Salt Lake Telegram | 1940-04-04 | Page 5 | Johnston Wins Point at Trial

JOHNSTON WINS POINT AT ATTRIAL TRIAL TWIN FALLS FALLS' Idaho April 4 UP Under Under a sharp examination cross by defense counsel Police Chief Hdward Gillette of Twin Falls testified tes tes- Thursday that he had been Unable to find finda a single fingerprint fingerprint finger finger- print that would link Duncan McD Johnston with the death of of George L L. Olson Salt Lake City Jewelry salesman here in May 1938 Johnston former Twin Falls mayor may r is on trial for the second time on a charge of murdering Olson The state supreme court set aside his conviction and life sentence after the first trial Ol- Ol Ollon's Olsons Olson's sons son's body with a bullet wound through the head was found in his his his' automobile on a Twin Falls business street Gillette is the complaining wilI wit wit- I ness Thursday he reviewed his Investigation investigation I of the slaying and told of 0 a a. conversation with Johnston relative to the accused mans man's whereabouts on May 21 1938 He said the story had been checked and declared it was accurate in Tome some respects but not so in others Johnston he said told him a caliber 55 gun which Gillette had fixed for him three years before h Had bad d been sold to a gold buyer whose name Johnston did not re re- re call cillo Johnston also told him the police police police po po- po- po lice chief testified that he had paid Olson as representative of the Decker Jewelry company on May 21 in the presence presence presence pres pres- ence of William Lavonde clerk Inthe Inthe in inthe the defendants defendant's jewelry store Gillette Gillette Gillette Gil Gil- lette recalled that Johnston told him the sum was paid in large bills which he obtained from two local banks I Objections of or the states state's attorneys attorneys attorI I nes ne's prevented the witness from answering a defense question as to whether he had Investigated a report re report report re- re port that a man had purchased a aused aused aused used car in May 1938 from a Twin Falls dealer and had paid for forit forit it ft in large bills and then parked the c car r in the rear of the Johnston j jewelry shop and disappeared No effort was made Gillette tes- tes to examine the Olson car for fingerprints until about 48 h hours urs after the salesman's body was vas found inside it You didn't find a single fingerprint fingerprint fingerprint finger finger- print any place that would connect connect connect con con- this defendant with this crime dune asked Defense Attorney W. W 1 V. V Dunn No the witness replied States State's attorneys Wednesday sought Bought the aid of Olsons Olson's sobbing t widow in proving the identity ol of the decomposing body found in the 1 salesman's automobile nearly two L- L years ears ago