Evening star., 1949-01-06
.JudgestoDecide
Fate Of Slayer
AT Trial Today
Hall Testifies He
Shot Pvt. Caldwell
In Self-Defense

man Charles F. Caldwell, So, last
June IL in self defense.
Only the closing arguments of de-
fense and prosecuting attorneys re-
main to be heard this morning be-
fore the murder trial, which started
Tuesday is completed.
Hall, broad-shouldered giant
who can neither read nor write
freely admitted killing Policeman
Caldwell and shooting his partner
Policeman Wallace L. Baker. But
he stoutly insisted he acted only tc
save his own life.
1t was a dramatic story unfolded
by the big colored man who said
he was born in South Carolina
served with the AEF in World
War I and earned a living for his
wife and three children doing man
ual labor. Thirty years ago, he said
he was arrested and fined $25 fol-
fighting with his wife and that was
his only encounter with the police
until June IL.
Waited for Policemen.
1T was my day on he related
in a deep bass voice, land I was
home listening to the ball game or
the radio. My daughter, jamie
come home and said a boy had hit
her and she had cut him.
I'VE all waited in the front YARD
for the police to come, me and jamie
and my old lady. jamie had beer
in some trouble before Tor fighting
with police, and we told her 1t was
best for her to go along without
making no trouble.
Then the two policemen came
and told jamie to come on. They
started down the hill and jamie
started struggling with them
hollored, JAMIE. don't start that
foolishness; go along with the police
men I walked after them and
caught up with them and told jamie
You ought to be ashamed of your
self; you go along now cause you
know what happened last time !
was off to one side. cause I didn I
want any one to say was inter-
fering.
Says Caldwell Hit Him.
But jamie kept on struggling. and
when we crossed the ditch to get to
the police car, both policemen had
to push her up the bank. They took
her to the left side of the car to put
her in, and I walked around to the
right side. just telling her to GO
along with them.
When they got her in the car the
big policeman-1 can't never re-
member his name. the one that died
came around to the right side. He
put his hand on the door like he
was going to get In and then he
turned around. looked at me anc
said, I'm going to lock you up. too,
and hit me twice with the blackjack
Il can't understand why he hit me
I hadn't done nothing. and hadn't
said nothing. But he had his HAND
up TO hit me again, and I moved in
and put my arms around him, kinda
from the side.
Then he hollored to Officer Baker
to get his gun. The blood was flow
ing down all over my face, and ]
was dizzy. 1 reached down ano
grabbed his gun. and Off1cer Baker
came around the car with his CUR
In his hand. I started shooting
and he started shooting.
L was holding the big policeman
and I shot him three times and
let go of him and he dropped. Then
was shooting at Mr.. Baker anc
and he was shooting at me. He hit
me, and I guess I hit him. cause
the next I knew all of us was lying
on the ground.
Helped Him to House.
"Mr. Baker said, Help me- ano
I told him. I been shot. too, but
I'll try to help you And I got him
up on my shoulder and helped him
up the hill to my house and tolo
my boy to get him some water.
Then 1 found. while l was away
somebody had killed my old lady
with a baseball bat, and I tried tc
find him. but he was gone. Their
I saw the other police coming, anc
I went out to meet them and
helped them hunt for the gun. Ane
that's the truth of how it hap
pened."
Hall was asked why he shot Cald-
we'll after he had disarmed him.
Il fired trying to protect myself,
he said. That was my only chance
to keep from getting killed.
knowed I hadn't done nothing tt
get hit for, and I knowed if
hadn't shot he'd have killed me.
Repudiates Confession.
Hall repudiated confession bear
ing his mark which stated he sho
Officer Caldwell while the police
man was living on the ground. HI
said he had told his story to {
stenoerapher exactly as he hat
told it from the stand, but that HI
couldn't tell what she wrote, be-
cause he can't read.
Halls daughter, jamie, is also un.
der indictment for the murder O
Pvt. Caldwell. She will be tried il
Anne Arundel County later. Hail.
wife, Mrs. Mable Hall. was MORTAL,
injured with baseball bat by A. C
Bradley, colored, who testified h,
struck her in self-defense when sh,
attacked him for calling police tt
arrest her dauo hter
Attorneys J. Frank Lillard, jr., ane
Carlisle Lancaster were appointed
by the court to defend Hall. Tht
States case was presented by State!
Attorney A. Gwynn Bowie.
The panel of jurists trying Hal
consists of Chief Judge William M
Loker and Associate Judges John B
Gray and Charles C. Marbury.