Thereupon the State of Ohio, further to. maintain the issues on its part to be maintained, called as a witness ELNORA HELMS, who, being

Transcription

1 2374,...,..., Li, ' i Thereupon the State of Ohio, further to maintain the issues on its part to be maintained, called as a witness ELNOR HELMS, who, being first duly sworn, was examined and testified as follows: DRECT EXMNTON By Mr. Danaceau: Will you please give your name? ~ Elnora Helms. nd you are married? Yes, am. What is your husband's name? THE COURT: Could you give me the name again? THE WTNESS : Elnora P.elms. s there an "su at the end of the name? nd believe asked you what your husband's name is? Will F. Helms. Where do you live? Brookfield venue. nd you work at housework, do you not? You do housework?

2 2375 nd ~'OU were employed by a Mr. and! 1 rs..sam Sheppard? t Bay View? Or Bay Village? Excuse me. When did you first start to work for Dr. and Mrs. Sheppard? You mean Dr. and ~~s. Sam Sheppard? February, Had you worked for any of the other Shepparde? nd for whom did ;you work? Dr. Richard and his wife, Sheppard. That is Senior or the?'to. 'lbe brother of Dr. Sam? nd how of ten did you work? One day a week. nd how would you get out to the home, the Sheppard home? Greyhound Bus Line. nd at what time would you get there? bout 8:15.

3 2376 9, nd was there any particular day of the...reek that you were to be there? Mostly Wednesday. Once in a while Mrs. Sheppard would give you some other day and you would come down that day? Well, if missed Wednesday, as a rule, she asked me to come in on a Saturday. Now, do you recall a fire that occurred at the home? Yes, do. Was that about ~ year or so ago? nd after the fire, do you recall young Chip going to school? Yes, de. Now, when you would get there in the morning during the last year, let's take 1 t, would the farnil:, be up when you would get there? Mrs. Sam and Chip would be up. nd was that true on all occasions? No. Once she was 111. One day she was 111? pril 28th, 19 of this year nd can you tell us about when that was? nd what happened when you got there?

4 2377 Well, went to the Lake front mean the street door 00('' tf"" ' '' ' and knocked and banged and tried the knob, and the door was locked, couldn'~ get in, so went around to the den ct:l'jr and knocked and banged and no answer, so went around to the French doors on the other side of the house, and that is when Dr. Sam heard me. Then he came down from bed? How was he dressed at the time? He had on trousers, and don't think he had anyt~ing on from the waist up. nd he opened the door and let you in? ~.rs. Helms, do you recall one occasion last spring when there was some difficulty with the dog Koko? You mean as far as the Being in heat? nd leaving blood around?._ Will you describe to the Judge and jury just what that was?!/well, she became in heat, and, of course, she had the free run of the house, and she went and got in Mrs. Sam's bed and ruined the bed, in fact, both beds, the double bed and one or her twin bedspreads, and she had to soak them and

5 2378. qc', #: ' r. _, wash them out, and she had blood all over the stairway, all over the l~i tchen, all over the hall, everywhere, because she had the free run of the house. lso the garage, because we had to tie her out there bet ween the house and the garage, and she used to come in the basement to see me when 'd be downstairs ironing. So she caused a mess down there, too? Well, she was in heat, so it was everywhere she went duri~g that time. nd can you place the time more specifically than we have had it thus far? Well, will do the best can. can't exactly l"'emember the date and the time. Yes, know. :".. /But 1 t was during the time after she came back from California, 'd say around in pril or the last part of pril or s omewhere around in that vicinity. nd after that had happened, did you have a job washing and cleaning? Well, always washed the floor after got through ironing, and 'd have to clean it up. nd what is the fact as to whether or not you cleaned it up, including the stairway? washed the stairway down, the kitchen and the floor where it wae noticeable, but not the rugs.

6 ',</i 23~0, th the exception of the rugs, you washed 1 t all up, is that correct? qc r'"'; ' ', '... '! i When was there, yes. nd that was around pril of this year? 'd say pril or somewhere in that vicinity. couldn't say definitely, but to my knowledge, it was around in pril, somewhere in there. Now, Mrs. Helms, after this tragedy that occurred by the way, before E;et to that did you work on the Wednesday prior to July the 4th? Did you call Mrs. Sheppard? Yes, did. No, did not. nd what occurred that prevented you from working? The Wednesday was supposed to work, called her Tuesday evening and explained to her had to be a witness downtown, and would try to be there another day if it ~.ras 8atisfacto:rty with her. She asked me would! come in Saturday because she was having company for the 4th. That ;muld be Saturday, July the 3rd? Did you ~et there Saturday, July the 3rd? No, didn't.

7 2380 r,r, ~, _y.~.. :S '.ti~ :'L, Did you call her? did. 'dhen? On Saturday morning around ten after ten, ten after or fifteen after ten. t was after ten. nd did you talk to her? Yes, did. nd you gave her an explanation? dido You did not work ~hat day? didn't. Now, coming to sometime after this tragedy that occurred in the home with respect to Marilyn Sheppard, did you go through the bedroom and examine all the objects to see ~f anything was missing? did. nd who was with you at that time? Mr. Rossbach and Mr. Yetty.. Yettra? Yettra, and a Bay Village policeman was there. Do you recall his name? don't know his name. o. nd when was this, to your best recollection? 'd say approximately a week or two after the accident, somewhere in that vicinity.

8 2381 nd you went through all the drawers? No, did not. G What did you do? just went in the room and looked they asked me to look for the furnishings or pictures or anything of that nature. wouldn't know what was in her drawers, anyway. o see. You never went in her drawers? never went in her drawers. Well, you looked around there. You had been in that bedroom many times before, had you not? Yes, did. Did you notice anything at all missing, as far as the objects that you looked at? There was nothing missing. MR. DNCEU: Just a moment. By Mr. Danaceau: You may inquire. \ \ Do you recall this trip that was made to California in the spring of this year by Dr. Sam Sheppard and Marilyn \ Sheppard? do.. Now, before they made that trip, what bedroom did they occupy? The double bed. O n what room was that?.j i ;? i ~ l

9 That was next to the garage. Oh, it had a little dressing room. Dr. Sam's dressing room was first, and then the..,... '... bedroom was on the other side facing the street. O nd what was the room with the twin beds used for at that time? To my knowledge, it was used for guests. ',./hen did Dr. Sam Sheppard and Marilyn Sheppard first begin to occupy the bedroom in which the twin beds were? Oh, approximately a week or two after they came back. From where'? From California. MR. DNCEU: You may inquire. CROSSEXMNTON OF ELENOR HELMS By Mr. Garmone: :d. Mrs. Helms, about how long were you in the employ of Marilyn and Sam? pproximately twoyears and a half. nd your work consisted of one day a week, is that right? Now, were there times when you arrived at that home around 6:00 or 6:30 in the morning so that you could get away earlier? t would be that of the bus time but not of our schedule. Well, wouj.d you get there sometimes earlier than 8:00?

10 ~~/~(~~ l '. " t might have been once or twice, as long as it was daylight~ i nd on those occasions you found the door open, didn't you? She called me or would call her and she would tell me which door she would leave open. nd didn't she on many occasions or on occasions leave the door that faces the road open? That was left open once, think, to my knowledge. nd didn't she on occasions leave the door that leads onto the front porch and into the living room open?. No, that was never open. + Never open. Now, about what month was it that the dog was in heat? bout what month? would say approximately pril, around in pril. couldn't say definitely. 11nd she had free run of the house, did she not? Yes, she did.. nd didn't Marilyn and you join sometimes along with Chip in washing off the blood spots that file would drop around the house? Chip never helped.. Did Marilyn help? She would take a tissue and wipe it up, and when would come up to wash washed it up.

11 2384 ~:. ~.. _...,' '.:.:f. > ; You washed it up? Now, you said on direct examination that you would clean up after me had dropped these spots, is that right? That's true. You would clean up those points where it was noticeable, is that right? That's true. You wouldn't walk around the house looking for any blood, would you? No. Now, what was the color of that carpet? Sort of a reddishwine color. nd was there an occasion that Marilyn had stated to you,!'well, we won't bother with the rug because the blood blends in with the color of it"? Well, she didn't mention the color of it, and we just noticed that it blended in and we never bothered with it. Never bothered with it? No. Now, you testified before the Grand Jury, did you not? did. nd there wasn't asked anyth:bng of you in the Grand Jury about the blood that was dropped by the dog, was there? MR. DNCEU: Just a moment,

12 2385 f '. r, r..., \ _, ; ; ~ '... ' please. Objection. MR. MHON: THE COURT: Objection. Objection sustained. G. Now, Sam and Marilyn occupied the east room, the double bedroom, is that right? That was prior to their going to California? nd when they returned from California, then they occupied the room that contained the twin beds? were changing rooms because Marilyn was pregnant? Wasn't there said to you by Marilyn and Sam that they No. Mrs. Sam said to me that Dr. Sam had an awful bad cold when he came back and that he couldn't get rid of it, and that's the reason why they moved in there. ~ Moved into chat room? Now, was that the first time that room was occupied by Marilyn and Sam during your period of employment? s far as know. Now, during the period that room was occupied, Marilyn was visited by Mr. Houk, wasn't she? Yes, she was. nd that was a short time prior to the 4th day of July,

13 2386 L~C<"l: t,7r... wasn't it, Mrs. Helms? That was the day she was 111 in bed. Well, wasn't it during the month of June? No. t was pril. pril? Now, how long had they been at home and occupying that room prior to that visit by Mayor Houk? 'd say maybe three weeks. don't know. Four weeks. kitchen? nd had Mayor_Houk been there previous to that occasion that we have designated as being sometime in pril? You mean to have coffee, or something like that, in the Had he been there? Oh, yes, he had been there and had coffee. nd on the occasions that Mayor Houk was there, Sam had already left for the hospital, hadn't he, most of the time? That, couldn't say, but do know he came and had coffeee, whether Dr. Sam was there or whether he wasn't. Now, going back to the day in pril that Marilyn was sick, she was upstairs in her bed? morning, didn't he? Mayor Houk came in, didn't he? He came to the home that He did.

14 Sam had already left for the hospital, hadn't he? That's right... on " ""' nd when Mayor Houk came in he didn't stop and talk with you, did he, Mrs. Helms? No, he didn't. He went right upstairs to the bedroom, didn't he? Yes, he did. He spoke to Chip and went on upstairs. Well, he didn't make any inquiries as to what room Marilyn was in of you, did he? He did not. Now, after he went upstairs to the room, how long would you say he was in that room before you next saw him? would say about a second or a half a second, or something like that. o Was there some conversation? heard voices. t sounded like a conversation. t couldn't have been him answering himself, don't know, but did hear a low murmur, voice. You heard a low voice? Yes, did. nd then did Houk later come down from the room? He did. nd was there anything said on that occasion by the Mayor to you? No. He spoke to Chip.

15 '. What did he say to Chip? He says, "Chip, :;;our mother is sleeping and tell your mother 'll see her later." Now, when Mayor Houk came to the home, he had more or less free run of the home) didn't he? That, couldn't say. Well, were you there on occasions when he would go in and prepare breakfast? never was there when he did that, no. You never was there when he did that? No. You were talked to by Officer Rossbach and Yettra, were you not? Yes, was. nd during their inquiry of you after the 4th of July, did they eve~ inquire of you about the blood spots that you have testified before this jury this morning on'? No. That came up later. Came up later?

16 tlce 0,.,. Now, durir.g the period of your employment :, au nad the <_c,n.,_ 1.,. '. oc:!c.sion to obse!"!e Sam and Mar:!.lyn together, did you not, around the house? You never saw Sam mist!"eat Marilyn, did you, Mrs. :!elms? No, did not. You have never seen him lose his temper in the home, have you? No. nd from your observations of Sam, he always displayed an even temper, isn't that a true statement? To my l:nowledge. During the couroe of your observations, during the period of your employment, there was an atmosphere of affection between Marilyn and Sam, wasn't there, Mrs. Eelms? Yes, there was quite a bit of affection. do know see ~! wasn 't around L'r. Sam as r:iuch as was Mrs Sheppard~~, See, Dr. Sam was always busy, and when got there a lot of times he'd be sleeping. Next, he'd be on his cases. ~ But you did notice an atmosphere of affection between the two of them? Now, when was it that Rossbach first took you to the home to make an observation of the bedroom?

17 ~390 ~':C1"'! '._.' ' 1 'd say it was a week or two af'ter the accident. Had you had some conver:::;ation prior to t~at day >ri th Rossbach? He ca.me to my home. nd ~ook a statement from you? No. Didn't take a statement? No. Did he e'1er take a statement from you? No, he never took a statement from me. nd was it after that conversation, then, that you were taken out to t~e Sheppard home and asked to look into the bedroom? fter was down here. fter you were down here?. u. Yes " ""' P.. Well, when you came down here, who were you interviewed by? Mr. Parrino. nyone else? Not that day, no. Did they inquire from you when you came down here and you were interviewed by Mr. Parrino about the blood spots that you have just finished testifying to this jury about? 'he blood spots came up after it was in the paper. f'ter it was in the paper? discovered it in the paper, and that is the reason why

18 ~391 C10 ~ ' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~=~~ the blood spots came up. seej but you never were asked abou~ it, were you, prior to that time? No. Now, when you went to the bedroom did you ;o inside? nd :, ou made an observation, is t:hat right, of the things that were in the room? 'he furnishings, yes. nd from the best of your recollection, you didn't notice anytr.ing missing? That is correct. nd isn't it a fact, Mrs. Helms, that that was the only room that you were asked to go into to make the observation that you have just described? Well, we walked through the house upstairs. We went in Chip 1 s room. What other room? 'he room tl'lt they used to sleep in, we went in there. didn't go all the way into that room, though. went in as far as the dressing room. Well, then, after you had finished going in as far as the ' You mean as far as the outside into the garage?. dressing ~oom, were you taken away from the home?

19 2392 No. Were you taken to the garage? nd you made an observation in the garage? We were looking for Well, did you make an observation in the garage? didn't go downstairs. We went upstairs what mean, we just passed through downstairs. Passed through and went upstairs of the garage? nd were you asked on that occasion whether there was anything missing, to the best of your recollection?!'10. wouldn't know what was missing np ther~. You wouldn't ~mow what was mis sin~? No. Mrs. Helms, ~rou dere never taken into the den of 'chat home, were you? No. went as far as the door. Just as far as the door. nd you were never asked by Rossbach or Yettra to determine whether there was anything missing from the den, were you? Not to my knowledge. Not to your lrnowledge. Now, these blood spots that you have described, ~.rs. Helms, that was a frequent happening dur1ng the period that the dog was in heat, wasn't it?

20 ' C.\CC' ''... '\. j Oh, yes, for quite a while. ~ nd the spots were ~Pin Marilyn 1 s roo~? nd that was the room that she occupied after she came back from California, is that right? The dog went not only into that one room. 'he dog went Well, there v!as spots in that room, was there r,ot? 'bere were spots in every room. nd there were spots ~n the roo~ that has the little dressing room before you go into the bedroom? nd on that bed in the east room, were there considerable spots on the bed r,lothing? On the spread. Now, you saw spots on the staircase leading frorr: the upstairs down to the kitchen, did you not? nd you saw spots on the staircase that led f!"om the upstairs into the living room, did you not? nd believe you testified that you saw spots in the basement? ll over the basement? Yee. 3 Well, as far as was, saw spots.

21 s far as you were. nd some of +hose spots were on the stairs that lead down ~o the basement, weren't t~ey? Oh, yes. ( nd,.;herever you noticed them, ~'OU washed them off, is that right? didn't wash the basement, no. 0 ~ou didn 1 t wash the tasement? ~o, did r.ot. '='~ Now, Mrs. Helmc, 'dill :,rou tel:!. t~e Court and Jur:J dhether you observed any spots out on the porch leading to the f!'ont yard? Well, never went out on that porch, only was out on that porch three times the whole time : was there, and couldn't say about the porch, but can say about the rest of the house where was. 'lhe do'?; had the free run of the house, and there :ras blood 0pots everywhere the dog \.rent for ~~e time that the tog was in heat. n heat. nd that would be all over the house? Did you ever eo out in the garage? Did you see any of the spots in the garage? in heat then. During the time that was in the garage, the dog wasn't Now, during the time that you worked ror Mrs. She ard

22 \ and Dr. Sam Sheppard the dog was in heat a number of times, ':1as she not, Mrs. Helms? Twice. Twice? nd the events that you describe that happened in pril of 1954, they also happened on the other occasion when she was in heat, didn't they? ~,!ow, there is a cement drive t:hat leads in'to the carage entrance. To the best of your recollection, on either of 2ny blood that led into the garage? the ~wo occasions that the dog was in heat, did you see Well, can recall the last time, because we had to tie the dog, so, therefore, that is the reason why noticed ~ t, because Mrs.Sam had to keep the dog tied bet 11een the on t~e tree by the garage, or either by the porch there where the flowers were. nd there was blood that led on the cement that was in the vicinity of the garage, is that right? T have one more question, Mrs. Helms. Now, were you interviewed by the police department in ugust of this year? th.ink was.

23 2396 nd cid that: interview take place at your home,!'.rs. Helms? nd on that occasion didn't you tell the police department about the blood incident relating to the dog that was in heat? did. Now, while you wiped away all the spots of blood that came within your view around the house, :rou never bothered ~bout cleaning the rug, is that correct? No. MR. G..'9.MONE: That is all. 'hank you. REDD'i.ECT EXM!MTON OF ELNOR HEJV!S ey Mr. Danaceau: Mrs. Helms, did you ever talk to any of these 3entlemen who nave been questioning you? T talked to Mr. Corrigan and Mr. Jerome. MR. GRMONE: THE WTNESS: Garmone. Garmone. nd you have told them all about these things that you have testified to today, haven't you? 'lbe dog and the spots and everything else? did.

24 2397 rnnn ' '. nd when was this? t was after it had been in the paper. T read about the blood stains they had found. n nd where did this conversation with Mr. Corrigan and Mr. Garmone take place? went down to Mr. Corrigan s office. Who asked you to go down to Mr. Corrigan 1 s office? was telling my employer about it, and she asked would mind telling Mr. Corrigan about it, because she were interested in finding out who hurt Mrs. Sam. :), t;, nd who is your employer? t that time Mrs. Richard Sheppard was. Mrs. Richard Sheppard asked you to go down and see Mr. Corrigan? Would mind. nd did you? did. When you first started to work there by the way, how long has the dog Koko been there? With Doctor mean with Mrs. With Mrs. Sheppard, yes. Ever since was employed there. Yes, it is. / nd when you first started worki.ng there, what is the fact t is a female dog, isn't it?

25 2398 as to whether it would bark at you when you ca.r:ie?.; Did it always bark at you?. No. ' l '. Or later on, after you got to know the dog and the dog got to know you, did :!.t stop barking? t did, yes. MR. DNCEU: That is all. RECROSS E..XJ\MH!TON OF ELNOR HELMS P;y Mr. Garmone : ;Yes, she was friendly. 'he dog was a friendly dog, wasn't she, Mrs. Helms? Now, Mr. Danaceau has asked you a question about whether : ou had talked to me and ~.r. Corrigan. You talked to me on the occasion that we met in Mr. Gorrigan' s office, is that right? nd didn't that meeting come as a result of an article that you had read in the paper? bout some blood spots being found all over the home? nd after you read that article, you called to Mrs. Richard N. Sheppard's attention the dog being in heat, is that r1 ht?

26 2399.: nr;~! ~! nd she asked you whether you would go down to Mr. Corr~gan's office and relate what you know about the dog being in heat? nd about where the dog had left his spots in the home of Marily and Sam, is that correct? nd that article, you read about the blood ~pots having been washed away? Something similar that can recall. 'he main thing that noticed in the article was about them finding blood, and happened to remember that the dog was in heat at :he time, or just before the time, somewhere in that vicinity. Up until that :particular day had ~±ther.. Mr. Corrigan or j myself ever talked to you about the subject of the blood that was found in and about the home? You hadn't talked to me at all. Hadn't seen you, is that right? That's correct. nd it came about as a result of your conversation with Mrs. Richard N. Sheppard? 'hat's right. That was based on an article that you read in the newspaper about the blood 1n and around the home and hav~ been washe

27 2400, n~.... 'x \ ft '..._ ' avray? MR. GRMO.NE: much, ~~s. Helms. MR. DNCEU: THE COURT: question? Thank you very That is all. 'bank you. Could have just one You have referred to the washing of this blood. Do understand that that was about somewhere near the month of pril? pril, THE WTNESS: t was sometime in or the last of pril. THE COURT: t was always in that period of time, had nothing to do with ~he 4th of July or anywhere near it? THE WTNESS: No THE COURT: You say MR. GRMONE: Just a minute. We object to the form of the question. THE COURT: think shouldn't say MR. GRMONE: nd take exception to the manner in which the Court THE COURT: The Court will withdraw it MR. GRMONEs nd will the Court

28 instruct the jury to disregard it? THE COURT: Please let the Court ask the lady a question, Mr. Garmone. t was not anything that happened near the 4th day of July one way or another? THE WTNESS: No, because hadn't been there. you. THE COURT: MR. GRMONE: That is all. 'hank (Witness excused.) May call back Mrs. Helms fol' one question, please, that just came to my mind? THE COURT: Yes, if she is available.