Evening star., 1938-07-01
TRIAL OF AbDELL
|SNEAR|NG CLOSE
Norfolk Man Says His Wife
Threatened to Kill Him
After Argument.
Ey the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NORFOLK, Va, July IL. c.
Adbell. on trial for his life charged
with the murder of his wife, Mrs.
Audrey Sharpe Adbell, whose body
was found the afternoon Of May II in
the gas-filled kitchen of her home at
1913 Lafayette boulevard, will know
his fate some time today.
Under the instructions of the court,
If he is found guilty he may receive
anywhere from death in the electric
chair for murder in the first degree
to few days in Jail or a small fine
for assault and battery.
After two days of sensational tesLi-
mony, arguments of counsel began
with the opening of court today and
the case is expected to 60 to the jury
early this afternoon.
Repudiating the alibi statement he
allegedly made to police at the time of
his arrest and charging that his wife
threatened to kill him. Abdell testified
yesterday he had nothing to do with
his wife's death
He admitted he wrote two notes that
were found by his wife in his home
the day before her death. He denied,
however. that they were suicide
notes" and said they were to be used
BY her in getting divorce.
For a number of years my wife
and I never got along" he told the
Jurors, land we had discussed two or
three times getting divorce.
Several days before this happened,
we were talking, and she asked me to
write the notes, and I did I wrote
the first one to Clifton and Bobby (his
two boys) and then wrote the second
note just for dig at her.
Told Her He Was Leaving.
Il used that expression" Abdell said,
because I knew she would never ad-
init not being a good wife to me. In
my own mind I was confident she
would never write anything like that
handed them to her and she took
them. and I said. Well, I'm leaving,
and she didn't say anything. She ap-
peared to be in deep thought"
Abdell testified that he left his resi-
dence on Sunday afternoon to go to
Washington, but that he broke spring
in his automobile and was unable to 60.
The next morning, he said, he went
to Washington.
He said he went in connection with
his business as mint vending ma
chine operator, but that he remem-
bered about 9 o'clock that night that
he had forgotten to bring a sample
machine. without which he could not
expect to conclude his business.
He said he left for Norfolk in his
automobile about 9 o'clock that night
He said he went to the residence
on Thirty-fifth street when he got
to Norfolk" maybe about 2:3O o'clock
In the morning; I'm not sure lust
what hour'-and that he spent the
night there.
The next morning he went to his
residence on Lafayette boulevard, he
said. and when he walked in the door
his wife said, Good Lord, are you
back? I thought we'd got rid of you"
Tells of Argument.
Il said leave me alone, now, I'm in
AANA's' AUueA tSoGlllcu. went
on in the bath to shave We argued
and slapped her and went on down
IN the kitchen to put on some hot wa
ter for my shave. She followed me,
and when I came out she jammed me
against the table. and I said: Please
leave me alone, I've got to CO.
She said, You'll go when I get
good and ready for you to CO. and
then we started fighting, and she
hit me on the breast and scratched
me with her hands.
When we broke apart she said :;
I'm going to kill you. and she started
TO the cabinet for the butcher knife.
and when she did I ran out the front
door, picking up my hat and coat
of the settee.
she stood on the landing and Just
before went out, she said: All right,
- your soul, I've got you where I
want you. You'll go to the pen for
this Then 1 got in my car ana
drove to Washington.
The men I wanted to see were not
In town SO ] went to a picture show"
Abdell testified that he went back
to the hotel about TO- 80, had a couple
of highballs," and then went to sleep,
He said he was awakened later by a
police officer who told him the police
had been asked to inform him that his
wife had died Of asphyxiation.
He said he had some repair work
done on his automobile and drove i'm
mediately to Norfolk.