The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-05-04
GEORGE f. DAVIS
WAS ACQUITTED
The Jury on His Trial for Shooting
General Waiken Was Out Only
50 Minutes-AbIe Defence.

BRISTOL, TENN, May 3.-Special.-
The trial Of the case of the Common
wealth against George +. Davis for the
shooting Of Ex-Congressman james n.
Walker, was concluded here 40 4.o0 T.. NJ.
to-day, when the jury which had been
out but thirty minutes returned a. verdict
of not guilty and the accused was dis
missed.
Attempted applause when Clerk stone
read the verdict was quickly suppressed
by the court.
Davis is receiving congratulations from
the citizens generally.
A WALKING ARSENAL
II has been ascertained from some Of
the members Of the jury that one Of the
controlling circumstances in the case
was the fact that Walker sWOre on the
stand he had no knife or dirk on him
the night of the shooting and tho next
witness, his secretary, Calfee. stated
that he undressed him at the hotel that
night: that he removed q scabbard from
Walkers left shoulder i'm which there
was q six shooting army pistol. and re-
moved q belt from his waist in which
there was an italian dirk" with a blade
four inches long and horn handle. No
new witnesses were introduced stone
ana STEINER DflAE ltNtlINI.
Steiner Unidentified Walkers pistol and
Stone introduced the table ON which he
let IL fan. The table IS thlrtv-two inches
high and it was shown that had Walker
arm been hanging down when Davis
shot his pistol it would have fallen on
the floor and not on the table. The argu-
ment was listened TO with marked inter-
est By a large crowd
ABLY ,PROSECUTED.
commemorative Attorney Ashworfh
made a brave fight to convict lie made
a strong speech and presented his view
OF the case in manner satisfactory 70
all parties and with great credit to his
splendid ability as a prosecutor.
Attorney Price made a telling speech
for the defense. He used the words OF
Witness Calfee, and said the little room
was electrified; that poor Hamilton sit
ting down and as Walker had said "verv
drunk" he had only 10 press tho butto,
and the murderer dii the rest He sais
that Walker was fun Of the LIQUID that
damns mems souls armed 10 the teeth
with derrineer n six shooting colts
pistol and an italian dirk. only carried
by murderous aesassins
THE PBACEMAKER.
Hon. IT, G. Peters. a warm friend 20
Davis who halls from the same town.
Martinsvlle Va. made one Of his charac-
teristlcs speeches saving II gave him
great pleasure 20 defend his voung
friend Just entering upon n career full OF
brightness. for doing the iustiAable acts
that Davis had done. lie called Davis
The peacemaker and referred 70 the evi-
dence of Davis holding Walker and
said the world had always applaude1
ihe peacemaker. thar the great christ
himself had said; Blessed are ths
peacemakers for they shall inherit the
kingdom ~ God" He said that a parti-
san press. dpped IN the ashes of fe-
feat had paraded Davis before the world
as n murderer and assassin and that
had Davis not shot Walker every man
In the room but two. might have been
killed by him.
He closed by saving "when jury o'
vireinians couylcts any man In young
Davis position great God let the curtain
OF shame be drawn on the Old Som@os.
SS&As@<f~ <s-h.