Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-06-10
DISTRICT COURT.
The Edwards Wilson Murder case Nearint
an End-The Testimony AL 10 and
the Arguments Begun.

Xn0 AIk0AnSubs DSSe
When court reconvened yesterday morn
ing the defendant, Edwards, was recalled to
the witness stand and put through rigid
and critical cross-examination by County
Attorney Murray, all of which he stood
well and maintained his version of the trag-
edy without q break, and his manner i'm
pressed all present with the truth OF his
story. A large number of spectators were
in court and the wives Of both the defendant
and the deceased were present; also the de-
PENDANTS mother-in-law and her daughter,
Mrs. John Ray.
The defense next put Mrs. Edwards on
the stand for the purpose Of proving that
her husband had stood in fear of being shot
at his house by Wilson, but the state OBJ
iected to almost every question asked and
very little touching this point was brought
out.
Here the defense rested and the state
placed Mrs. Wilson on the stand to prove
that her husband had been afraid of being
attacked by the defendant. The defense
objected to almost every question, and in
this instance as little was ELECTED a. when
the defendants wife was on the stand.
The state next called Verge Wright to
rebut some new matter brought out by the
defense in the course of the trial, but it all
resulted in questions being objected to and
the objections, generally being sustained by
the court. The state then declared the case
closed, all the testimony being in. Court
then adjourned until l:S0 p, m.
On reconvening in the afternoon the
court allowed Elk hours for each side to
argue the case before the jury.
The court then began to instruct the jury
on the law in the several degrees of homo
eide, very clearly defining murder in the
first and second degrees; manslaughter, JUS
tifiable homocide; and told them their duty
under the law in every possible phazc of the
case.
All members of the bar with whom the
reporter conversed, agreed that the in
struction was remarkably clear on every
point, in short that the court showed the
jurors their plain duty as lift were held up
in mirror before them.
Mr. o. Everest Elliott then began the ar
gument for the state, making remarkably
clear, forcible and convincing argument, in
the course of which he displayed fine legal
sttsinments and close discernment, also
ability to grasp the salient points of a case
and make the most of them. He traversed
the whole range of that loLg case. He al
luded to the trouble between Edwards and
the deceased; followed the defendant into
the gambling den in which the first difficulty
occurred between the parties on the night
of the tragedy; followed him out to the
hardware store where he borrowed the re-
volver, then back to the gambling house,
the attack and the fatal shooting. He re-
viewed the testimony in a cool and gentle
manly manner from beginning to end, and
attacked every vulnerable point in the testi-
mony of the defense, and if the state has a
hard case TO handle, certainly the
counsel on thst side have displayed
fine ability as lawyers and made the
most of their case. Mr.. Everest
spoke about one hour, and when he con-
cluded VIM. Mcdonald, of Wellington, be-
gan the argument for the defense, his
argument covering period Of about one
and halt hours. He is very pains-taking
lawyer of good ability, and in the course of
his argument made some stalwart statements
and handled the character of The deceased
and his gambling associates without gloves;
ror did he fail to hit the representatives of
the state lick when be could.
At the close of his argument court sd-
journed until O'Clock this morning.
Great interest is beginning to be mani
tested in the case and lsrg crowd will be
present today.
County Attorney Murray, of Wellington,
has made quite reputation here as law
yer during this trial and the court room
will be full TO listen to his closing argument,
and people are equally anxious to hear Hon.
w. Z. Stanley. The case will probably be
given to the jury about noon today.