Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1895-11-05
TALKS TO CONVICT.
Attorney Graham Makes His Clos
ing Argument to the Jury.
Evidence Presented in Clear and
Forcible Manner Rotan to
Speak for Defense.

Philadelphia, Nov. 2.--lntereSt In the
Holmes trial has steadily grown since
the case began Monday, and each day
the crowd has been larger. Long be-
fore the prisoner appeared Saturday
morning the courtroom was packed
with people.
Holmes has stood the strain of the
trial remarkably well, but when he was
brought into court Saturday morning
he seemed TO be trifie nervous. He
greeted his counsel and the court Of
fcers, however, with a cheerful Good
morning" and read the papers while
awaiting for the proceedings to open.
When court opened Mr.. Rotan stated
to Judge Arnold that his associate
conscl, Mr.. Shoemaker, was too i'll to
appear, and that he was willing that he
lMr. Rotan) should make the closing
argument. Mr.. Graham then said that
he was willing to voluntarily relin-
quish his right to reply to the closing
speech of the defendants counsel, and
that he would go to the jury upon his
closing argument. Mr.. Rotan sought
to have Judge Arnold instruct the jury,
in his summing up, to disregard all ref
erence to the killing of the Pitzel chill
dren by Mr.. Graham in his speech at
the beginning of the trial. This Judge
Arnold refused to do.
Graham's Closing Argument.
Then Mr.. Graham arose and began
his closing address to the jury. The
district attorney began by quietly con-
graduating the jury upon their pros
poet Of speedy release from the con-
tinement Of the jury box. He merely
nslked them to reason with him over
the evidence offered. He said that this
evidence Individually pointed to the
guilt OF the prisoner, but the common
wealth Of Pennsylvania sought no vic
tim. and If the sense OF right and JUS
tice led them to believe he was innocent,
then it was their duty to acquit him,
and that speedily.
The commonwealth, he said, has
proved every step Of its case from the
very beginning, and, link by link. has
made the chain of evidence perfect. He
SKINNED rapidly over the testimony
of the more unimportant witnesses and
relied on the jury's memory of their
evidence. On the more important testi-
mony Mr.. Graham dealt at greater
length for the jury's benefit. He ex-
posed with cold criticism and occasion
ally lashing scorn Holmes tangle of
lies in the many statements he made.
Words of Contempt for Holmes.
1t was when he came to the testimony
given by Mrs. Pitzel that Mr.. Graham
poured out upon the prisoner the Walls OF
his contempt, scorn and denunciation.
Beneath the district attorneys bitter
words Holmes shrank little, and sink.
ing his head affected to be busy taking
notes of Mr.. Grnham's words. Mr.. Ora
hams closing argument was hardly a
speech, us the word is usually meant.
-1t-.s.sAa--o SITTING a,,l1-
of the testimony.
Without being of greet strength the
testimony of the prosecution was
placed with clearncss and skill before
the jury by Mr.. Graham, and when
summed up the evidence was terribly
damaging to Holmes. Mr.. Graham
dealt at great length with the theory
Of the defense that Pitzel committed
suicide by swallowing chloroform.
Before concluding Mr.. Graham said
that he wished to express his ncknowl-
edg7nent of the value Of the services
rendered by the men who worked uT
| the cnse.