Evening star., 1947-08-15
0verell Jury Reads
Love Letters in Hunt
For Murder Motive
by The Asseeiaied Press

SANTA ANA, Calf, Aug. 15-The
ilrid love letters of two college
students charged with murder to-
DAY were in the hands of a iury
mat scanned the missives for a
possible motive for the yacht blast
slayings Of Mr.. and Mrs, Walter z
Overell.
The private correspondence of
George BUD Gollum, 81. and his
sweetheart. Louise Overell, 1s, was
admitted as evidence as the State
concluded its 12-week prosecution
But the hundreds who stormed the
courthouse, intent on hearing the
secrets of the young lovers. were
disappointed as they had to watch
The jury read in silence the letters
exchanged by the defendants In
iail after they were charged with
the murder of Miss Overell's parents
Most OF the 300 persons who
crowded into Judge Kenneth Nor
rlSonS tiny courtroom rushed out
side into corridor when they
heard newsboy shout the news of
The Overell trial. In their news
paper they avidly read the news
that had been denied them.
Wrote 10000 Words.
All day long the jury had read
letter by letter, the 10000 words. of
correspondence that passed between
Louise, heiress to the $550,OO0 estate
of her parents, and Gollum.
The court ruled that the Jury
should read photograph copies to
themselves, in difference to the
scores of juveniles whom Judge Nor
rison felt should be spared the de-
tails OF the letters. which recounted
the sex experiences of the young
couple from July 4, 1946, until their
arrest March 10 on charges of mur-
der.
Lust and greed. Prosecutor Eugene
Williams has argued, motivated the
Young lovers to kill the girls par
ents so that they might continue
and expand their sexual expert
enceS."
On one occasion Gollum wrote |
We sure will be acquitted II hope /
II We aren't then our life insurance
goes into effect. Now I imagine you
know what life insurance is. nest !
ce paS???"
The prosecution has not" he
wrote in another missive. "any mo-
tive for us. AS I see it, their whole
case hinges on connecting us or me
directly with the dynamite and us
being the last people on board"
Would Wed Immediately.
Only about per cent of the word :
age OF the love letters was ex-
purgated by Judge Morrison. Most
OF this concerned comments of the
lovers about other persons con-
nected directly or indirectly with
their trial.
Bud told Miss Overell that their
marriage would occur about one
hour after the jury returned with
the good news not guilty. and
that they Immediately would speed .
10 Arizona or Nevada for the marital
VOWS.
Louise wrote letter in which
she concluded with the expressions
that Il simply cannot explain how
I feel toward you: it is sufficient to
say that YOU are my whole and only
Interest. in life"
The jury of six men and six
women still were far from having
finished reading the letters when,
court adjourned late yesterday. They
will resume the reading Monday
morning, after which Mr.. Williams
Will request that the jury be taken
tn the boat works where the wrecked
Overell yacht the Mary f is in dry
dock.
Defense lawyers said they would
resist the move to visit the yacht at
this time and would stipulate that
the visit be made later.
First argument of the defense will
be based on the law regarding con-
sptracy in an effort to disprove the
peoples claim that Louise and Col
hlm conspired to murder her par
ents to control their estate.
Motions to strike various parts of
prosecution testimony will be argued
next Tuesday and Wednesday, de-
Tense lawyers indicated, and after
that motions may be made for dis
n1issal of the murder charges.