The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-06-14
Constable W. r. Claw&57a's Trial
Defense Pressed the Theory Ct Mrs.
Stuart Being Killed by Her Hus-
band-Jury After - Hours lie
turn a Verdict Of Not Guilty.


band.-Jury After IS Hours Re
turn a Verdict of Not Guilty.
Special to the State
Cam len, June I THE evidence in
the case OF the S$ate against ". il.
Crawford, charged with having shot
down Mrs. Elizabeth Stuart Oh tie
threshold of her own home, was con-
cluded this morning at IL o'clock.
The State put up no evidence in re,
ply. Solicitor Thurmond conducted
the examination and cross-eXam!na
ton of witnesses. For the defense
Mr.. John p. Thomas, Jr, has been
the leading attorney in the examine
ton. Mr.. NJ. Smiths admirable in-
terrogation of DR.. Ovens and the del
icate way in which he cross-examlned
the little children won for him much
commendatian. Mr.. B!ease cross
examined Dorm, the States principal
witness. Mr.. Clarke has so far taken
no active participation in the case.
Crawford's life has not been in
danger from violence. There has
been no mob. The finger OF scocn
has not been pointed at him. Sus-
picion has not branded him here, it
seems. He walks the streets as
freely as the mayor OF this pretty
village. In the court room his ex-
preston, is immobi!e, almost unin
terested. He lounges about from
dock to lobby without any apparent
concern, and there are 10 frerz;ed
prosecutors darting at him glances Of
fury and urquerchable passion.
Why, there is No attempt to disguise
the fact that he had pistol in bis
pocket when he went upon the wit
ness stand. There have been a.great
many gums" in the court room, it is
said. Crawford is not now on the
constabulary. Joe Ben Coleman,
who testified for him, is. Dorm, who
testified against Crawford, was not
reinstated to his position on the
force which was given him when he
was removed as head drayman at the
State dispensary.
The case has been conducted
rather loosely, the opposing attorneys
not being wide awake or not anxious
to press objections or to regard TIE
niceties cf the ccde.
The defense in it's effort to prove
that the fatal bullet was fired by
Stuart, showed that the State had
not put into evidence the fatal ball
nor Stuart's pistol, nor did DR..
Owens testify as to the calibre OF the
bullet. In addition to this was the
statement of Alice Stuart that her
mother was facing her father when
he fell, firing. The prosecution re-
Piled that there were eye witnesses
to testify that Crawford fred the
fatal shot, ard that there was no ne
cessity for the bullet to be produced.
Stuart's pistol is in Camden and
could easily have been produced.
The fatal ball ranged upward two
inches. The defense has out-gen-
eralled the prosecution at every step.
Dorm, the States best witness, was
confronted with Coleman. The chill
dren were declared to have absorbed
opinions as we'll as facts. Thenegro,
Ed. Mayfeld, made statements cen
tradicted by numbers OF witnesses
The Solicitor appeared to be earnest
in the prosecution, but their case
was evidently weak. Mr.. Thur
mond's argument was a splendid ap
| peal for justice, for tie enforcement
/ of law regardless Ct person.
The defense produced mary wit
nesses to prove CrewfoId's gcoC
character. The State did not a!tacl
this. The States main point wa
thst Crawford slapped Stuart ane
was therefore the aggresscr.
ALL o'clock the evidence we
closed, the State putting up nothing
in reLutal. TIE counsel Of bctl
sides agreed to four hours Size 8
the limit for the arguments.
! ARGUMENT DY Mr. nc MASTER.
NJ. McMaster opened tie arGu
ment in behalf Of the State. lie be
gan by referring to Tie fact tha
there are two classes Of search val
iants under the dispansary law. ii
claimed that the constables we're nc
deputized to execute this warrant
because they were net SO cmpo"ere
in writing. lie claimed that III
warrant was rot Of proper e11tc:' 1c
it was delivered to DoEr, who q!
not demand the search. The coait
have decided that citizen can resi-