The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-06
THE STORY OF A CRIME.


Criminal Annals.
Sylavnia, Ga, March -.
Soma years ago. IN a little village in
middle Georgia, the case OF the state
against John Griffin. charged with the
murder OF Wiley Banks. was called up
in the superior our and no trial in
the history OF the country ever created
case was intense and universal. Both
men were well known and were pros
Porous and weil-to-do farmers Every
body believed 1t was a case OF cold
blooied murder. and a speedy convic-
ton was looked for. Griffin and Banks
were neighbors. and a feud Of several
years standing had existed between
them One day. at a large picnic. when
several hundred people were standing
around Griffin walked up behind Banks
as the latter was going 10 his buggy.
and shot him down without the slight
est warning. A number OF people saw
the deed committed, and as Banks
was making no demonstrations at the
time. but was in fac walking away.
all unconscious OF the enemy on his
track. Il was impossible 20 conceive OF
any legal defense that the accused
man could put UP in extenuation Of
his crime.
Griffin had employed a shrewd and
able lawyer from a neighboring city to
defend him. but still this seemed TO be
a case in which neither ~eloQuence nor
ability could play any part. The facts
were undenied and undeniable. md
proved a plain case of murder. It was
either that or nothing. Banks had
lived just across the line in the adjoin-
ing county from Griffin. but the picnic
was held and the murder done in the
county OF the latter's abode: and ii
was there. of cOurse, that the case was
tried. The feeling was very strong
against the prisoner and ne had few
sympathizers among the people OF his
own cOunt
an eager throng when the Ease was
called on Wednesday morning. The
state was ready and anxious for trial.
and the defendants cousel also an
nOunced ready. Griffin sat by the side
OF his lawyer. n cal them. at the
table. sat a small man with a brown
moustache who seemed to be a stranger
to the people present. Some said he
was a lawyer and others a stenograph-
er. However, the selection Of a jury
dragged on and was at last completed:
and then the state proceeded to make
out it's case. A humber OF witnesses
were put UP, all OF whom swore to the
same thing-that the defendant shot
Banks in the back while he was walk
ing away. Altogether, the outlook was
dark for Griffin.
When the state rested, the defend
ants counsel stated that they would
put up no witnesses. but the prisoner
would simply make a statement to
the jury. Griffin then went to the
stand. He began by saying that he and
Banks had had a quarrel a year or two
prior to the shooting, n that Banks,
from that day, had continued to
breathe out curses and threats against
him. James Gray, a friend and neigh
Dor OF Banks, had come to him, he
said. and told him OF the threats that
Banks had made against him. and
warned him to keep out Of the way as
much as he could.
The prisoner went on to say lat
Gray had voluntarily came down to
the trial from another county in order
to give him the benefit OF his presence,
should he want to use him-and that
he was then sitting by the side Of his
lawyer in the court room.
AS he said this, all eyes were turned
to the little man with the brown mus
tache who sat at the table. The stran-
ger was looking straight at the pris-
Oner, and the open, honest look on
his a seemed to give complete en-
dorsement to what Griffin was say
ing.
Several weeks before the picnic, the
prisoner continued, Mr.. Gray had come
to him and old him that Banks was
getting in a fiercer and more danger
Gus mood all the time: hat he found it
impossible to pacify him, and that AZ
Ia r-ar{ orp,n1 on1 ~ 20 Inn C-;R3x
on sight. Gray pleaded with him to
keep out Of his way until some al
could be found to settle the matter
without bloodshed.
Again the jury turned their eyes
searchingly upon Gray, and again he
did not finch before their gaze. n
the whole expression OF his face gave
approval to the words hat the pris-
oner was uttering.
On the fatal day. continued Griffin
he did not know that Banks was at
the picnic until Gray came to him hur-
riedly and O him that Banks had
just caught sight OF him and had
started to his buggy to get his pistol.
AS this was told him. he said he saw
Banks walking hurriedly away in the
direction OF a buggy, and it was then
believing his own life to be in dan
ger, and afraid to let his enemy reach
the buggy-it wa her he walked UP
cL4liIl IIHI dIu SIfOl III " II.
As the prisoner concluded, every eye
was turned toward Gray-and the
whole truth Of Grifln's statement
found sanction and endorsement in his
honest face and asserting eyes.
The case was argued at length by
the counse for the state. They made
sport OF the threat theory and said
IL Gray knew all these things. why
wasn't he put OF the stand to swear
to it?
/ The lawyer for the defense made an
eloquent and ingenious argument He
built his whole speech upon the de-
PENDANTS statement, and wove a fair
and plausible theory Of self-defense. In
answer to the states query as to why
Gray was not put on the stand, he
said they had pointed him out TO the
state, and IL the state doubted what
Griffin had said, then they should have
put Gray UP to refute II. Gray was
there in the court room ready TO go on
the stand, and the very fact. argued
the shrewd counsel. that the state
would not call Gray up to swear,
proved that they knew he would :esti-
~ to the same things stated by Griffin: