Evening star., 1947-06-10
Davis Admitted
QuarreI,
Probe:r Testifies
Left Day After Row
With Mrs. McAIIister,
Detective Says

By J. B. Zotmon
s,ar ssaH Correspondent

Sfor ofoff CoFTeSpondenf
HAGERsTowN, Md, June To-
A Montgomery County detective tes-
titled today that Bruce Davis of
Laurel admitted having an argument
with Mrs. Florence McAllister the
night of November 20, 1916, and that
Davis left town the following day.
Davis, 81, Is on trial in Washing
ton County Circuit Court here in
the murder Of Mrs. McAllister,
whose body was found December 10l
in her family home at Burtonsville.
Detective Sergt. James M. Ander-
son told the jury he questioned Davis
in the Rockville Jail shortly after
the Laurel man was returned to
Montgomery County from Memphis,
Tenn, where he had been arrested
December 49,
Sergt. Anderson said Davis told
him he had an argument with Mrs.
McAlhster in her car near Laurel
tavern on Thanksgiving night.
Says Davis Cashed Check.
The following day, Davis was
QuOtCQ DO cdy fllSy tItC dC1CAiSAo1Ae WCAu
to his fathers home in Edison, Tenn.
NormantB. Lowry, an attendant at
q Laurel service station, testified
Davis drove to the station November
20 and cash q $40 check there.
Mr.. Lowry told the jury the check
was pade out to Mrs. McAllister by
the State Unemployment Compensa-
ton Board and the back of the check
bore Mrs. McAllister's name and
that of Davis.
In an attempt to speed up the
trial which opened yesterday before
q three Judge panel and jury, a
similar session is expected tonight. |
Yesterdays testimony by Is State
witnesses was featured by attempts
on the part of defense counsel to
implieate ether men in the murder.
New Name Enters Case.
The first such move was made by
Defense Attorney Paul B. Mules in
cross-exanining Detective Capt. |
Theodore N. Vollten of the Mont
gomery County police force.
Under questioning by Mr.. Mules,
Capt. Vollten admitted Montgomery
police had found letter in the
Burtonsville house addressed to Mrs.
McAlIister from another Laurel man,
whom the detective identified as
Walter c. Dustin.
After one of the witnesses, DR.. |
Richard Rosenberg. deputy coroner
for the District of Columbia, told |
the jury be estimated that Mrs. Nc
Allister had been dead at least 10
days, Mr.. Mules asked
You're just indulging in specula-
ton, aren't. you?"
DR.. Rosenberg reaffirmed his state
ment, however. He said he based
his estimate on the appearance of
blood found beside tl1e b6dy,
Two other physicians were sI,r
J. w. Bird, Montgomery County
pathologist, and DR.. r. >. Broschart,
Montgomery County deputy medical
examiner.
DR.. Bird said he could not say
accurately how long Mrs McAllister
had been dead. But he added that |
she had been dead more than three
days and possibly as long as II days.
DR.. Broschart said she had been
dead from three days to two weeks.
Sister Tells of Finding Body.
How Mrs. McAllisters body was
found was described by her sister,
Mrs. Mamie Brown, Laurel.
Mrs. Brown told the jury her
sister, who she said had been keep
ing company with Davis, left her
home November 20 in her car.
On December 6, according to Mrs. |
Brown, she received a letter from
Davis. The letter bore a Tennes-
see postmark and said: I'VE are
in Tennessee and are planning to
go to Florida" Mrs. Brown testi-
fed.
She said she became suspicious
after receiving the letter and went
to the Burtonsville house with. her
niece and nephew, Mr.. and Mrs.
Nathan Weakley, Burtonsville.
A prosecution attempt to intro
duce a vial of blood taken from
Davis at the jail was stymied when
the court upheld defense objec-
tions.
Defense counsel argued that Davis
had been told the blood was taken
to determine If he had recovered
from his suicide attempt in Mem
phis, where he was arrested Decem-
Der 10 by FBI agents. They said
the defendant had not been in
formed the blood would be used as
evidence against him