Atlanta age., 1900-01-13
.dOSING SCENES DRAMATIC
After the Verdict Was Rendered
Hiss Morrison Made q
Speech of Thanks.

The Julia Morrison case, which has
teeu on trial in the circuit court at
chattanooga, was given to the jury at
noon Wednesday in an exhaustive
,barre from the court. Great inter
at was taken in the closing scenes of
The celebrated trial. The courtroom
VAS packed with curious humanity
long before the Judge called the law
vers to attention and ordered the trial
to proceed.
The morning hour was taken up
With the concluding argument of coun-
ss two for the defense and one for the
tste. The first speaker was William
Cumming, for the defense, who fol-
owed the same lines pursued by his
issocate counsel of the day before.
The great speech for the defense was
made by Colonel Joe Gift, the patri
rch of the Chattanooga bar, aud in
bis time one of the most powerful
Criminal pleaders in the state.
The entire interest of the morning
entered in this speech, and whea
colonel Gift arose to begin his argu-
nent, he was greeted by loud and pro-
|On8ed applause, which brought an
rder from the Judge to the sheriff to
|rrest the men applauding.
81 will have to arreat the whole
court room," answered the sheriff, and
there was another burst of applause.
After a brief exordial, Colonel Cliff
proceeded to q review of the evidence
which he brought out into powerful
light, and the jury was at all times at
tentive and thoroughly impressed.
He began with the company at Peeks-
|kll, n. Y, where they started on
their tour and followed them to Chat
anooga; recited the daily insults and
foul epithets Leiden had applied to
The woman; his threats to do her bod
Iy harm, and finally at Chattanooga
bis knocking her down and threaten
ing to kill her.
And then when she was going to the
/ stage to appear in her part, though
late on account of sickness, to which
several witnesses had testified, he ad-
Tanced upon her with drawn stick as
if to strike her. She had no pistol in
her hand as was testified by several
Eimesses, and no one saw the pistol
until after Leiden had cursed her and
threatened her with his cane.
Then it was, goaded to desperation,
/. in fear of her life or great bodily inju-
. ry that her mind became surchargcd
With the weight of her injuries, she
lost control of herself, and drawing
her revolver, which she always carried
for protection, she instiuctively as even
he dumb brute would do, used it tC
ave herself. No proof had been ad
lced to show that she was q violent
TOman; all the testimony was to the
Nnrary, and this was to be taken il
ter favor.
At the conclusion OF Colonel Cliffs
NPeech Samuel B. Smith closed for the
tate, summing up the evidence, and
aaking application of the law in sucf
ases provided. He made no new
Points, but argued the case purely Oh
he provisions of the law.
He made a strong arraignment o
he accused, and made an effort Il
how by the testimony that Miss Nor
bison knew what she was doing; tina
Le had gone TO the opera house or
he fatal night to kill Leidenj that she
bad bided in the lower part of the
fage for an opportunity to kill hin
'here it would not be witnessed, bu
70 opportunity coming to her she had
'One to the stage with murder in her
Fart and the instrument for carrying
ut her purpose in her hand; tha
tthoNt warning or word she had
Ped upon a defenseless man and had
ied him.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Smiths
Peech Judge Estill, although the
9on hour had arrived, proceeded tc
barge the jury, which occupied about
hour. The charge was long and
Is given to the jury in writing afte,
had been read at 1850.
Court then adjourned until 3 o'clock.