The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-03

The trial of the alleged murderess,
Winnie Lucas, was concluded yester-
day, and it is proper that THE STATES
MAN should give review of the trial
and brief outline of the evidence.
Of course the verdict of mot guilty -
greatly surprised every one except the
twelve nen who rendered it. The
night of the alleged murder, SO Justice
of the Peace Pace testified, some one
came to his home and Informed him
that Maggie Lucus had died very sud-
denly and said he had better go over
there. He lived very near the place
where the LucuseS resided and had
seen Maggie nearly every day. She
was at his house the day
before, as hale and hearty as any
child of her size and age
and the sudden death of such child
was great surprise. The justice of
the peace went to the place and found
the child dead as reported. He asked
the mother, Winnie Lucas, the cause
of the death, and she first told this
story She said she heard the little
girl scream and say snake had bit
ten her. She went to the place where
the child said the snake was, and she
found very large spider, which she
killed. The justice of the peace
ASKED to SEE
the spot on the body where the spider
had bitten the child, and the mother
pointed out place on the back which
the Justice testified looked as if some
one had taken sharp stick and job
bed it into the flesh. The justice no.
ticed numerous other bruises of a
very bad character about the head
and body, and one on" the temple
where it was mashed in so that when
Mr.. Pace put his finger on this, it
sunk in with his pressure. He then ask
ed the mother how these bruises came
upon the child's person, and she re-
piled, the girl had fallen down a hill
after the spider had bitten her. He
next inquired where the fall took
place. and the defendant pointed out
a place not far from the spot where
they were. They went to this place,
and the defendant showed just how
far the child had rolled down the hill,
which, in the Justices opinion, was a
physical impossibility. The first six
or eight feet were
QUITE STEEP
but the rest was very gentle decl1V-
ity over which nothing conld roll. The
Justice held an inquest and had the
body examined by doctor, and the
Jury found the child had been muir
dered. However, sister of the de-
ceased child testified to the killing.
She said her mother stamped on the
child. beat it, and then dashed it against
a tree, and this last act of brutality
killed the little thing. This child then
said her mother told her she
would fix her the same
way as Maggie if she did not
tell a spider bit Maggie. On the trial
Yesterday this child went squarely
back on all she then testified, and even
denied so testifying. The doctors ev-
idence was strong and pointed. He
described the bruises he found, and
said in his opinion any OF them would
have produced death. There were
several other witnesses on the part Of
the state corroborating the facts a!
stated by the justice and the doctor
The
EVIDENCE FOR THE DEFENSE
sought to show the child had beer
sick and that the mother treated i
kindly. Notwithstanding the los
of the evidence of tn
child, the states attorney was conf
dent the facts were so strongly show
against the defendant by the horribl
bruises and the absurd manner Il
which she accounted for them that
conviction would be had. but in TIL
he and the people are disappointed
Mr.. West made a strong pie
in behalf of his Glen
which really won the case. He wa
followed in a plain logical address b
Col. Robinson, who left good in
preston on the jury. The arguments
Mr.. Sheeks, the district attorney, wei
clear and logical, but the jury foun
verdict of not guilty. and added 1t
the long list that adorn the Travl
county criminal records. It is one
the marvels of this county how man
innocent persons have been arreste
( for murder.
THE JURY
l consisted of the following gentlemen
: W. E. Drake, Henry Eddy, Jeff Johl
t son, David Jones. j. M. Caldwell,
e B. Banks, &. w. Sanders, III. n. Bake
= J. C. Clark, J. S. Bowles, j. K. Wa
rem and W. &. Maynard, and was CO.
sidered at the courthouse a stroI
4 iury, The courtroom has been pac
: ed during the entire trial and gre
0 deal of public interest has been man
g tested. The defendant has been in js
for a long time, and when she was T
leased last night she was quite beslt
herself with joy. She W
congratulated by her frlent
and if ever woman praised God +
# the smiles of fortune, it was VIM
S Lucus when the jury said mot guilt
s and Judge Walker told her she W
q free. She had stood at one time upt
T the verge of the gallows, and it seem
d as if no power on earth could save h'
and such certainly would have be!
her fate if the little girl had stood
her first evidence, and now she n;
not only escaped death, but had be,