The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1897-12-22
CIRCUIT COURT.
Grinding Out Justice in MUIR
der Cases.
KING, EAsTERLING AND LOTION ALL
CONvICTED-FOREo on TRIAL

The Names OF the Jurors Whose vertiicts
are vindicsting the Law and Re-
deeming the Good Name OF
Lincoln County.
Since THE LEADERS last report
closed, the time of court has been
taken up almost exclusively with muir
der cases.
The trial of Jim King for the muir
der of Joseph Bufkin at Caseyville last
October, consumed three days aud was
not given to the jury until late Thurs
day night. This seemed to be regard
ed as kind of test Casa test as to
whether or not there was enough of
virility and love of law and justice
left in the people of Lincoln county,
to convict aud hang white man for
killing in cold blood one of his fellows.
During the trial the large court room
was crowded as we have never seen it
before, by people of all classes, includ.
ing large number of ladies', manifest
ing the deep interest felt in the out
come of the issue which had been join
ed. The case was deliberately argued
by counsel on both sides. The speeches
of the lawyers began about half after
: Wednesday evening and the last one
was not finished until 8 o'clock Thurs
day night. On the side of the prosecu-
ton speeches were made by Chas
Chrisman, Esq, District Attorney
Greaves, and Hon. r. n. Miller, and
for the defense by Messrs. H. Cassidy,
Jr., A. c. McNair, and Judge Cassidy.
The closing speech in the case was
made by Mr.. Miller, and was one of
great power and clearness. A packed
audience gathered to hear this cele-
brated criminal lawyer, who appeared
for the first time before jury in a
murder trial in Lincoln county, and
hundreds were captivated by his elo
quence, tact, and knowledge of the law.
Friday morning the case of Prentiss
Easterling, also charged with the muir
dCt VI IDuihihs "do tdhOu rs
terling and King had been indicted
jointly and the jury in the King case
was still out when Easterling's case
was taken up, it became necessary to
send to the jury room for the joint in
dictment before the trial could pro-
coed. This was made the ground for
an exception by counsel for King and |
Easterling.
The trial of Easterling then proceed
ed. 1t was practically the King trial
over again, SO far as the testimony was
concerned, many asserting that the
State made out even stronger case of
murder than in the King trial.
On Saturday afternoon the King jury
sent word to Judge Powell that they
had reached an agreement. On being
conducted into court while the pro-
ceedings against .Easterling we're tenn
porarily suspended, they returned
verdict of guilty as charged" 1t is
understood the long deadlock was
caused by disagreement as to wheth-
er King should be hung or simply sent
to the pen for life.
The Easterling case was submitted
to the jury after having been argued
by Messrs. Chrisman for the State, II.
Cassidy and A. c. McNair, for the de-
Tense, and powerful closing speech
for the State by District Attorney
Greaves. The jury had made no report
up to 11:55 o'clock, and they were lock
ed up and court took a recess until
o'clock Monday morning.
Monday was the day set for the trial
of Aaron Lotion for the MUIR
der of Kirby Smith, and in due
course the witnesses we're call
ed and jury empaneled. Pend
ing temporary suspension of proceed
ings in this case, all minor cases still
undisposed of were continued until
next term of court, and Silas Davis,
colored, convicted ON former day of
the term for the murder of Mack Alex
ander, colored, was called before the
bar of the court and formally sen
fenced to be hung on the 4th day of
February, next.
Monday afternoon while the Lotion
trial was in progress, the Easterling
jury returned verdict of guilty as
charged, and recommended as the pen
atty, Imprisonment in the penitentiary
for life. 1t was learned after the jury
was discharged, that all of its members
except one were in favor of returning
verdict of guilty without recommen
dalton of any sort, which would have
meant the death penalty, but the elev-
Ell finally yielded to the one in order
to avert mistrial.
In the Lotion case the State was
represented by District Attorney
Greaves and Thos. Brady, Esq, and the
defense by Hon. A. c. McNair and