Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-09-29
FOR LIFE!
so SAYS THE LUTHER RADFoRD
JURY.

After a long and tedious trial, thu
case Of Luther lta6ford was brought
to close Saturday evening, and Tho
defendant was found guilty of thu
murder of Jacob i. Torian and Iii
punishment fixed at confinement il
the penitcntiary for life. The tria
began Monday and the following
jury was empanclcd w. Il. Vaughan
Davis wilkins, Shaw Gamble, j. E
johnson, Jas. Anderson, j. j. Smith
Marion Moore, 0. b. Griffin, Jno. w
Courtney, H. II. Lindsay, Nelson
Cross, COL, and Robt. Jones, col.
The evidence, which was published
in full in our last issue, was conclud
cd Tuesday afternoon and the argu'
ments began and continued till Sat
urday at noon. The speeches con.
sumed TX hours, and two jurymeI
were very sick when the trial con-
cluded. Col. A. II. Clark spoke one
hour and forty minutes for the de-
Tense Mr.. 9. ii. Bush, for the same
side, one hour and ten minutes =; Mr.
Jno. w. Payne, for the prosecution
an hour and five minutes; Judge G
A. Champlin, for the defense, an
hour and ten minutes; Mr.. w. r.
Howell, of Paducal, for the prosecu'
ton, an hour and three.quartcrs
Col. Jno. w. Mcpherson, for the de.
Tense, two hours and three-quarters
Mr.. II. w. Henry, for the prosecu.
ton, two hours and five minutes
Col. Fenton Sims, for the defense
three hours and forty minutes, and
Hon. Jas. b. Garnett closed the prose.
cution IN speech of two hours and
fifty minutes.
The case was given TO the jury al
o'clock Saturday and contrary tC
all expectation they returned yer.
dict in fifteen minutes. On The first
ballot the prisoner was unanimously
voted guilty. Another showed that
three were for hanging and nine fol
Imprisonment. The minority al once
acquiesced in the will of the ma
jority and the following verdict was
returned:
ave the jury find The defendant
guilty as charged and fix his punish.
ment at confinement in the peniten.
tiary for life. j. j. Smith. foreman
The prisoner sat nervously awaiting
the verdict while the lawyers were
being called. Everybody expected u
hung jury and the fact that verdict
was arrived at so quickly was taken
as an indication that the prisoner had
been convicted. lie was pale as death
while the jury was being called and
evidently tried hard TO nerve himself
to hear the worst. When the words
fell upon his ear his expression was
one of relief rather than disappoint-
ment and he returned with firm
step 10 the jail Not till lie was in his
cell did he break down and then he
wcpt like child and declared again
and again that It was al unjust yer.
dict and that he was an innocent man
During the week the jury tool
their meals and lodging at the Lewis
uouse. On Friday night two Of
them were very sick and one ofthem
Mr. wilkins, had physician. Will
him. The speeches IN the case wert
all good OIL both sides. Col. Clark
speech for the defense was consider
ed the best OH his side, on account o
It's Originality ana the ingenuity OF Hi
arguments, which were intersperse(
here and there with CLEAN of hu
NOR TO make il entertaining. Mr.
w. II. Howell made an eXcellen
speech and riveted the attention, no
only of the jury but of the audience
His effort was an exceedingly credita
bic one. Mr.. Henry also made ,
mastery argument and handled hi
facts in the very best manner. Iii
speech was one that much olde
man might have been proud of. MI
Garnett's speech will be published
hereafter. 1t was one of his best OF
forts and was delivered in the hear
ing OF one of the largest crowds eve
packed and damned into the cour
house. Many ladies were present t
hear the orators thrilling eloquenc
and for three hours he held the vas
throng spell-bound and all were SOL
ny when the spell was broken.