The age-herald., 1897-11-09
TIE STATE HAS CLOSED.
In the Trial of the Ella Barnes
 Murder Case.
EIGHT LEGAL LUMlNARIES
Are Engaged, and It VIII Be Long Drawn 0ut-No Additional or Sensational EVi-
 dence Adduced-Defense Today.

The trial of Ella Barnes was begun before. Justice M F. Cahalan yesterday morning, and when the hour of adjourn ment arrived the state had just an- nounced closed.
 During the day it seemed that every inhabitant of "darktown" had crowded into the little courtroom. at different periods, to gratify an innate curiosity. Quite number of white men were pres ent also, and sat around the room, re- lieving the monotonous similarity of dusky coloring.
 This will be changed today, however, as Justice Cahalan announced that cu- riosity seekers would not be admitted to the room.
 Room No. 2, on the second floor of the Wilson building, is the scene of the trial, and the place was packed when the two sides announced ready.
 Ella Barnes, the defendant, sis repre- scented by Judge B. Manly Allen and Messrs. Denson & Tanner. Annie Cald- well and Sarah Taylor, the two women held for complicity in the crime, have retained Messrs. M. J. Gregg, A. A. Cole man and w. J. Martin to look after their interests. The prosecution is rep resented by Assistant Solicitor Edward Johnston and Messrs. J. J. Altman and Robert Thach.
 Messrs. Allen and Thach did the ex- amining and cross-examining. The pro- cess of eliciting testimony was a slow one, and beyond the introduction of Bessie Thomas dying statement, Ella Barnes was not directly connected with the crime until late in the afternoon. pr. A. M. Brown, the well known eolored physician, who attended the burned girl, gave his testimony as to her inju- ries.
 The most important witness introduced during the day was Annie Caldwell. She is held for comphcity in the crime, and is one of The two main witnesses for the prosecution.
 She said she and Ella were not the best of friends. Neither were Bessie Thomas, the murdered girl, and Ella Barnes, her alleged slayer.
 Annie'S testimony was as follows:
 Annie Caldwell, Sarah Taylor and Bes- sic Taylor were in the front room of the Taylor womans residence when Elha BaHines came in. She sat down on luhe trunk and words were passed b.tween her and Bessie Thomas.
 Suddenly both women sprang to their feet and made a simultaneous rush for the table. Bessie secured pair of scis- sors, which lay nearest her, and Ella Barnes picked up the lighted lamp.
 At this interesting point Annie said she became frightened and ran out of the house. She ran to the street and began to cry for help. This soon arrived dn the shape of Officers Mullin and Sharber.
 The next thine Annie saw was the flames as they were being subdued. She returned to the room and saw broken bi,s of glass, said to be the remains of the lamp. Ella Barnes was gone and Rsssie Thomas, almost incinerated, was dying. She died about 1 o'clock.
 Here the trial was interrupted and con- tfnued until this morning at 10 o'clock. Before the continuance the state an- nounced its close, except several wit nesses held in reserve for rebuttal.
 As outlined, it is expected that the testimony will show that Ella Barnes threw the lighted lamp at Bessie Thom- as; that the lamp struck her on the head and then set fire Ito her clothes that Ella Barnes then fed the flames with the oil from the bowl of the lamp.
 Ths defense, on ithe other hand, hope to prove that there was ill-feeling on the pant of Bessie Thomas; that she took the inftia tive in the quarrel that resulted in her death; that the dead woman oIdgl- mated previous quarrel and sent for Ella Barnes on the fatal night.
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