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Surnames: HALL
Classification: Death
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/Si.2ADE/311
Message Board Post:
Note: I am not related to this family--I am posting this to help others.
from the Danville Gazette (Danville, Indiana)--issue of Thursday, October 3, 1918--page 1,
column 6:
HALL MURDER TRIAL
Infanticide Case Attracting Much Attention--Eph. Inman Conducting Defense
The trial of Miss Gladys Hall, 22 years old, charged with the murder of a babe born to her
on June 20, began in circuit court Monday.
Most of the day Monday was spent in making up a jury, it being composed of the following
men: Harry Foster, E.T. Clark, Jack Sallee, Finley Franklin, C.E. Biggs, Shelton Ray,
Arthur Clinton, Oscar Carter, D.W. Carter, Ernest Hicks, Elbridge Johnson and Charles
Cooprider.
The state is represented by C.W. Caston, assisted by Thad Adams and John Hume. The defense
has Edgar M. Blessing, Eph. Inman of Indianapolis and Ernest Owens.
C.W. Gaston made the opening statement for the state Monday afternoon, but no witnesses
were called until Tuesday morning.
The first witness was Mrs. John Russell who went to the Long home when she learned Miss
Hall was ill. Mrs. Frank Randall, who lives in one side of the double house in which Miss
Hall roomed, was called to the stand and told of the assistance she gave Miss Hall when
she first became ill.
Mrs. Herman Long at whose home the girl roomed testified as to being away from home on
June 20, she being called by Mrs. Russell to come home immediately; on coming home, of
finding confusion there, her front room being covered with blood; how she and Dr. Lawson
searched the rooms and found the body of a dead babe in a suit case in the wardrobe of her
front room.
Miss Norma House of Mooresville, room mate of the defendant, told of awaking in the night
and finding Miss Hall ill, but testified she did not know the cause of her illness. She
also told of going to her room from class and finding the door locked, the defendant
telling her to "wait a minute."
Herman Long testified of seeing the dead babe at his home, and also seeing it again in Dr.
Lawson's office about six o'clock that evening, after it had been removed there by
Dr. Lawson.
Dr. Terrell, coroner, was called by the state and testified to being called to Danville,
on June 20, of investigating the case, taking Miss Hall's statement that she was
guilty. On cross examination he was asked if he did not tell the girl she was compelled to
make a statement, that if she did not tell him she would have to tell it before the grand
jury. He answered he did not.
Mrs. Terrell testified in a very emphatic manner that she and her husband did not discuss
the trial as they were going home Tuesday evening, and did not know that her husband
became badly tangled on cross examination the day before, as she was busy knitting and did
not pay any attention to his testimony.
Dr. Lawson was called shortly before noon yesterday and remained on the stand until the
middle of the afternoon. He told of finding the babe and taking it to his office, and of
Dr. Terrell's request of holding the post mortem. On cross examination he became badly
tangled and did the defendant more good than harm. The state rested after taking Dr.
Rigdon's, Sherriff Hufford's and Deputy Sheriff Clark's testimony.
The opening statement for the defense was made by Mr. Inman, and there were not many dry
eyes in the court during his talk as he told the history of the girl's life, and of
her falling in a kettle of hot soap when she was two years old, of her being in the
hospital for two years, and of the hard struggle she had to live during those two years.
He called the jury's attention to Miss Hall's crippled hand and the awful scars
that had been left upon her body. The sympathy of the public seems to be with the girl and
it is the general feeling that the jury will acquit her.
The defense began presenting their testimony this morning and it is not thought the jury
will get the case before tomorrow.