Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-05-05

Inc tnlrd case was tnb Stdte VS.
Frank Borum. charged with murder III
the Superior court of McDuffie county.
Watson appeared for the defendant
The killing was acknowledged. but the
theory of the defense was that it was
justifable. The defense proved that the
man killed had left the room of Bor-
um's wife only a few seconds before
the homicide. The verdict was mot
guilty"
NO WAY TO CONVICT.
The fourth of Watsons notable ac-
quittals was in the case of the State VS..
Henry Hadin. charged with murder in
the Superior court of McDufie county.
The defendant, a negro, was charged
with killing his sweetheart. The de-
PENDANTS plea was that the killing was
the result of an accident. Watson i'm
pressed that as fact upon his jurors
and the accused was acquitted.
Another case following close upon
this in which Watson defended a muir
derer. was The State VS.. Benton Re-
Vile" The defendant was charged with
killing Henry Williamson, friend.
The two men were hunting together
Reville returned without Williamson,
and could give no satisfactory excuse
for the absence of his partner. William
sons body was found a few days later
Reville confessed the killing, but de-
clared it was an accident. He was ac-
quilted.
The most notable of all the cases with
which Mr.. Watson has been connected
was the recent trial of the Zeigler
brothers, commonly known as the
"Screven county outlaws"
The murder was the result OF politi-
cal feud Of long standing, in which sew
eral people had been killed. The crime,
for which the brothers were tried sep
arately. but at the same term of court
was committed in front Of a church as
the worshippers were leaving for their
homes. Armed with Winchesters, the
two youg men emerged from ambush
behind Sheriff BROKER, of Screven
county. and shot him dead. They both
fired two times, the four loads taking
effect. For several months the young
outlaws defied arrest, though heavy re-
wards we're placed upon their heads.
They finally surrendered and employed
Watson to defend them. Both men
were acquitted.
It is the verdicts in these cases that
have attracted perhaps more attention
than in any other, though they have all
| been the same.
EVIDENCE AND VERDICT CON
FLICT.
Another case won by Watson was
that of The State VS. W. f. Anderson,
for murder, in the Superior court OF
Washington county. Despite what was
! conclusive evidence to CONVICT the YER
dict was mot guilty"
The next instance in which Watson
defended a murderer was the case
against Henry Wilson, colored, in Nc
Dufie. The defendant was charged
with killing another negro. The YER
a;ot y-as "uOt guilty."
Watson was then called TO Johnson
county. and defended Wood and MINOR
two Populists, charged with the murder
If Warner Webb. another Populist.
Webb was killed on a public road in a
disnute in which the three men fig
ured. The two accused murderers
were acquitted.
A case of wide interest was The state
VS.. Henry Norville in Columbia county.
Norville killed DR.. Rose, prominent
nhvsician. in duel with shot guns
Each discharged both loads of his
double-barreled shot gun. The grand
iurv found a true bill against Noryille.
watson defended him and he was ac-
quilted.
Watson is now employed as defending
attorney in five notable murder cases
in his district that have not yet been
called for trial. His record in the past
few months has been clean sweep
The future remains to be seen. Whetner
in the Tenth Georgia district, major
itv OF the accused murderers are legally
innocent of crimes, or whether MIR.
Watson has the good fortune to defend
only innocent men, or whether the 1ur-
;es largely composed Of Populists, are
swaved by the personal and politicai
influence OF their party leader are
onestions upon which there are VIDE
difrerences Of opinion. Certain 1t Is
however that the record is one that has
boor seldom if ever equalled, and it is
no wonder that if a Populist gets in
.rorble he sends for Tom Watson. His
o,iertage is not confined exclusively,
however. to Populist ranks.
POLITICALLY SPEAKING.
Il cannot be disputed that Hon. Thos.
F Watson is powerful jury lawyer.
| He is an orator; he is thinker and
a tireless worker.
Politically, Mr.. Watson is resting on