-old country storekeeper. is
held in Jail here accused OF the muir
der of Mrs. Morris.
hastily appointed coroner's jury
adjourned Immediately after being
sworn in when States Attorney Dowell
requested the postponement until July
3 on the possibility that Morris will
be able to appear.
Dowell was particularly anxious to
have the husband as a witness after
1t developed there were two conflict
ing versions OF the Staying OF Mrs.
Morris.
Staying Stories Conflict.
One story was that Jones was
drink crazed" when he welded the
knife on Mrs. Morris and then turned
on her husband, while the other Is
that the youthful Parkers Wharf store
keeper acted after Morris had beaten
him in fist fight.
Jones attractive blond wife, Mrs
Laney Jones, has told authorities
Morris beat her husband unmerci-
fully after a party held by the two
couples earlier in the night on
Broomes Island. Jones has been un-
able to remember clearly what hap
pened. saying he was too drunk At
the jail, however. he exhibited a black
eye and bruises on his face, declaring
he vaguely recalled fighting with
somebody.
SO weak from loss Of blood that
he required a TRANSMISSION today, Nor
ris denied he had fought with Jones,
insisting the latter ran amuck with
the knife without proyocation.
The double stabbing occurred while
Morris and his wife sat in their auto
mobile in front OF the cottage at
Parkers Wharf. which they had rented
from Jones father for fishing party.
Mrs. Morris was stabbed 70 savagely
that two OF her ribs were severed and
her lung laid bare. Morris was sta
| in the right chest when he said he
tried to protect his wife.
Had Been Drinking, Wife Saws.
| According to his wife. Jones had
been drinking heavily all evening and
was in a quarrelsome mood During
/ the drive home from Broomes Island,
she said. he had bitter words with
the Norris couple
I'm front of the house" Mrs. Jones
added, Wilson and Mr.. Morris be-
gan flghting. Mr.. Morris was bigger
than Wilson and knocked him down
and began beating him on the head
Mrs. Morris was helping him. l kept
crying Give up, Wilson but he would
not admit he was beaten. l tried to
grab Mr.. Morris arm and got hit
in the eye.
Finally. Wilson was lying face dowr
on the ground. and Mr.. Morris VA,
sitting on his back, pulling his heac
up by the hair so he could hit him
IN the face. Then Wilson said h,
had enough. and Mrs Morris pounde;
him on the head, saying: Take tni!
for good luck"
Mrs. Jones said she hid when he
husband ran into the house. presum.
ably to get the butcher knife. anc sh,
did not witness the stabbings.
States Attorney Dowell said Nor
ris told him Jones slapped Mrs
Jones during the ride home, ant
that the young Storekeeper grew an
cry when Mrs. Morris scolded him TO
1t. Then, when they stopped a,