Evening star., 1938-06-19
BY w. H. SHIPPEN, Jr.

BY w. H. SHIPPEN, Jr.
Cross-examination Of James M.
Lands will be resumed tomorrow in
the final stages of his District Court
trial for the murder of his estranged
wife. Mrs. Blanche Gertrude
Lands. 22
The defense. which put the 23-year-
old former fireman on the stand yes
terday as its first witness. was ex-
pected to close after offering brief
testimony in comparison with that
presented by the Government during
the past week.
There we're indications the case
might reach the jury late tomorrow.
Both sides probably will offer rebuttal
witnesses, after which there will be
the closing arguments and the court s
instructions to the jurors before they
start deliberations.
Judge Questions Lands.
Trial Justice Jesse c. Adkins ques-
toned Lands yesterday. before recess
Ing the trial for the week end, as to
his movements at the time the de-
fendant said his wife fell from his
moving automobile Mrs. Lands was
fatally injured early on the morning
OF March "a on dark and lonely Sec
ton of Twenty-fourth street NE.
The Government had put nearly 50
witnesses on the stand in an effort to
prove Lands crushed his wife's skull
with jagged stones. The defendant
told the jury, however, she plunged
from his automobile. injuring herself
either when she struck the rear
Tender or stones on the pavement.
Lands insisted he was still devoted
to his wife at the time of her death
and repeatedly had begged her to
come back to live with him. He ad-
mltted. however, going with Miss Vir-
glnla Lee Simpson, a student nurse.
and said he had given her a diamond
ring and a wrist watch. Lands and
his wife were separated last August.
Asked to Demonstrate Action.
The witness, at conclusion of two
hours and half on the stand yester-
day. was asked by Justice Adkins to
demonstrate to the jury just what he
did before driving away and leaving
his wife injured on the lonely street.
The dark, dapper young defendant
stepped with composure from the wit
ness stand and stood between the
judge and jury. He bent over and
explained that he put one hand behind
the girls head and anothe- under her
shoulders, raising her up.
Il raised her like this" Lands said
to the jury lifting his body, land got
her head on the running board"
In previous testimony Lands had
said he became frightened when he
saw he was getting bloody and that
his wife was badly hurt. He explained
he was supposed to be on duty at the
fireboat station and that he feared he
might lose his job.
He said he left his wife on the road
about 2:30 am. and returned to his
station.
Blood Scattered on Car.
The Judge asked Lands if he could
say how blood got on other parts of
his car in addition to the running
board. The defendant replied he
could not.
DR.. Richard M. Rosenberg, deputy
coroner. had testified that tests re-
vealed blood had been on the running
board. rear wheel, the rear trunk.
fender, bumper and the emergency
brake OF the car, as we'll as on Lands
clothing, shoes and hands.
DR.. Rosenberg said in his opinion
Mrs. Lands was killed by a Jagged
stone found at the scene because the
stone was blood-stained and fitted
into repeated wounds in the woman's
head. He also expressed the opinion
she could not have been injured in
. fall.
Virtually the same conclusions were
given by Coroner A. Magruder Mac
Donald and DR.. Christopher ]. Muir
ply, deputy coroner.
Cross-Examined About Pistol.
Lands was cross-examined yester-
day about a blood-stained automatic
found in his car, along with a police
mans baton, and about a piece of
broken sand-bag improvised from a
SOCK, and found at the scene of his
wife's injury.
He also was asked about the watch
and ring he gave Miss Simpson He
said his mother gave him the watch
ne presented to the student nurse
ana his mother advanced $50 for a
down payment he made on a diamond
ring. He said he gave the rina to