Evening star., 1955-02-20
Taxicab Driver Puts
Fuller Near Scene of
Patterson Murder
By the As.eeio,.d Pres.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala, Feb. 10.
"A taxicab driver testified to-
day he saw Albert Fuller dash out
Of o nearby alley. Jump into a
waiting car and speed OF q
minute or so after A. L. Patter-
son was murdered in Phenix City.
Ala, last June 18.
The State already had pro-
duced testimony earlier in the
day that former Chief Deputy
Sheriff Fuller's fingerprints were
found on Mr.. Patterson's car, but
that Fuller had denied touching
the automobile.
The testimony from the taxi
driver, James r. Taylor, high
lighted the fifth day Of Fuller's
trial on charges of numbering
Mr.. Patterson.
Fuller claims he was in the
county jail at the time Of the
killing.
Mr.. Taylor was the last wit
ness to testify today. Court re-
cessed for the week end and will
be resumed at 8 am. Monday.
Was Waiting for Light.
Mr.. Taylor, who drives for a
Columbus (Ga.) cab company.
testified he was waiting for q
traffic light to change near the
scene of the Staying when he
saw Fuller run from between
two buildings half a block ahead
and leap into a parked car hose
right door was open.
The car took off "at n high
speed" and ran though a red
light at the next intersection,
the witness continued.
Mr.. Taylor testified he had
heard gun shots only about a
minute before he sw the fleeing
figure he identified as the stocky
35-year-old defendant, who was
second in command Of the
sheriff's ofiice at the time.
The witness said smother nan
whom he couldn't identify was
at the wheel Of the waiting auto
mobile. and that the lights Of
the car were on.
witness Saw Man Running.
The place where he said he
saw Fuller run out between the
buildings Is located in the area
where a previous witness told
the jury he had seen a man run
ming Just a few seconds after
the antivice crusading Mr.. Pat
terson was slain.
It is just around a corner from
the place where the nominee for
attorney general Of Alabama was
getting into his car when he was
assassinated.
Mr.. Taylor is the witness who
was the object of a search over
several States earlier this week.
The trial was postponed one day
before he was picked up in Nice
vile, Fla, and brought here to
testify.
Through rapid-f1re questioning
by Roderick Beddow. chief de-
tense counsel, Mr.. Taylor stuck to
his story that he got a good look
at Fuller when the officer ran out
of the alleyway and jumped into
a waiting car.
Tries to Get Admission.
Mr.. Beddow tried to get the
witness to admit that he at first
told State investigators he
could not identify the man who
ran out Of the alley.
Mr.. Beddow brought out. how
ever, that Mr.. Taylor had de-
clined to answer questions Of de-
fense attorneys at Columbus, two
weeks ago.
The witness also was asked II
he was real interested in this
case, real interested in convicting
Albert Fuller" and replied that
he wants Justice"
j. Everett Burke. an FBI fin
gerprint expert from Washing
ton, testified earlier that prints
found on Mr.. Patterson's car
were identical with q set Of
F'uller's sent to the FBI by State
investigators.
Many Persons Around Car.
The fingerprints, testimony
showed, were taken some eight
or nine hours after Mr.. Patter-
son fell from three bullet
wounds. Mr.. Beddow was able
to show that many persons had
been around the automobile
after the Staying and before the
prints were taken.
State Investigator John Will
liams testified Fuller had been
at the scene before he removed
the prints. and that Fred Ander-
sen, assistant managing editor
Of the Montgomery Advertiser,
had been inside the Patterson
automobile.
MIR. Williams, in answer to q
question from Mr.. Beddow, said
he didn't see Fuller remove Mr..
Andersen from the Car, but that
II had to get him out once my