The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-06-14
THE CRAWFORD
MURDER TRIAL.
THE STATE MADE OUT a
WEAK CASE.


in the case of the State against W
r Crawford, charged with having
shot down Mrs. Elizabeth Stuart on
the threshold of her own home, was
concluded this morning at ii O'Clock
The State put up no evidence in
reply. Solicitor Thurmond conduct
ed the examination and cross exami.
nation of the witnesses for the State.
For the defense Mr. John P. Thomas,
Jr., has been the leading attorney in
the examination Mr.. NJ. L. Smiths
admirable interrogation of Dr.. Owens
and the delicate way in which he
cross examined the little children
won fer him much commendation.
Mr. Blease cross examined Dorm, the
States principal witness
Crawford's life has not been in
danger from violence. There has
been no mob The finger of scorn
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 immobile, almost uninter.
ested He lounges about from dock
to lobby without any apparent con
Germ, and there are no freDzied per-
secutors dartipg at him glances of
fury and upquenchable passion.
Why, there is no attempt to disguise
the fact that be mad pistol in his
pocket when he went upon the wit
ness stand There have been a great
many "guns" 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 bis 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 the
niceties of the code.
The defense in it's effort to prove
that the fatal bullet was fred by
Stuart, showed that the State had not
put into evidence the fatal ball nor
Stuart's pistol NOR did DR.. Owens tes
tify as to the caiibre 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 proposition replied that there
were eye witnesses to testify that
Crawford fred the fatal shot. and that
there was no necessity for the bullet
to be produced Stuart's pistol is in
Camden and could easily have been
produced The fata! ball ranged up,
ward two inches. The defense has
out generalled the prosecution at
every step.
DorD, the State best witness, was
confronted with Coleman. The chill
dren were declared to have absorbed
opinions as we'll as facts The negro,
Ed. May6eld, made statements con-
tradicted by numbers of witnesses
the solicitor appeared to be earnest in
the prosecution, but their case was
evidently weak Mr.. Turmond's ar
gument was splendid appeal for
juetice, for the enforcement of law
regardless of person
The defense produced many wit
nesses to prove Crawford's good char.
acter. The State did not attack this.
The States main point was that
Crawford slapped Stuart and was
therefore the aggsessor.
Arguments were made for the de
fense by Messrs John P. Thomas,
Cole L. Blease, M. L. Smith and B.
B Clark. The speeches for the State
were made by Mr. John McMaster
and Solicitor Thurmond.