The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-31
A ROBBER BY FORCE.
DE LAUGHTER RECOMMENDED TO
THE Mccoy OF TIE COURT.

a MistriaI - Sentence TO be Pro-
nounced at the Conclusion of Per-
kins' and Turner's Trials-Brilliant
Arguments by Ex-senator duBignon
and T. S. Morgan - Perkins and
Turner to be Tried To-day.
Express robber DeLaughter was con-
victed yesterday of robbery by force, with
a recommendation 10 extreme mercy, after
one of the most exciting and interesting
trials ever held in Cha ham county.
The second day of the trial attracted if
anything a larger crowd than was present
on the first day. Several northern tourists
occupied seats within the bar, and seemed to
take a great interest IN the proceedings.
DeLaughter oSupied seat alongside his
father, Immediately behind his attorneys,
and was apparently in the hight Of humor,
smiling frequently. He kept pulling at his
mustache in the same nervous way as the
day previous.
Detectives Wetherhorn, Bedford and
Grim we're put up by the state and testified
to the unraveling of the mystery surround
ure and subsequent confession.
Justice Naughtin also testified that De-
Laughter made a confession to him, after
being told that it would be best for him.
The defense put up no witnesses, and
therefore got the close on the state.
THE ARGUMENTS BEGUN.
! Attorney Morgan opened the argument
| by stating to the jury that he expected to
prove DeLauRhter hadn't been proved
guilty on either count of the indictment.
Messenger Coulter had sworn that there
d. kna Aha Nfrr1a of
| the robbery, and both Turner and Perkins
had confessed the crime voluntarily, while
the confession from DeLaughter was Sc
cured only under the impression that he
would be rewarded for 1t and therefore
stood for naught in the law. Then MIR.
Morgan gave the state the authorities he in
| tended to rely upon in defense OF his client,
and he added that even should the jury
consider DeLaughter guilty at all it could
not convict him of a greater otfense than
robbery by intimidation, the firing OF the
pistol, IL a pistol was fired, being merely
done TO intimidate the messenger into hand
ing over the contents Of the safe.
Mr.. DU BIGNoN's SPEECH.
Mr.. duBignon began the argument for the
state at 30 O'clock, and for an hour he
held the court and jury with the reading of
numerous authorities and supreme court
decisions to prove that the robbery COM
mitted by DeLaughter was one consum-
mated by force and not by intimidation.
As to whether DeLaughter was one OF the
men who entered the express car and ex-
torted the money from Messenger Coulter,
it made no difference, because il he had
banded with others in the common purpose
to commit the crime, he was, under the
common and undisputed law, equally as
guilty as the person who actually took the
money.
There can't be any robbery by intimi-
dalton wherever any violence is used, said
Mr.. duBignon. Il can't see what more
violence can be used TO man than by COM
polling him TO give up property at the point
of pistol after firing the weapon at him.
II that does not constitute violence the
meaning attached to it by photographers
and our own construction of it under the
common law is all wrong"
The word violence used In the code. Mr..
duBlgnon said, is Synonymous with the
word force.
AN ABLE ARGUMENT.
1t was 1910 o'clock when Mr.. duBignon
began his actual argument, and he only
spoke for twelve minutes
When the famous orator turned to the
court and jury and said: MAY it
please the court and gentlemen of
the jury" silence came over
the spectators, all whisperings ceased
and everybody leaned forward in an expect
ancy which was not disappointed. For
the first time during the trial DeLaughter
grew serious and seemed to realize to the
full measure the position in which his bold
and daredevil crime had placed him. He
drew himself together and folding his hands
in front cast his eyes to the floor and seemed
to drink in every word uttered by the man
who was straining every nerve and using
every power OF speech to place him in the
stripes Of a convict.
NOT A REDEEMING FEATURE.
81 trust, gentlemen of the jury" said Mr..
duBignon, "that no one will do me the in
justice to suppose for a moment that could
find any pleasure in animadverting upon
the facts In this case. They speak for them
selves, and as gifted as my young friend is
in the art of making the worst appear the
better cause, appreheud that he
will find 1t as difficult to palliats them as l
find IL impossible to aggravete them. Aside
from those considerations which attach to
the trial Of every criminal case, sympathy
and sorrow for friends and relatives, for it
is unfortunately true that we can never
punish the guilty without painiug the inno-
cent, there isn't a single redeeming feature
in this case.
Acquainted as we all are with the weak
ness OF human nature we feel compassion
for the man, who, in the heat of passion,
transgresses the law-nay, more, our SYM
pathy is not devoid of virtue when we be-
stow it upon the despised and neglected of
fortune, who looking into the hollow eyes
of starving babe or upon the wasted form
OF deserted wife, lays hands upon that
which ia not his.
but this case possesses neither of these
features. Coolly and calmly plotted. de-
liberated upon by day and night, formed in
reckless defiance OF all law, and executed
with q desperation that would do credit to
the ruffianism Of the widest western life,
and that, too, when there was no other
motive for the crime but desire to crafty
the lowest and basest passions that degrade
and imbrute the human heart.
THE FRUITS OF SIN.
tinued Mr.. duBignon, but the object of the
criminal law is not subserved when we fail
to appreciate and impress upon others the
influences which lead to its violation aud to
its punishments Never before in my ex-
perience at the bar were the fruitful causes
of sin and crime so clearly evinced as in this
case. A young man, strong and robust, with
the world before him, with the means of an
honest livelihood at hand, of respectable
parentage, with the example of an honest
father aud the lessons of a devoted mother
to deter him, turns bis back upon society,
hurls defiance at its laws, and within a
stones throw of one Of the Oldest and largest
cities in our state, noted alike for its prog
ress in civilization and in culture, perpe-
trates q crime the like of which never
hofora and God 1raph NAV papav