The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-17
TWO VIEWS OF THE EVIDENCE.
MORGAN AND DU BIGNON PRESENT
THEIR CASE To THE JURY.

One Asks for "a Verdict of Murder, oi
al Least Of Voluntary 3IansInuEh
ter. and the Other for AeauittaI OF
Grounds of JustiGcation-The Tes
tImOny Presented Yesterday th'
Most Interesting of the TriaI-Tw'
Speeches 20 BE Made Yet BEFORE
the Case Goes 10 tIie Jury.
The Ponder trial attracted even mor'
attention yesterday than &c did the day De-
fore
From the progress made the indication.
are that no verdict viii be reached be-
fore some time tonight, and If The jury
is an argumentative one il may hold on
for some time.
The facts presented have been SO hume
rQus and some Of the testimony is so con-
nicting that a Ions consideration Of The
case may be involved. though it is pos
slble each juror may nave been giving the
matter careful consideration as the trial
progressed.
Two speeches, those Of Mr.. T. S. Morgan
and Mr. F. q. duBignon, were made, and
Mr. Pope Barrow and Solicitor General
Fraser are TO speak this morning. The ev-
idence was quite interesting. more so
perhaps than that OF the day before
When Mr. duBignon. al the climax Of his
argument referred 10 the home life OF
the defendant, the latter for the first
time broke down and wept.
The large number Of people who either
don't have any employment or who don't
attend very closely TO business has been
strikingly in evidence during the entire
trial. The gallery Of the court room has
been crowded with negroes. but they are
usually on hand year in year out, no mat
ter what the case. many having, no doubt,
a morbid curiosity TO witness any pro-
ceedings that affect the life or liberty
of a fellowman.
The floor Of the court room has been
packed at every stage Of the trial, at
times almost TO sufocation. Seats within
the railing for the lawyers were hardly
10 be had, being taken early by as many
of the eager, curious populace as could Sc
cure them. while others stood around with
out the railing until their standing room
was by additions to the throng so reduced
in size, that some had to seek relief by
squeezing out
Collections have no doubt been found
rather bad for the last two or three days
with some Of the merchants, and no
doubt others will come to the conclusion,
that there has been a wonderful falling
of in sales within the same time. Some
thing like 500 people, clerks. collectors,
city drummers. city employees, doctors,
school boys, some business men, some
few lawyers not connected with the case,
and all that class which has nothing spec
ial TO do at any time, were crowded and
damned into the small space afforded
and there was no point in the trial
which they did not watch with undated
interest.
The jury took a close interest in the
case yesterday and some of them asked
numerous Questions of the witnesses The
defense tried TO bring out the self-de-
Tense idea at every point, and to bring
IN evidence that keenan, had threatened
Ponder's life. The state, however, en-
deavored to keep out all evidence on she
latter point.
Manning knight, a house painter was
the first witness put up by the defense
when court convened. Knight stated that
he was well acquainted with Keenan,.
He met him at the corner of Price and
South Broad streets al the time Of his
a dirty, sneaking ---, and he was going
TO do him. The witness said to him in
reply that il would be an easy matter,
as Ponder was no man alongside OF him.
When cross-eXamined by Mr.. Fraser,
Knight admitted that he was in the court
room for a little while the day before
when Mr. Fraser asked what the words
were that he heard Keenan, use, the
witness could not remember. Under the
questioning of Mr.. duBignon the witness
was enabled to repeat his testimony in
substance.
b. j. Bashler, ex-fireman. who was a
witness the day before for the state, was
recalled by the defense. When question:
ed by Mr.. duBignon as to where he was
sitting. as testified by Lenders, he said
that Leuders had shown him yesterday
morning the place where he had seen
him sitting, but that IL was a mistake, as
he was not sitting on that spot at the
time of the shooting.
But would not that position afford
Mr.. Leuders a clearer view than before?
No because he would have to look
through 14-nch brick wall" was the
Then followed some interesting testi-
mony, Bashler being asked why he had
visited the engine house yesterday morn
ing. He said it was to see some friends.
This brought out the fact that both the
counsel for the state and for the defense
had been making survey OF the locality
about the engine house just before court
Chief McDermott of the police force said
that he heard the shots ana sent OUT 70
liceman Speight, who returned with Pom
der. Mr.. duBignon asked what Ponder
said TO him. An objection by Mr.. Fraser
Ponder said, Chief. I had to shoot
him. Chief McDermott replied. He came
in and assaulted me, and followed me up
and / was afraid Of him, and had to
Mr. Fraser objected to the testimony
as TO what Beranc said to the chief at
that time, and the objection was sus-
Did you see any bruises on Ponder's
face at that time?' Mr.. Fraser asked.
mo, sir" the chief replied.
Juror Lebey questioned the chief very
closely about the time il took him to
reach Ponder after the shooting. Chief
McDermott said it was about one minute,
but Lebey seemed to think the distance
could not he made in that time.
Mrs. Charles A. Dowell, witness for the
defense, and a sister of Laird, saw Duffy,
who said good evening. He was with
Keenan,, who said to her:
Ponder and Glass made the balls and
Laird fired them, and III get even yet.
III 90 him"
The prosecution tried to stem the tor
rent of words, but the witness had the
best Of It and talked them both down.
She said il was the language used by her
brother and Keenan, during their quarrel
that caused their discharge. When cross
examined she said that if she went into
detail she could give more causes than one
as TO why Keenan, was discharged.
Mr.. John Rourke, machinist. said he
had known Ponder some twenty-odd
years. Ponder had been apprentice to him
as machinist for some fourteen years
His character, he said, was good LAS
good and peaceful a boy as I have met -
was the way he put it,
MIR. Fraser asked whether ne had ever
heard that Ponder had broken three ribs