The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-04-02
SHOT IN THE BACK
AS He WAS RUNNING
Dead Mans Clothes Are Put
in Evidence.
BULLET HOLE IN THE BACK
The Testimony of the Living Wit
nesses is Conflicting.
CASE WILL LIKELY GO TO JURY TONIGHT
All the Evidence is Now in and the Argument
Of Counsel viii Begin This Morning.
Mangum's Friends Say He
Will be Acquitted.

Will De RCquille0'
The trial of Sam Mangum for the muir
der of Pete Griffin last October, in New
light township, this county, is drawing to
a close 1t began Friday afternoon and
will probably be concluded today.
The taking of evidence was completed
yesterday afternoon at o'clock and the
argument of counsel will begin this morn
ing. Five speeches will be made-two
for the prosecution and three for the de-
tense.
Then the judges charge, and the case
will go to the jury.
The prosecution will argue that Man
gum followed Griffin into the road, quar-
relied with him and deliberately shot him.
His clothing will be displayed to show
that he was shot in the back as he ran
off.
The defense will argue that the killing
was done in self-defense; that Grimm
was a violent man and Mangum shot
him only when Griffin made at him with
threat to kill him. On this ground an
acquitta1 will be asked.
large number of witnesses were ex-
amined yesterday for both sides, the de-
Tense having the first inning.
LOCATION OF THE WOUND.
DR.. S. w. Thompson told of his exami-
nation ofs4he body of Griffin after he had
BEEN shot He found on his left side,
between the fourth and fifth rib, just
a little to the front, he said, a pistol ball
wound. The witness added
1T was about thirty steps from where
he was said to have been shot to where
he dropped. / don't think he could have
run. that distance if the ball had entered
the heart
The witness believed Griffin died of
hemorrage or heart failure.
The witness was asked to relate any
explanation of the tragedy given him by
the defendant. He said:
II asked him why he shot Griffin He
replied that Griffin was cursing him and
abusing his family, and made at him
with hand in hip pocket, and he (the
defendant) expected to be shot; that Crit
fin came upon him and struck at him and
it was then that he shot at Griffin four
times
How long have you known Griffin!
ever since he was child
ience?'
HE was regarded as a violent man.
On cross examination by the solicitor,
the witness said he made no close examl-
nation of the body, having no other light
than that of the moon and not taxing
off the clothing
Mrs. Martin, who lives near Man
gums heard Griffin and his companions
81 ha u Thny naSSP0
her house; she thought them drunk. She
heard them at Mangum's talking; the
talking got louder-"cursing terrible
cursing'-then she heard Mangum or
der them away and threatening to prose
cute them. Then she looked out, she said,
and. saw Griffin rush on Mangum and
strike or grab at him and then Mangum
shot four times Griffin then turned and
walked away and fell
On cross examination, the witness was
asked if she did not say. in the presence
of u number of witnesses on the night
of the shooting and also after the body
was buried, that she was so excited that
she knew nothing of the trouble and that
she saw nothing of it.
IF / did l don't remember it,
Haven't you been staying at Mangum' s
since the shooting?"
81 stayed there two nights with his
Wife
FRESH MEAT UP ON THE HILL"
George Tilley went to Mangum's house
the night of the shooting. He went with
Rowland O'Neal. He didn't hear Mangum
tell Rowland O'Neal, referring to Grit
fms dead body, that he had some fresh
meat up on the hill.
On cross examination this witness said
he was not there all the time; that he
was sent off on an errand.
John Norris met Mangum and his
COMPANIONS about half mile from Man
gums. They seemed to be "drinky
where were they going
They said, Let's go over on the other
hill and raise hell
This was where Mangum and others
lived.
did they have any weapons of any
kind?"
i II did not see any, except quart
tickler"
Another witness who saw the body was
C. G. Lowry. He explained the location
of the wound made by the pistol ball
ON the left side. He did not know the
general reputation of the dead man fol
violence.
The location of the wound was also
described by Dick Mitchell. He said Grit
fin had the reputation of being a danger
Gus man when he was drinking,
This witness said on crosse examination
that. he helped undress the dead mar
and prepare the body for burial
THE CLOTHING IN EVIDENCE.
The clothing worn by the deceased was
shown the witness. He identified the
vest and shirt as the ones worn by Crit
fin Both had a pistol ball hole in the
back
Still the witness, on redirect exami-
nation, maintained that the wound was
on the side of the body and not on the
back.
Tom Peasants helped undress the body
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