The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-14
STOCKS TELLS HIS STORY.
HE CLAIMS THAT HE SHOT CAS- SIN
IN SELF-OHFENsE.

Claim That the Trouble Had Its
Origin in Another Mans Attentions
to Mrs. Stocks-Stocks Had Ordered
the Lothario to Keep Away-Cassin
Took the Matter Up.
ATLANTA, GA. May I3 3-Argument was
begun in the Stocks murder trial this after
noon. Stocks made his statement, reading
! it from manuscript. The statement was the
sensational feature of the tragedy. In 10
young Stocks implicated his wife, who is
now suing for divorce This statement is
to the effect that a young man named John
Martin. ~SS,N -sas particular friend to
ALI Cassin, had been forcing his attentions
upon his wife. Stocks resented this, he said.
ana the quarrel with Cassin grew
out of discussion OF Mar
tins conduct toward Mrs. Stocks,
Cassin taking tie part OF Martin. On the
stand Stocks said: "On the evening of the
difficulty l met ALI Cassin at the KimbalI
house and Tom Dodd afterward joined us,
In few moments after we met Mr.. Cassin
asked me about a trouble had with John
Martin, IL is painful to me to refer to this
matter, but nv duty to myself demands
that should. My wife was at Salt Springs,
or rather at Austell. last summer
and while there became acquainted with
Martin. whom she did not know before.
During great part of this time | was Off
at work on the railroad. Martin was con-
tinually trying to pay her attention
during the time she staid at Salt Springs.
found that this man attempted to force
his attention upon my wife. When my
wife returned TO my home I'm
Atlanta from Austell I found that
this man had been to see her during my
absence. His conduct was insulting TO her
and my mother. After / was informed of
these facts l saw that something had to be
done, and the first time | saw Martin told
him never to speak to myself or any mem-
Der Of my family again and gave him Co
understand that IL he did would use force
II necessarys He was a desperate
character, but thought that / should de-
fend my family at any risk. Just after we
met Cassin asked me to go to ride with him.
just as we got out of the Kimball house
Cassin brought up this Martin matter to me.
He said that he and Martin were close
friends, and that Martin told him that had
threatened his (Martin's) life. [ tried to
avoid this unpleasant subject aud
made some evasive reply. saying
that it was a matter between Martin
and myself, and that we had an UNDER
standing about 1t. Cassin then said: Be-
fore you are many days older somebody
will plug you This startled me, but at the
time did not realize its full import Cas-
sin on the way handled tho horse 80 care
lessly that got scared and asked him to let
me drive. Cassin took two or three drinks
from bottle. He insisted in such strong
terms that | took drink also. After
getting about half or three-quarters Of a
mile beyond Little Switzerland, Cassin
pulled pistol from his back pocket on the
right and fired 1t over my head holding
the pistol near my head. The horse jumped
and | said 'Alf for Gods sake don't, I but
before 1 could finish, he shot again. The
horse was so frantic that | got him to
stop and when the horse quieted
down said, Il am going TO get out and
walk back He sprang out of the buggy,
and, with the pistol still in his hand said:
You may undertake 1t, but you will go
home toes up He got back in the buggy
and We drove back TO town. During our
ride back he again brought up the Martin
matter. l asked him TO please let the mat
ter drop. He said: You were trying to
Jump friend OF mine.'"
The prisoner then described the
quarrel in Redd's livery stables.
He said Holland had proceeded
him to the stable on his return after the
first quarrel 10 smooth matters out If poss~
BILE and then described the killing. 81 got
to the door Of the Office and Cassin was
standing.with his back to the wall aud
facing the door that / entered. He was
talking to Holland quietly and l thought
door Cassin glanced at me. and l said as
pleasantly as l could Hello Ar
As soon as l said this Cassin turned diagon-
ally toward me, threw his right hand
under his coat and ran 1t into his right hip
pocket. 1t was the very pocket from which
l had that evening seen him pull his pistol.
knew that moments delay would cost me-
my life and that no explanation was then
possible. / drew my pistol from
my pocket, cooking it as +
drew it, and fired without
taking any aim at oil. 1t all happened in a
few seconds and | did not know whether
my shot struck Cassin or not. Seeing that
he was attempting to draw his pistol did
not feel that could take any chances and
cooked my pistol again, fearing that Cassin,
desperate as l knew him to be, might
shoot me yet. But in another mos
ment he raised his hand TO his breast
and saw that he was shot Immediately
lowered my pistol, saying as l did so, 'Alf,
never try to take another mans life.' It
was not my intention to take Cassin's life,
and would not have shot il had not seen
that be was on the point Of shooting me-"