Evening star., 1949-01-04
Prince Georges Opens |
Trial in Staying Of
County Policeman

A giant colored man accused OF
numbering Prince Georges County
policeman shifted uneasily in his
chair at his trial in Upper Marl-
boro today when the prosecution
star witness testified he had hit the
defendants wife with a baseball bat
The witress was A. c. Bradley, 20
colored, who was called to the stand
to describe to three circuit court
judges how Thomas Hall, 6-foot-
5-inch colored man, allegedly shot
and killed Policeman Charles F.
Caldwell, So. at Deanwood Park, Md.
last June II.
Bradley claimed he hit Mrs. Hall
in self-defense and was released
after police questioning last sum-
mer. Mrs. Hall was fatally in
lured in the melee It was a dis
turbance at the home which
brought police to the scene.
Saw Officer on Ground.
Bradley said he saw Hall holding
the policeman on the ground and
striking him with his fist, while his
daughter. jamie Hall, 20, beat the
officer with a club.
The murder trial recessed hur-
riedly shortly after 1890 pm, when
fire broke out in a second-f1oor Of
flee of the Prince Georges Court
house. The fire was brought under
control quickly, but smoke filled the
courtroom, and adjacent corridors
The fire started in building paper
in an Office that was being redeco-
rated.
Defense Attorney J. Frank Lillard
jr. asked Bradley:
Did you kill some one with a
baseball bat?"
Il don't know if I killed any one
or not, but hit some one" Bradley
replied.
Under further questioning, Bradley
said Halls wife attacked him with
a baseball bat. after her husband
became embroiled in the fight with
the policeman, and he struck her in
self-defense.
Blamed for Calling Police.
He also admitted he was aware
that she died several hours after he
struck her. Bradley said the woman
Mrs. Mabel Hall, blamed him for
placing the telephone call which
brought Policeman Caldwell and an
other officer to the Hall residence in
the $500 block of Maple road, Dean
wood Park.
Bradley originally was held in
connection with Mrs. Halls death
but later was released when authori-
ties accepted his self defense story.
States Attorney A. Gwynn Bowie,
in his opening address, told the
panel of three judges trying Hall
that there would be conflicting YER
sions of the shooting told by the
States witnesses.
although our witnesses don t
agree. we will present them" Mr.
Bowie said. confident that your
honors will reach a proper verdict. -
Moves to Impeach Witness.
A short time later. Mr.. Bowie
moved to impeach one of the State S
witness, Priestly Henderson, colored,
who lived with Hall, after he testi-
fed:
L didn't see no fighting, no
shooting, no nothing
Mr.. Bowie read from a statement
Henderson gave at the time of the
shooting. The witness then said he
could recall having seen Hall and
Policeman Caldwell fighting, and
that, later, the giant defendant
picked up the wounded policeman
and carried him back toward the
Hall house.
Policeman Caldwell was shot three
times in the chest after he and
Policeman Wallace L. Baker arrested
Hall and his daughter.
The daughter also was indicted on
a charge of numbering Pvt. Caldwell.
Defense Attorneys Lillard and Car
Isle Lancaster won a separate trial
for her.