New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-24
the room and demanded to know what
was said. Mr.. Cammack said, IL have

Now, gentlemen of the jury, does this
disclose any aggressive intention on the
part of Mr.. Cammack? 1t was he who
was called to account by Mr. Nixon. 1t
was drunken man called to account by
sober man. Does it not, indeed, look as
if Mr.. Nixon was availing himself of MIR.
Cammack's condition to take advantage
of him? Notwithstanding the fact that
Mr.. Cammack waves him away, saying,
III have not spoken Hot wish to
speak to you" Mr.. Nixon perseveres
in his demand for an explanations; and
even invites Mr. Cammack out of the
room, that their misunderstanding may
have an issue. The fact that he said that
was no place for difficulty, implied that
he contemplated violence. Mr.. CammacA
said that he would go out with him or any
other man.
The Attorney General says that this
club is the resort of the first gentlemen OF
the land. I concede this fact, and ask
you, does not this circumstance afford ad-
ditional reason why sober man should
persist in prosecuting there difficulty
with a drunken man? Would it not have
been better for him to have gone away :!
MIR. Cammack was sitting quietly in the
room. interfering with. no one. 1t would
have been better for Mr.. Nixon to have
left him here instead Of goading him to
violence The mere fact that Mr.. Cam
mack put his hand in his pocket during
this conversation, implies nothing. 1t is
habit of the accused. He is a nervous.
excitable man, and even in conversation
with his counsel habitually practices it.
1t is an unhappy reference on the part OF
the Attorney General, for it proves moth
ing. These are the facts, as | understand
them. This constitutes the initial pro-
ceedings of this difficulty. 1t was what
occurred in the club-room. It was Mr.
Nixon who invited Mr.. Cammack to the
street. They both rose together, and
no witness can testify which of these
gentlemen preceded the other.
The general impression is, they
both passed out together. DR.. Ritchie
is convinced they did. This impression
is still further confirmed by the state
ments of Mr.. W. H. Hunt. He is calm and
unexcitable gentleman; his observations
are entitled to weight. 1t was be, too,
who said that he sought out Mr. A. B.
Adams, whom he knew to be friend of
Mr. Nixon, and who he thought might
prevent his going out. This shows that
Mr.. Hunt thought Mr.. Nixon the party in
| the wrong, and tte man to be restrain ed.
Had he thought the party in the wrong ts
| be Mr. Cammack, he would have sought
out Mr. Addison Cammack, and invoked
him to restrain his brother.
| The one man was sober, the other was
| intoxicated. 1t was the drunken man,
therefore, who was being imposed upon.
Now. gentlemen, the Attorney General
has set the example of differences. He
has given you his, and l have given you
mine. Which is the most reasonable
On the contrary, l say these conclusions
of mine are not merely inferences, they
are facts.
| The testimony of the witness, Vix, con-
| ficts with that of Mr.. Hunt and DR..
| Richie. All three were present at the
first conversation. Now, if the witness
was mistaken at one time, might he not
have been at the other time? Is not this
inference strengthened when Vix tells
you. in his direct examination, that the
first be saw from the gallery was Cam
mack retreating before Mr.. Nixon? Anc
at the cross-examination he tells you
that the first thing he saw was the fash
of the pistols. Again, Vix tells you tha,
Mr.. Nixon was standing about two
PAGES in front of the door when he wa:
shot. The witness Cannon, who also
was present, says that Mr.. Nixon was
leaning against the pillar of the door
Now, these men do not agree. Which is
right, and which is wrong. Which ART
YOU going to believe? Vix says he was
standing on the banquette looking toward:
Mr.. Cammack, not as the Attorney Gen
eral says, into the street The surgeon
tells you that the ball entered on the right
side and passed through the abdomiua
region. and passed to the left side. Ant
yet VIx says those parties were facin:
each other. How could this be. The fac'
could not have made circle. Yet, if vi,
saw anything he saw this.
Mr.. Randell Hunt closed the argumen
on behalf of the defense
Gentlemen of the jury-It becomes m
{ duty to appear before you in case whic
is- one OF great importance. The Stat
never prosecutes for the purpose of ven
geance. The picture which was exhibite'
t to you to-day and yesterday, is an extra
, ordinary one. Persons not interested il
the prosecution, but only bent on yer
. geance, have been day after day here t
gain this object This is wrong. Tn
duty Of the State is to take care Of all; t
, see that no guilty person shall escape n
= innocent person shall be brought to puI
3 ishment. 1t is a case important to th
!. State also, to the defendant. His lif
his liberty, his honor all the hopes an
I. sentiments of his family are interested
+. this case. You are to judge of it; tt
: Judge is not to pass upon it. Yo
= are th4 judges Of the law. 70
are not superior to the law jude
f in knowledge, but you are po
i SCISSORS Of kindred feeling. The jude
:. Judges 10y the law. But the county know
e that you, being better acquainted wit
t human nature aud human acts, shou
: Judge in such cases. You shall render ju
: tice in mercy-not in violation of lay
t truth and fact You have heard the stat
t ment of the Attorney General and my tv
able colleagues of the defense. The la
e says you must adopt the principles of LAY
: Christianity and justice. Our institution
o have been IN great measure altere
:, changes have taken place in almost ever
' thing But one thing has been preserved
! the trial of man by a jury. The case SUI
It mltted to you is as follows: On the eight
:. Gay Oh JduuaIy, u udy 50 oiaoio
S some, Mr.. Cammack had been dinlI
. I out, he went in the evening to the Bostt
/ Club, and tlere met with several gent
men. They talked over the GRO
e and the steam piow. A gentlemi
: came in, and Mr.. Cammack ralli'
e him a little over the steam plou'
: Mr.. Cammack, little excited on the
S dulgences of the eighth of january, sa
a Mr. Nixon, and in relation to little dit