The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-31
ish who promptly stopped the rush
made iowa rdS the SPOT.

whole ii was an elite audience, eSp6c-
iallv as it extended toward the bench.
Some of the most prominent ladies of
the city were present and bonnets and
dresses of fashion were as conspicu-
Gus as at an Easter morning service
in the swell churches. More than half
the spectators could not get seats al
though every available chair in the en-
tire building was put in the court
room. Probably 100 ladies stood on
their feet for three hours listening TO
the arguments of the attorneys and
were so deeply interested in Verythlng
said that they would have stayed there
three hours longer.
County Attorny John Davis opened
for the prosecution. He talked Tor
eighty minutes and although reserVIng
some clinchers for the closing argu-
ment he made an eloquent speech. The
speeches of the day, however, were the
speeches of Mr.. Helm and the closing
speech of Mr.. Davis.
Mr.. Helm did himself proud, and con-
sidering his side Of the ease, it will be
conceded by all that he made one of
the best jury speeches ever made in
the court house. His conduct Of the
trial throughout must be acknowledge
ed to be highly creditable 10 him. In
this case he made a leap from COM
paratively obscure lawyer 10 one OF the
ablest men at the bar and in the fu-
ture he will be accorded a much higher
place in the district court than he has
occupied heretofore 1t was a great
opportunity for him to show his abili-
~ and he made the best of 1t. In the
trial Of the case he had his evidence
admirably arranged and in his plea TO
the jury he presented the evidence
clearly, reviewed the circumstances
surrounding tn case neatly and advan-
ced theories intricately and cIeverly.
Ii would be impossible TO give his
speech or even a synopsis or II tnat
would do the whole justice, but It's
main drift was that Mrs. Leonard and
the boy committed the murder, that
it would be impossible for Williamson
to do it, that Jordan the states witness
from the soldiers home had lied, that
the blood on Williamson's coat was
either paint, blood from his own woun-
ded finger or from the turkeys, chick
ems or meat that were so frequently in
the store room where Williamson got
his kindling That Williamson was
at the Carey hotel cOnverSing with 9TH
er employees when the murder was COM
mitted, that his reputation was good
in the community he lived, that he had
no motive for committing the murder
and that there was no direct or even
probable circumstantial evidence given
that would warrant the jury convict
ing him. AT the conclusion of his
speech Judge Dale came off the bench.
shook his hand in congratula ton and
said: Helm, if Williamson is sent TO
the penitentiary it will not be your
fault"
At this point everybody was wrought
UP to have sympathy for Williamson
and one lady sent him her silk hand
kerchief to dry his tears. They
thought Mr.. Helm had John Davis fad
ed but Johns Black hair glistened and
when he rose to reply he wore con-
fidant look During the entire case
Mr.. Davis did remarkably hard work
The prosecutor has always the worst
of a case that can be proven only by
circumstantial evidence. That theory
of the law which gives the accused the
benefit of every doubt is tough on the
prosecuting attorney. Notwithstand-
ing this Mr.. Davis made a wonderful
~ strong case and piled up evidence on
the head of Williamson that seemed
sufficient to convict a saint. Yet 1t
was circumstantial The hardest thing
he had to overcome was Williamson 5
gets ratified. he talks so slow that the
prosecutor fOrgets what ne has asked
him before the answer comes, he for
gets all details. he will admit that he
met so and so but cannot possibly re
member any conversation, he remem-
bers nobOdys name except some one
on his side and, taking it all in all, he
could stay on the stand a month and
not get himself so badly mixed but
what he could crawl out of il through
his poor recollection or his habit of pay
ing mo particular attention to things.
Mr. Davis grew very eloquent in his
closing argument and dove-tailed facts
circumstances and theories so nicely
together that when he got through
the crowd had switched its sentiment
or prejudice around TO his side, and
Judge Dale congratulated him.
The main points in Mr.. Davis argu-
ment were that Williamson consented
to a divorce from his wife. that a month
after that Mrs. Williamson married
Leonard, that he Immediately made her
the beneficiary of his life insurance poll
icy. that subsequent To her divorce
from Williamson and previous TO the
murder of Leonard she was found fire.
quently walking with and having con-
versations with her divorced husband.
That on the Sunday afternoon before
the murder he went, by appointment,
with her, to the Maple street bridge,
that he was there in the willows and
bulrusheS when she drove up, that he
went into the buggy with her, that he
drove out in the suburbs where, ac-
cOrding TO his own admissions, he re-
ceived a paper and read it 10 her
which proved To be the policy of s., 600
\
far enough down the policy to find out
that Mrs. Leonard would be the bene-
ficiary of the death Of Leonard he
gave il back TO her. He then assert
ed that the divorce and all subsequent
proceedings were a part of a conspira-
cy between Williamson and his former
wife TO get $1,000 at the expense Of
Leonard'S life. That a man Tesemb-
ling Williamson was seen coming out
Of the alley where LeOnard's body was
found about the time Of the murder.
that he told Michael Jordan that the
man who would Kill Leonard could
make a stake Of $500. That there was
blood on the coat and vest Williamson
wore that night. that there was no
blood on the trousers belonging to the
same suit. that he did not wear that
night: that ne had conversations with
Michael Jordan about the Eraker case
about the 1lth Of October. that Jordan
was the only man in the soldiers home
whose name ne knew. that hence he
must be his nearest chum during the
year he was in the home and that he
was seen with Leonard q short time
previous 70 the murder.
After the arguments We're made the
court gave the case 10 the jury and at
a late hour last night no verdict had
been reached.
There IS great public interest in the