Evening star., 1947-06-11
Defense Rests Case
After Davis Goes on
Stand 10 Deny Staying
By J. B. Zatmon
stor Sfaff corrssnondsnt

By ]. B. Zotmon
Star s.off Correspondent
HAGERSTOWN, Md. June IL
Defense attorneys in the murder
trial of Bruce Davis. 81, of Laurel,
rested their case this afternoon
after Davis denied on the stand
that he had bludgeoned to death
Mrs. Florence McAllister, %, with a
hammer.
Mrs. McAllister's body was found
December 10 in her family home at
BurtonsVille where Davis said he
had been living with her.
Medical testimony)ss to the date
of her death has been conflicting
with three State witnesses estimat-
ing she had been dead anywhere
from three days to two weeks.
At the opening of today's session
in Washington County Circuit
Court, the prosecution agreed to a
defense stipulation that Davis had
been in Tennessee, or surrounding
areas. from November 80 to Decem-
ber 10 when he was arrested In
The prosecution contends Mrs.
McAllister was killed in the early
morning Of November 20 and that
Davis left Immediately for his
fathers home at Edson, Tenn. He
was arrested in a Memphis hospital
by Federal Bureau of Investiga-
ton agents after he had been taken
there for treatment after suicide
attempt at the home of his sister.
Speaks in Clear Voice.
Leaning back in a chair on the
witness stand and speaking in a
clear. firm voice, Davis strongly
denied he had killed Mrs. McAlli-
ster.
When a broken hammer found
near Mrs. McAllister's body was
placed before him, Davis said: i
never saw It,
The stocky, rown-haired defend
ant said he was discharged from the
Navy early last year. He said he
met Mrs. McAllister in the fall OF
1887 and kept company with her
until the time of her death.
He told the jury Mrs. McAllister
decided to go to see her husband,
who is serving prison term in At
lanta Penitentiary, few days be-
fore Thanksgiving in 1916.
He said he decided to drive her
to Atlanta, after which they agreed
to so to Florida for q few weeks.
Signed Her Name to Check.
II stayed with Florence in Bur-
louisville the night of November g."
he testified. I'VE got up about 9
o'clock the following morning and
went to a Laurel gas station, where
signed her name to a check be-
cause she didn't have fountain
pen.
I'VE left Laurel about noon to
drive to Kingsport, Tenn, about
448 miles away.
we got there about II o'clock
that night and about an hour later.
I put Florence on a bus going to
Davis said Mrs. McAllister had
agreed to write to him from Atlanta
and tell him when she wanted him
to pick her up and go to Florida He
said he never saw her nor heard
from her after she took the bus in
Earlier, a Kingsport CTenn) dep
uty sheriff testified that he saw
Davis and Mrs. McAllister in the
Kingsport bus terminal at midnight
November 20.
The surprise witness, 72-year- old
Deputy George E. Cox was the first
defense witness to take the stand as
the trial entered its third day
Two More Witnesses Heard.
The trial was taken to Washing
ton County under change of venue
from Prince Georges County.
Before Davis testified. two other
witnesses were placed on the stand
by Defense Attorney Paul B. Mules
to. dispute prosecution claims that
found on Mrs. Meal
listers and Davis clothing were of
the same type.
The witnesses, who testified they
saw Davis fighting with two men in
front of Laurel tavern last Sep
tember, said the stains on his
clothing matching Mrs. McAllister's
blood was that of on OF his antag-
onists.
The witnesses testified they saw
Davis fighting with Walter Dustin
and Edgar Allen Poe. One of the
witnesses, Silas Carroll, Laurel, said
Mr.. Poe's face was scratched, draw
ing blood, during the fight. The
other witnesses was Mrs. Anna Mae
Smith, also of Laurel.
FBI Agent Testifies.
DR.. B. ]. White, special agent OF
the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
testified yesterday that Davis blood
was in group A, while the blood
of Mrs. McAllister and Mr.. Poe was
In group 0. He said bloodstains
found on Davis jacket also was in
group o.
A vial of blood taken from Davis
was introduced in evidence after the
court overruled strong objections by
Mr.. Mules. Mr.. Mules argued that
the action violated the Constitution,
since it, in effect, forced Davis to
testify against himself.
Another FBI witness, Albert
Grounds, identified as belonging to
Davis fngerprints found on a glass,
q bureau drawer and bed post in
the bedroom in which the body was
found.
Earlier Joseph B. Simpson. jr.,
former States Attorney for Mont
gomery County. said he had talked
with Davis Decembe,. "a in the
Rockville jail.
He said Davis told him he had an
argument with Mrs McAllister No
yember % while the two were sitting
in her car outside a Laurel tavern.