Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-01-09
The Radscrd Trial.

Tho trial of Luther e. Iiadfurd,
charged with the L0ngVicw killing,
Dec. 90, which was postponed until
Jan. 7ih. was called last Wednesday
In the Circuit Court room, Justices
Anderson and Rogers presiding. The
court room was nearly filled with in
terested spectators and when the
prisoner was ushered in, guarded by
the sheriff and all his deputies and
the entire force of city police, a hun
dred necks were stretched to catch a
glimpse of the neatly dressed and
rather good-looking young man who
is charged with the most terrible of
crimes. Mr.. Radford's brothers,
Messrs. j. w. and S. ID. RadfOrd,
took their seats near him with
his attorneys, Messrs. Mcpherson and
Landes, while just outside the bar en-
closure stood the three brothers OF
Jake Toiian-Mcssrs. Byron, Banner
and II. o. Torian-and the two BROTH
ers of the wounded man-Messrs. w.
l.. and j. G. Adcock. The crowd
present was largely made up of peo-
pie from the country, some of them
having come distant Of twenty
miles. AT IL o'clock, Esq. Anderson
raped the house to order and an
nounced that the court was ready to
begin the trial.
Messrs Henry & Payne aud County
Attorney sebree were present on be-
half of the prosecution, and Mr.. Hen
ny promptly arose and stated that
owing to the absence of Peter Adj
cock, an important witness, who had
just been taken with measles, that the
prosecution was not ready for trial.
and pOstponement was asked for
Mr.. Radford and his friends and at
torneys held whispered converse
ton and then Col. McPherton arose
and said;
"May 1t please the court, the de.
Tense is not ready for trial to-day
In view Of the fact that Peter Adcock
is down with the measles aud may
not be able to attend for probably q
month, it Ia useless to fix another
date for the trial within ten days Al
the law requires. There are over
fllty witnesses summoned In thii
case and It Is almost impossible tC
get both sides ready Tor trial at tho
same time: and in order 10 silnplif,
the matter as much as possible, W,
have concluded 10 waive examina
ton aud await the action Of thu
grand jury in March. In doing thii
we make no admissions, for we ex
pect 10 prove our client innocent II
spite Of the reports that have ap
peared In the local papers that can
not be sustained by the evidence II
the case. All we ask is fair tria
and we prefer to wait and let the in
vestigation be held before the mex
grand jury"
This announcement caused shade
of disappointment to pass over tn
faces OF those who expected to hea
the bloody details Of the horrible AT
fair recited from the witness stand
This left nothing to be done but Il
have the Witnessed present recog
. nized. A long list, including Mrs
Steger and hey two daughters, wa
called and fifteen or twenty found I,
be present. These were PIT under
bond Of 500 each TO appear befor
the grand jury March 3, 1885, aftc
:, which the crowd slowly left the cour
house and upon almost every corne
little knots of men could be seen dis
cussing the affair. There was goo,
deal of excitement all day and som
fears of a mob were expressed, bu
wiser counsels prevailed and al
passed of quietly.
This disposes of the matter for th
ensuing two months. Mr.. Radfor
will remain in jail until, the gran,
jury shall indict or exouerate him.
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