Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-11-03

THE COURTROOM TRAGEDY.
yers, than any case on record, says the st.
Louis Republic. This is the lawsuit of
Winn versus Reed, which is still grinding
along in the Kansas City court of appeals,
with little prospect of settlement until the
court of last resort, the supreme court Of
the United States, passes upon it.
A few years ago J. Newson Winn and
Watson Reed were heads of two Of the best
families in Clinton county. Their large
and highly improved farms adjoined, and
the members of the two families intermin-
gled constantly. Both were men in the
prime of life, good styles of the country
gentleman and modern farmer.
The suit that sundered tho two families,
almost ruined two estates and brought
both Newton Vim and Watson Reed to
untimely graves was begun in 1892. 1t
originated over hog. That winter VIM
lost bloodcd hog, upon which he set o
high value. After a prolonged search it
was found in one of the pastures on the
Reed farm. VIM claimed his property,
but Reed refused to give it up, asserting
his ownership to the hog by virtue of hav-
ing purchased it from stock trader. They
had some words about the matter, and as
a result Winn decided to go to law to re-
cover his property. He replevined the hog
before Justice of the Peace Thomas S.
Pearcy VIM won his suit, but already SO
much bitterness had been created that
Reed announced his determination to con-
tinuc the fight. He felt that his veracity
and to a certain extent his honor were in
volved. So he took an appeal to the cir
cult court of Clinton county.
In the circuit court it quickly developed
that the fight was destined to be fought
with great bitterness. The wealth and
station Of the two families soon involved in
one way or another all their immediate
relatives. People throughout the county
took sides. The best legal counsel was
employed, and had 81 900, 900 been in
volved more interest in the outcome could
not have been felt. Over 100 witnesses
testified at the trial, which lasted a week.
It resulted in another verdict for VIM.
The bitterness Of this defeat sank deep into
the soul of Wat Reed. He took an appeal
to the Kansas City court of appeals Sew
eral months later the case was argued be-
fore the full bench of that court. The find
ing Of the circuit court was reversed and
the case remanded for a new trial.
Eighteen months elapsed before the now
celebrated case again came to trial in the
oltA ht idttC wy. 4hlS was
in August, 1895. The lapse Of time had
cipals.
When court assembled; the entire COM
munity felt that the hog suit was of more
importance than all other litigation on
the docket. Nearly 200 witnesses had been
summoned. Vim and Reed arrived, each
attended closely by a bodyguard of per-
sonal friends and relatives. Great care
was taken to prevent a personal encounter
between the men. Everybody felt that q
false move might ingulf the little town in
flood of blood. An effort was made to
get the men to disarm. Vim consented
and left his gun with a friend, but Reed,
while disclaiming any offensive design,
declined to give up his weapon. Besides
the principals, most of the active members
of the two factions and many of the wit
nesses carried guns and knives concealed
about them.
This was the situation when court as.
semblcd. Judge W. S. Herndon was on
the bench. At every session Of the court
the large room was crowded to suffocation
by the army of witnesses and friends of the
principals.
The closing speeches commenced one aft.
| ernoon shortly after the court had recon.
vened after the noon recess. One of the
counsel for VIM opened the argument.
He was followed by John Cross, who rep.
resented Reed. Cross made a bitter speech.
He had been in the case since its inception
and had imbibed much Of the animosity
| of his client. Possessed of q caustic tongue
he pointed it with singing invective
hurled ar Winn and his most imnortant
witnesses. Particularly did he apply the
lash to Berry VIM, q son of Newton
| VIM. Young VIM sat directly behind
his father, and from time to time Gross
would turn from the jury and emphasize
his remarks by shaking his finger at the
young man almost over the head Of his ia
Their. Cross insinuations, as well as the
accompanying gestures, evidently intense
" aggravated VIM, who seemed q mum
Der of times about to rise from his seat
His son and q friend who sat near re
| strained him.
Shortly before o'clock the climax
came Cross had just delivered q particu
larry scathing sentence rejecting on Berry
Winn and turned around as usual to do it.
Newton Winn's face grew white under the
lash of Cross tongue, and he rose from his
seat. With a muffled exclamation he
struck Cross a violent blow in the face.
The blow did not land solidly, but it had
sufficient force to send Cross Keeling
against juror. Before VIM could strike
again something unexpected happened
AT the first offensive move on the part
OF VIM, Reed sprang to his feet. Eye
witnesses say that his face was as white AZ
. sheet and his eyes glowed like Goals. He
grasped , Colts revolver Of the largest