Evening star., 1943-11-24
Henry's Fourth Wife
Says She Left Him in
Belief He Was Insane

A Marion IN. CO. waitress, Ruby
D. Bittman, 20, surprise defense wit
ness and fourth wife in the allegedly
bigamist career of Jeffries Henry,
IS, took the stand again today in
his trial for murder. The witness
insisted under croSs-examination
that she had left him after six days
Of married life because she. Thought
he was crazy"
Henry, former District policeman,
is charged with shooting and killing
his second wife, Lola Lane Henry,
Is. in q drugstore restaurant at l109
Thirteenth street NV. on April n.
Mrs. Virginia Henry, 1919 Calvert
street NV, first wife and mother
OF the defendants four children, fol-
lowed Miss Bittman. as a witness,
Mrs. Henry said they had lived to-
gether IL years before she divorced
him and that when he was drinking
ne had fear Of something-we
never could learn what"
DISAPPEARED for Days.
While drinking he used to dis
appear for three or four days at a
time. even when he was on the
White House detail, she said. This
happened couple of times a month,
she said. The defendant, a slender,
well-dressed man with bronze, wavy
hair, listened to the witnesses in
tently, but without evident reaction.
Brady Henry, 3474 Holmead place
NV, brother Of the defendant and
guard at the Agriculture Depart
ment, testified JET" had been con-
stantly drinking and talking suicide
in March and April. At one time,
Brady Henry said, when he dis
covered pistol on his brother, he
told his wife he would turn him
into the police because JEFF has
gone bad and he's likely to hurt
somebody"
Assistant United States Attorney
Cecil r. Heflin said, after court was
adjourned yesterday afternoon, that
he would check with North Carolina
authorities to determine whether q
genuine marriage ceremony was per-
formed. Miss Bittman was ordered
to remain in the city until such con-
firmation could be obtained.
The hostess told the Jury she be.
came suspicious of Henry's sanity
shortly after she married him, ad-
ding that she did not know, at the
time of the wedding, that he was al-
ready married. Before meeting him,
she said, she had conducted a cor
respondence with him for five or six
months.
Told of Shooting.
After he left her, she continued,
she received word from him that
he would be at an Alexandria ad-
dress. She finally decided to live
with him, she said, and came to
Washington. When she appeared at
the Alexandria address four days
after Mrs. Henry was shot, she said,
she learned from Henry's landlady
that he was being held in connec-
ton with the shooting. The land
lady also told her about Miss Pileg.
81, Miss Bittman added.
Miss Bittman has been employed
as waitress and hostess in a hotel
and a restaurant in Washington
since last May, she said
Earlier in the session, Justice
Matthew F. MCGUIRE denied a de-
fense motion for directed verdict.
Kendrick Testifies.
Testifying for the defense, DR.. J.
F. Kendrick, chief of the dairy di-
vision Of the Agriculture Depart.
ment, Said that while Henry was
working at the department, he ap-
peared to be drinking a good deal
and told fantastic stories.
o. H. Wells, a former White
House policeman, said Henry could
not be depended on while he was
stationed at the presidential man.
sion, and that he was returned to
the Metropolitan Police Department
for being drunk at his post.
Mr.. Wells said Henry bet on the
horses a good deal and thought ne
could beat them"
The trial was to be resumed at
10 am. today.