Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-12-15


shot him. That proves the govern
ment's case that he was cool. IL Cam
non had at that moment pronounced
Mrs. Prince u liar he would have be-
lieved him; If Cannon had denied it
he was cool enough not to kill him;
he showed his malice and Cannons
dead body makes him a murderer
under the laws of the United States
fired the shot that he did and he
intended to kill Cannon 1t was the
trained hand of n man who wanted to
Kill. when he walked back to the uuiv-
ering body and planted final bullet
into the dying mans head. lie isn't
whether Prince was crazy; 1t is wheth-
er he was man of sound mind and
discretion. 1t is whether Prince shall
go free on the charge OF manslaughter,
or whether he shall so to the same
bar of justice as he sent his friend,
Charley Cannon, to; or whether he
shall go to a penitentiary cell to re-
main as long as heaven may let him
live. and then to join his victim, Can
non. whom he gave no time for pre-
paration.
had INTENDED on account of my
physical inability to let my assistant
open the argument. but as an officer /
felt ii my duty. Your duty is n SOL
emn one in the sight of man and God
The people of Norfolk and the State of
Virginia shall know how far n man
shall go who violates the law There
is no wrong that the law does not
right. l charge you, gentlemen, that
your verdict shall be such that in after
years there shall be nothing to haunt
your minds. Your verdict shall be such
that the finger of scorn cannot be
pointed at you in after years.
When vice shall run mad with glee
when conscience and virtue lie bleed
ing at her feet let the people know how
Tar man may go against real
wrongdoer contrary to the laws. Your
verdict shall be one that earth and
heaven shall approve of it.
Mr.. Allan concluded his argument at
exactly o'clock His address was n
masterpiece of rhetoric and was I'M
doubtedly one of the efforts OF his life
Mr.. Wilcox, of counsel for the de-
Tense. began his argument at $40
O'Clock lie said he felt sorry Gen
Allan was feeling bad physically, but
the government would not suffer- be-
cause his able assistant was present.
Gen. Allan, Mr.. Wilcox said, how
ever always turns up at the right mo-
mcns. Mr.. Wilcox said there was no
evidence to show Prince went after
Cannon the day he shot him.
1t is hardly necessary for us to
dwell on this phase of the case. You
are asked to convict this man and as
on the record. The question for you.
gentlemen, to consider is whether. from
the evidence, this man is guilty of
murder. Cannon sought to excuse him
self from the charge of adultery by i'm
plicating others. Prince tried to con-
troll himself, but like any other man
was maddened with rage at such q
confession. He did it 10 save his chill
dren from disgrace. He was satisfied
to be cruCied. Was there anyone who
could help him at such Il time. Should
he have gone to his poor old white
haired mother or TO his brothers, who
had stood by him in prosperity. If
thought Prince came here to degrade
his wife to save his own neck should
have been unfortunate in being con
nectcd with such case in every par
ticular
Picture to yourself the position of
this man. whose friend had become q
paramount to his wife. Il debaucher Of
his wife, god-father TO one Of his
children who hecnme Christian. He
was holding his child with one friend
iy hand leading ii up to heaven and
showing his wife down TO hell with the
other. What would have been the
condition of any mans mind under the
circumstances?
Judge Wilcox made Il brilliant argu-
ment in behalf of the prisoner. and
Princes feelings, and If he lived twice
as long as he is old his feelings can
never be described No one can tell
how he felt on that occasion when the
woman. who promised To love and
cherish him. confessed to having been
intimate with his bosom friend. I be-
lieve he was mentally irresponsible,
impelled by the terrible strain under
which he labored Mr.. Wilcox closed
with beautiful peroration and asked
Princes acquittal.
Tomorrow morning Mr.. Thorp will
close for the defense and Mr.. Allan for
the government. The jury will likely
get the case Saturday night and a YER
dict is looked for Monday morning
Towards the close of his argument
Mr. Wilcox said:
II remember fifteen years ago Mich
aeI Prince and his wife stood under the
crossed roof OF the Church of ST.
Mary's and the white robed minister
pronounced them man and wife, and
that no man should tear them asunder
The unwritten law which has been
handed down from generations is that
when one man destroys the sanctity of
another mans home he may expect to
die"