The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-05-26
The Great Murder Trial.

Il - -
1 Our readers doubtless recollect thai
Jew peddler named Friedman, was
found dead in Duck River, in the Green
field Bend, all the circumstances prov
ing Enthusiastically that he had peen
foully murdered. Frank Riddle andDe
Griffin were arrested, and imprisoned
on charge o. being the murderers. hld-
/ dle,s Trial commenced last week. IL
4 was With the greatest difficulty that a
Jury could be obtained, the Sheriff being
conxsrled to go into the country before
| TIE twelve could be made complete. IL
1 was remarked by many persons that it
| was one of The best juries that ever sat
| on a criminal cause at this Court. The
| counsel on both sides was able, and hay-
ing ample time to thoroughly investi-
cate it, it was one ofthe most ably argu-
ed cases, if not the most ably argued,
| that ever was tried at our bar. Tie sable
and eloquent Attorney General, Capt.
J. III. Russell, was assisted by two of our
best lawyers, Hon. w. G. Whitthorne,
and Col. L. ID. Myers. The counsel for
the defense was headed by an eminent
criminal lawyer, Col. A. NJ. Looney,
who was ably assisted by Capt. A. @.
Hickey, w. j. Webster, J. T. L. Coch-
ran, and Chas. o. Nicholson.
The examination of tie witnesses be-
ing closed, the counsel opened the argu-
ment last Monday, in the following Or
der: Capt; Russell, Mr.. Webster, Mr..
Nicholson, Mr.. Cochran, Gen. Whit
thorne, Capt. Hickey, Col. Looney, Col.
Myers. The opening speech, by Capt.
RUSSELL, was worthy of his fine talents as
a reasoner. He strikes for the weak
place of his enemy, and always keeps
frsl L. A Oh.
he would have found that hole
in his heel before he was done. The eff
forts of the young gentlemen, deserved
the compliment Of His Honor, Judge
Martin, in his charge, when he said that
they promised to become eminent law
yers. The speech of Capt. Hickey was
highly complimented. What shall we
say of Gen. Whitthorne, Col. Looney,
and Col. Myers speeches? Their speech
es have elevated them to the front rank
of criminal lawyers in the land. We
believe that nowhere i'll the State can
their superiors be found. The former
blends the beauty of the rainbow with
pathos that would stir heart under
the ribs of death. The second is a great
bold Ajax, dealing his blows right and
left, and crushing through the vizor and
brain of his adversary. Everybody said
the closing speech, by Col. Myers, was
never surpassed at this bar. All the
highest elements of oratory-eloquence,
learning and noble thoughts-were COM
bined in it. His vindication of the jew
ish nation, and his appropriate tribute
to Gen. Lee, were as fine bursts of To-
rensic eloquence as we ever listened to.
The charge OF His Honor, Judge Martin,
was a clear, full, and complete state
ment of the law in the case. The case
was given to the jury, and they retired.
Quite scene occurred as the prisoner
was carried to Jail. His aged mother
chung to his neck, crying and
talking in loud, hysterical manner.
The prisoner himself shed tears, He at,
forwards cursed everybody and every
thing. The jury remained out about an
hour, and returned a verdict of"Guilty."
The defendants counsel applied for a
new trial.
The following are the names OF the jul
rors: Z. w. McRrady, Ii. III. Mooney,
n. X. Holden, r. c. Craig, Ben. Good
rum, p. III. Nelson, John l.. Wilkes, An
drew Jackson, VIM. Due, Jack Rains,
Richard Burnett.
WITNESSES.
For the prosecution: w A .Latta, NJ
Samuels, Jack Porter. A ] Farmer, Maj
b Gordon, Esther McAnally, col; Fanny
McAnally, Dave Miller, Spence Head,
A Head, b Delk, ID p Tsoley, ,Judson
Can't, col, John Prewett, Lizzy Prewett,
Liney Prewett, Whey Prewett, A NJ
Kinzer, John Baker, Esq Geo w Stock
ard, Moses Davis, p Levy, Ben Grier,
Mariah Sowell, Mrs Friedman.
For the defence; Robt Oakley, Mrs
Riddle, $ III Smith, VIM Brinn, Mary
Parks, Rufus Polk, J b Brinn, VIM Rid
die, VIM L Porter, John Riddle, NJ p
Erwin, A NJ Griffin, Perryman, Alice
Griffin, Allen Griffin.