The news & observer., 1900-11-30
WATSON AND AYCOCK
WILL SPEAK TODAY
l-TEgis
The Gattis- KiIgo Case Then
Goes to the Jury.
TUE cpEEnuEc VEcTEpDAV
THE SPEECHES YESTERDAY
Judge Graham For Plainiff, Gen. Roys-
ter For Defendants.
GRAHAMs POWERFUL APPEAL FOR GArns
The Methodist Preacher Has Only His
Character. What Would You, Gentlemen,
Ask in Money Value TO Have Your
selves Thus Published 2"
Especial to News and observer.)

Especial to News and Observer
Oxford, N. c.. Nov. 29.-Two more
speeches and the Gattis-Kilgo slander
suit will have drawn out its slow length.
These two speeches will be made to-
morrow CFriday). and are down on the
program as the oratorical events of the
trial. They will be delivered by Hon.
Cyrus B. Watson and Governor elect
Charles B. Aycock.
Mr.. Watson appears for the plaintiff
both sides are looking forward with
greatest interest to the appeals these
distinguished men are to make to the
jury.
Though today, being Thanksgiving, was
generally observed here as a holiday
Judge Hoke thought it necessary to pro-
ceed with the trial, and two speeches
were heard. so as to clear up the deck
for the Watson and Aycock speeches on
Friday.
Judge A. w. Graham spoke today for
the plaintiff. and Gen. B. S. Royster, for
the defendants.
Judge Graham commenced his argument
on Wednesday night and spoke for three
and half hours. Court then adjourned
till $3.50 O'Clock this morning, when he
resumed his argument, finishing it at
IL o'clock. A recess was then taken till
o'clock tonight.
At the night session of the court Gen.
Royster addressed the jury in behalf of
the defendants.
Many ladies were in the audience that
last night crowded the court room to
hear Judge Grahams very able argu-
ment in behalf of Mr. Gattis
AS basis for his argument of the
facts brought out by the evidence, Judge
Graham discussed the law of libel and
slander, citing number of authorities to
sustain his contentious.
JUDGE GRAHAM'S SPEECH.
Coming to the argument of Mr.. Bur
ton, VINO had preceded him, Judge Gra-
ham asked the jury whether they had
noticed how often ]. N. Coles name had
been called in this case-"how often ap-
peals have been made to acauit the de-
PENDANTS because John N. Cole is good
man." He said he counted twelve times
in which Mr.. Burton called Mr.. Cole S
name and that he had called it many
Now why is this? One would suppose
that there is somebody on the jury related
to John N. Cole. (Attorneys for defen-
dants denied this) Then perhaps they
are putting Mr.. Cole up as infalliblc.
Well, we are ready to admit that. Mr..
Cole is a good man. but he's not so good
that he can't make a mistake, as his ac-
tion at the ClarkKilgo investigation
shows. Then again Mr. Cole has been
very active in the management of the
other side of this case here in court. but
that is no reason why the defendants
should be excused for the wrong done Mr.
Gattis.
But it doesn't matter how high up in
the church a man is. he's got no more
rights in the courts and before the law
than the humbest citizen of the land
That man there (Gattis) has as much
right here as Walter Clark ever had OF
John G.. Kilgo ever thought he had
Judge Graham asked: WAS there any
malice on that occasion?" and in an
swer to the question he reviewed the in
cidcnts of the Clark Kilgo trial, and ad-
ded:
Whatever else may be true there is
certainly somewhere somebody who
thinks John c. Kilgo is a storm centre
an agitator and manipulation.
"One c. the smartest men that has
been before this jury yet was John imp
stead. You remember his testimony
Asked if Mr.. Gattis didn't talk too much
he replied that we all talk too much
He spoke truly. If Joe Brown hadn't
been SO quick to tell little Mr.. Flowers
what Judge Clark said, and Flowers
hadn't run to DR.. Kilgo this trouble would
never have come before YOU
DE MINIMIS NON CURAT LEX.
Referring to young Flowers speech
Judge Graham said
The little man said he did it all. He
spoke all along with a big THAT little
curly headed spectacle man. He said he
was a professor, he published the
pamphlet and he circulated it and almost
dared us to sue him. l couldn't heir
thinking of the fly that sat on the axle
of the chariot and exclaimed What 8
dust | kick un! That's little Flowers
Why not sue me? I'll tel you why Dc
minimis non curat lex"
Judge Graham read DR.. Kilgo's speech
which he characterized as a stirade or
Mr. Gattis" Commenting on 1t he said
Language could not be severer. OF
more unwarranted by the circumstances
of the case. 1t was not based on the