D H PICKETT, Sworn In For The State, 166th To Testify

Reading Time: 5 minutes [693 words]

D. H. PICKETT, sworn for the State in rebuttal.

I work at Beck & Gregg Hardware Co. I was present when that paper

was signed (State's Exhibit J) by Minola Mc Knight. Albert Mc Knight,

Starnes, Campbell, Mr. Craven, Mr. Gordon was present when she made

that statement. We questioned her about the statement Albert had made

and she denied it all at first. She said she had been cautioned not to talk

about this affair by Mrs. Frank or Mrs. Selig. She stated that Albert

had lied in what he told us. She finally began to weaken on one or two

points and admitted that she had been paid a little more money than was

ordinarily due her. There was a good many things in that statement

that she did not tell us, though, at first. She didn't tell us all of that

when she went at it. She seemed hysterical at the beginning. We told

her that we weren't there to get her into trouble, but came down there to

get her out, and then she agreed to talk to us but would not talk to the

detectives. The detectives then retired from the room. Albert told her

that she knew she told him those things. She denied it, but finally acknowledged that she said a few of those things, and among the things I

remember is that she was cautioned not to repeat anything that she

heard. We asked her a thousand questions perhaps. I don't know how

many. I called the detectives and told them we had gotten all the admissions we could. We didn't have any stenographer and Mr. Craven began writing it out, and Mr. Craven had written only a small portion when

the stenographer came. She did not make all of that statement in the

first talk she had with us. She didn't say anything with reference to

Mrs. Frank having stated anything to her mother on Sunday morning.

The affidavit does not contain anything that she did not state there that

day. Before she made that affidavit, she said he did eat dinner that

day. She finally said he didn't eat any. At first she said he remained at

home at dinner time about half an hour or more. She finally said he only

remained about ten minutes. At first she said Albert Mc Knight was not

there that day. She finally said he was there. She said she was instructed

not to talk at first. At first she said her wages hadn't been changed, finally said her wages had been raised by the Seligs. As to what, if anything, she said about a hat being given her by Mrs. Selig, the only statement she made about the hat at all was when she made the affidavit.

We didn't know anything about the hat before. Nobody threatened

her when she was there. When the first questioning was going on

Campbell and Starnes were not in there. They came in when we called

them and told them we were ready. Her attorney, Mr. Gordon, came in

with the detectives.

CROSS EXAMINATION.

As to why we didn't take her statement when she denied saying all

those things, because we didn't believe them. We were down there about

three hours. We went down there to try and get Minola Mc Knight out,

if we could. We asked Mr. Dorsey to get her out. He said he would let

us stand her bond, and he referred us to the detectives to make arrangements. As to why we didn't get her out then, we wanted a statement

from her if we could get it. No, I didn't know that whenever the detectives

got the story they wanted, they would let her out. As to my going

to get her out and then grilling her for three hours, I didn't tell her I was

going to get her out; I went down there to get her out, but she left there

before I did. She went out of the room. The detectives treated her very

nice. They let her go after she made the statement. I knew they were

holding her because she did not make a statement confirming her husband.

It was not my object to make her statement agree with her husband's

statement, but it was my duty as a good citizen to make her tell

the truth.