Smyrna times., 1893-01-04
day, saw tracks. etc. Rather short

"Asbury Curtland" Tor Curtlin).
"Very well, what do yeu know ?"
Notice from the writer: l don't in
this one case follow my scratch book
as it is given in or caught from him, a,
it is tangled, but l will give you the
meaning as best as l can translate it.
1t is about as follows:
He commenced by saying, 81 was
out to see a girl" Again excuse me
but one word please, for your interest
He was, about as near as can guess
4S or so years old, but quite a sparker
l reckon.
Nov proceed" said the lawyer
"whO was out girling ?'
He didn't tangle up 80 soon, but re-
peated his words.
"Said he, II said was out to see a
glrl--out 10 see girl"
when ?'
"On Sunday night, the time of the
murder"
"Well, What of it?"
II lett my girl at 20 minutes of
eleven"
How do YOU know it was 1910"
"HOw do l know? Why | looked
at my watch just before left my girl
And have you the same waite b
now? p
Yes, sir"
And what time is it now ?''
He looked, giving an answer, but
was not with the attorney.
And that was the time you went
by?"
''Yes, sir"
well, 60 ahead with your girling." !"
Il started home; on nv way patsed
ed the creamery. | saw two men
cross the road. | overlook them and
spoke. The little man spoke and
asked me for chow of tobacco. The
big man hung back aud never spoke
at all. The little man dropped back
then walked mp and talked to me some
more. Then be dropped back again.
and they talked low or whispered.
And then | 90, scared; thought thew
were making a plot 70 kill me. Then
the little one comes up again, and
held up something about inches long.
that looked bright, and / thought it
was revolver aud my time had come.
l all the time praying for God to spare
me. Then he dropped back, aud run
and got clear"
Were did you leave the men?"
Near Rock Spring Road"
Where is that 2"
-Four miles from Rising Sun"
Where was the Richards farm ?n
Half mile from Porters Bridge y
Where did you live ?" (He t0ld).
And where had you been to see YOUR
girl ?" (He tcld).
What time of night was it, when
you left the two nen?"
About half past twelve"
How do you know it was about that
time ?"
81 could tell by hearing the paper
mill blow"
Where was the paper mill ?"
"On Rock Spring road"
What time did the whistle blow on
that night?" He told him. "Can
you prove it?"
Several were called, who knew it
blew on Sunday nights, but at what
hour it blew they knew not.
What time did you get home ?" He
told. How far were you from home
when you left the men?"
about one mile and a half"
And you say you run all the way
home ?"
mo; | didn't say run mile and a
half whel horse can't do it," laugh.
ter.
And was it dark OF light that
night ?"
Dark"
"Was the ground hard or soft ?"
soft aud muddy"
"And the bright thing he held up,
you saw it, did you?"
Il told you once" (Sullenly.)
mo differences answer my questions
and tell me again"
ayes. seen it,"
And was it bottle or a revolver Pn
II don't know"
Ibid the men, especially the small
man, have a beard ?"
81 don't know ?''
Have you seen that man since?"
Yes, sir" in dignifed sort of tone
as though it gave him relief or pleas.
ure, see him three or four times a dav
walk past me-"
| saw il was coming, and made sigus
by showing my badge and motioning
to some ladies to clear path between
me and the prisoner, so l could COM
mand full view of his face.
THE Attorney continued: "And
where is that man nOw?" (Sensationl.
Turning full on the prisoner, and
putting all the emphasis he could com.
mand in his words, as though his evi.
dence should hang him whether or
not, he said There he is"
Then it was my time to establish an
opinion as to the prisoners guilt or
innocence.
The attorney went on, And YOU
on your oath swear that the prisoner
at the bar is ore of the men you saw
on the road ON the night OF April 18th,
1891, and on the same night Mrs. Jeu-
ME Richards was killed ?'
"Yes, sir, that is the very man for
sure" (Yss, he had done it, but
what?)
"Asbury, you say it was a dark
nightP"
Eyes, sir"
And you could not see his face,