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Saturday, February 18, 2023

Mrs. Lowe Testifies at Thomas Trial, Feb. 18, 1923

Woman Testifies in Thomas Case. . . Mrs. Robert Lowe Journeys from Sick Bed in Tennessee for Trial

Salisbury, Feb. 17—A score of witnesses were heard for the defense today in the trial of O.G. “Red” Thomas for the killing of Arthur J. Allen at Kannapolis, the night of October 25,1921. Among the number was Mrs. Robert Lowe, who was with Thomas at the time of the homicide.

Her husband was also heard. Mrs. Lowe stated that she had come from a sick bed in Nashville against the orders of her physician in order to testify. She was in the court room only an hour. Mrs. Lowe appears very weak and was assisted to the stand by her husband. She told her story in 20 minutes under the questioning of John J. Parker and the cross-examination by L.C. Caldwell lasted 25 minutes. At times Mrs. Lowe appeared to be on the verge of a breakdown, but she answered all questions audibly and directly.

Her story about the homicide tallies exactly with that told yesterday by the defendant. Mrs. Lowe said she and her husband and the defendant and his wife were good friends and had visited each other often.

She told of being with Thomas on many trips, sometimes in the day time they were alone and sometimes there were others with them, but at night they were never alone except on the night of the homicide and on one other occasion when they had taken a lady to Concord and were alone on the return trip to Kannapolis. Her husband knew of all these trips and her association with Thomas was never objected.

Mr. Thomas, she said, had always acted a gentleman, had never attempted to take liberties with her, and nothing improper had ever happened. She declared from the time they left the Cline boarding house until she got back after the homicide she never left the Thomas car, and also denied that she was ever in the Ford sedan with Allen or that she knew Allen at all. To questions about being near the Cabarrus Mill with a man the night of the homicide and being out on the Beth-Page road at night with someone she entered denial.

Thomas always had a pistol at night and she had carried it on her lap at times previous to the homicide. She had also seen it on the lap of other women who were riding on the front seat, she stated.

Mr. Lowe followed his wife on the stand and testified that he had known of Mrs. Lowe’s trips with Thomas and that he had no objections. He had been with them on some trips. When eh would come in for a weekend, he said Mrs. Lowe always told him where she had been.

Mrs. Frank Setzer corroborated the three Setzer girls whose testimony had been used to rebut that of Globie Lawing, star witness for the State. Other witnesses heard in corroborative testimony included F.U. Rogers, rural mail carrier, Kannapolis; J.C. Goodnight, mechanic at Overcash garage; W.J. Cline of the boarding house; Miss Bertha Godfrey of Charlotte; Mrs. C.W. Wise and her son, C.W. Jr. of Charlotte. Ten character witnesses were heard.

Court adjourned at 1:30 until Monday. The defense attorney stated they could finish their testimony Monday.

It is expected that the case will run through most of next week.

From page 13 of the Raleigh News & Observer, Sunday, February 18, 1923

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