The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1886-04-22
CORRESPONDENCE
Circuit Court Proceedings.

Correspondence osthc Democrat.
Dover, April 10Th, 1886. Nearly
all the civil cases we're disposed of as
reported last week. Gooch vs. Har-
RE, verdict for plaintiff. $33. Nor
phis vs. Gill, same, SAT. Wick vs
Marbury. verdict for defendant, for
$2O.14. Walker ct nj VS. Linton, de-
cree Of partition granted, are all the
law and chanccry cases tried with
the exception of the usual motions
etc, filed OH the last day Of the term,
which are Of no material interest to
anyone.
Criminal cases are: State vs. James
Hills and William Cobb, jury trial,
verdict guilty, awarded one year
each in penitentiary. State We Joe
Horton, selling liquor in violation Of
law, jury trial, verdict guilty, and
defendant recommended to the mer-
CIV of the court The court being
well and sufficiently advised IN the
premises doth award 5000 worth Of
mercy in the guisc of a fine, together
with all the cost thereto attached
The last case tried WAS that OF John
Cullens, Jointly indicted with Lee
Barnes for the murder OF one Holl
man in Conway county. In my last
l RETAINED from making any com
ment Oh the evidence in the Barnes
trial, and stated my reasons there
for. But, as the cases have been
tried, and no one can be prejudiced
by = detail. OF this most shocking
tragedy, it may not lie amiss, per-
haps, for me to state the facts. The
State was represented by the Pros
ecuting Attorney, and also by Mcssrs.
Bradley q Bradley and A. s. Nc
Kcnnon; tho defense by Hons. Fl. s.
Carter, DardanelIe, +. B. Henry and
Carol Armstrong, Morrilton. This
writer during the past twelve years,
has been present and heard the evi
dence in many trials for the crime Of
murder; but Of all the sickening de-
tails, of all the dastardly and revolt
ing statements. Of cool, deliberate
and diabolical assassination, The
facts in these two cases, detailing
the murder of this man HOLMAN,
stand without parallel. Briefly The
facts are, as given by Watson 1.-THE
accompiice) of Cullens and Barnes,
that on the 10th of Nov. 'S5, Charles
Holman, q gambler with whom
Barnes was at work, had agreed with
Barnes to 90 with him to negro
festival on the river in Conway coun-
ty, about four miles from Plummer-
vile; after they Barnes and Holl-
NAM had made the arrangement to
60 to the festival, Barnes went to
Watson and CulIens, and proposed
TO them that they go down that night
to the place where the festival was
70 be given, and kin Holman and
take his property, consisting OF q
wagon, two horses, about $55 in mon
cy, some brass jewelry, and a gamb-
ling devise known as "Wheel OF
Fortune" According to Barnes
testimony, he being permitted to
testify after his conviction Of muir
der in the first degree, and before he
received his sentence, all three or
them entered into that conspiracy,
and although Cullens and Watson
both sworc that they knew nothing
n the conspiracy, there Is but little
doubt, II any ct 81, but that Rarnes
told the truth. Barnes also testified
and was fully corroboratea By the
other two that be himself shot HoIl-
man twice, and they al three agreed
that they were eli present: Cullcns
and Watson denying their participa
lion In the murder, and Watson and
Barnes testifyinR that after HOLMAN
vas shot through the hsad, and