Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1879-05-06


= counter dazed and bewildered even afte
he was stricken as a dog was told, "NC
{ damn you, you shall never look upo
her fair face again." On that mornin
t he was met going to Bpsher's Dam, bu
, bwe find him going to provoke anothe
to do something that will cause resis
tance, and for that reason we find hir
armed
Time for reflection. Poindexter ha,
had ample time to reflect; he had tolC
his employer of his brave action. Woul'
you have thought it was asking to,
much to the man you had dishonoret
to give him an apology or an explana
tion. A brave man would not have re
fused. "If you advance to me will
shoe. you; have told my lady you shal
be whipped. Now lay the weight o
your hand on me and will take youl
life." Curtis did not go to take life
He did not want blood upon his hands
All he wanted was reparation, peaceablc
rcparation for the deadly insult he had
received.
Gentlemen of the jury, / have read
the law toyou; | have commented to you
OH the testimony; | am sure you will not
attach the same importance TO the af-
front offered Miss Cottrell that she did
herself and dismiss ii as not worthy of a
serious thought.
After thanking the jury, Capt. Wise
concluded at 31lS o'clock, and the Court
took recess until p. m,
w. L. Royal, Esq, will follow for
the defence.
At 8 o'clock the court reassembled.-
The courtroom was lmcomfor,ably
crowded. =.
WILLIAM l.. ROYAII., ESQ.,,
opened his argument for the defence soon
after o'clock. In opening he said:
May the Court please and gentlemen Of
the jury, never felt so awful and SOL
emn sense of responsibility az that
under which now suffer. The prison.
er at the bar stands on his delverance on
a charge that affects at least his charac-
ter, and on a question 20 interesting to
him his lips are sealed. On me devolvcs
partly the duty of sending him if posi-
bic from this courthouse free and ac-
quittod.
And cannot leave undone aught that
can 90 to accomplish that end.
approach this cause with charity for
all, and with malice toward none. The
way in which this cause stands is blot
on our civilization In the discharge of
my duty, If deem II necessary, | speak
IN fitting terms of both the living or the
dead, let the consequences be what they
may.
This man has already been tried and
convicted by the gadabouts, the gossips,
the old women-male and female of this
city.
The speaker alluded to the inflamato-
ry harmnguc Of the Commemorative
attorney, which had been published far
and wide, while the lips of the accused
have been sealed, to the proposed monll-
ment to Curtis, and to the bill proposed
to be introduced in the Senate to make
cowhiding felony.
can satisfy any mind that Curtis was
guilty of conduct towards the young Ia
dy to which she had the highest grounds
of complaint. She tells you that the
man talked and acted towards her In
such n manner as to call the blush of
shame to her cheek.
No man can make improper demon
stratlons towards woman and she not
perceive II. II shows itself In the blaz-
ing eye, the heated breath, and the leer-
ing countenancc. In this case the lady
complained to her friend ut once Of the
insult. And another proof was in the
conduct of Curtis himself. Would an
innocent man shrink from those blows
and let another shake his fist In his face
or would man who would rush upon a
revolver with stick have suffered such
treatment If he had not been guiltyY
Carlton and the negro testified that
PoIndextcr said to the accused, "you In
suited lady here Saturday with Mrs.
Crump." Tom Polndcxter said II was
Friday. Miss Cottrell was never there
on Saturday, aud never there with Mrs
Crump.
In half mn hour after the cowhldlng
Curtis came back aud knew he had been
whipped about Miss Cottrcll who was
there on Friday, and he got II from
guilty mind.
Ills words were these; "What prct-
~ shoo how | would like to put II on"
lie had gotten II into his mind that here
was n lady with whom he could take
liberties; but bc slipped up and made
mistake.
The gosslps and quld nuncs next say
that hls Christianity forbade him to
strike pondcxtcr. This won't do. for
his Christianity should have kept him
from going down to the factory. But
hc saw he was marked man, that he
had been branded, and he could not re-
main IN that store. lie did not 70 arm
cd, because he knew that he had been
rightly thrashed, and that II he killed
polndexter he would be hung.
ON what principle, judged from The
evidence In this cause, what right had
Mr.. Wise 10 say thut he had rather be