The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-03-10
MONDAYS PROCEEDINGS.

Court met Monday morning at
O'Clock, according to adjournment.
Eugene Fitzgerald
was the first witness placed on the
stand. He said, lived two miles
west of Carter's Greek during Octo-
ber, 1898. / had a transaction with
Mr.. Simmons October II; Mr.. SIM.
mons gave me a check then for %
calibre Colts rifle, l6-shoOter; he
bought it about weeks or month
before he gave me the check; | had
had the gun about year. The wit
ness identified the check that had
been given him by Mr.. Simmons.
Elder William Anderson
was the next witness. He said, T
live in the vicinity Of Carter's Greek;
| have lived there since 1874. /
knew Cam simmons; became intl-
mately acquainted with him when
he entered our school.
AT this juncture question was
ask ed the witness concerning The
character of Mr.. Simmons; the at
torneys for the defense took eXcep-
ton, and Judge Holding ruled that
the evidence would be incompetent,
acter witnesses that had been sum-
moned by the State. This ruling
having been made, the State an
nounced that they would have no
more witnesses, and closed their
side of the evidence. The court then
adjourned until | 80, to give the at
torneys for the defeuse time to con-
suit before beginning their plan of
defense.
Monday Afternoon.
When Court convened for the af-
ternoOn session, the announcement
| having gone forth that the defense
would begin their evidence by plac-
ing one of the defendants on the
stand, the room was more densely
packed than ever, standing room
being at premium. The first wit
ness Introduced was
Mrs. Mary Irvine,
one of the defendants and the moth
er of the other two. She was ex-
amined by Mr.. G. T. Hughes, and
testified that she was 53 years old;
lived near Dark's Mill; hal lived
there since 1859; was married to
Will 7. Irvine in 1865; | have two
boys; Warren is 30 years old, Drew
is 25. Mrs, Simmons came to live
with us in 1882; she is niece by
marriage. She had three uncles
besides my husband, and an aunt;
my husband was her guardian; she
and her brother had 256 acres of
land in Roberts Bend the land was
encountered by mortgage of 81 300:
Mr.. Irvine paid that debt after he
assumed the guardianship; she at
tended school regularly every year.
until the last year she lived there.
Their land and fences were in a
dilapidated condition when Mr.. r.
vine took hold of it.; it was worth
$40 an acre more when he died; he
valued it at about $4,000. She as
sisted me at times in milking and
cooking; 1 made most of her clothes:
| never made any charge for this.
Mr.. Irvine and myself treated her as
much like one of our own children
as we could possibly treat another's
child; there were few crosses be-
tween US; Willie was a good girl
and very obedient; her mother gave
her to me when she was dying and
asked me to treat her as my child,
and L did. We had little unpleas.
} antness during the Centennial, but
} that was all scloothed over; she left
home but | sent Drew after her; she
returned and the trouble was salts
; factorily adjusted, and our relations
were as pleasant as before. When
she was a young lady she had good
deal OF company, young ladies from
3 distance; we entertained them as
best we could; we bought a new
3 surrey and furnished the parlOr
! especially for her benefit. My hus-
3 band has been dead about two years
l settled the guardianship after his
!. death; the estate was about $3.50 in
a debt to us; Ii has never been paid
he charged nothing for his services
1 and paid out my own money fol
her washing, and after his death
e charged her no board; before that
!. she paid s. month board; when
: she married gave her a nice set OF
K china, blankets, covers, mattress
4; preserves, etc. Drew gave her a
g handsome clock, and Warren gave
(; her a handsome chair. She and hel