The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-16

terrified North Carolina years ago,
/ caused a sensation. Potter made an
/ emphatic denial of the charges by the
/ officers who had worked up the case
against him. and had satisfied them
selves of his identity as Alex Hayes,
! the slayer of William Page in Robe
son county. The officers claim, in
spite of POtter's denial, to have in their
possession evidence sufficient to con-
Wet him of the murder. In his de-
NAL. which he made in the sheriff $
office, with an emphasis that
impressed those who heard it,
with its truth, Potter said that he had
never been in the state of North Car
DINA: that he had lived all of his life in
South Carolina and Georgia, and Is
ready to prove his past history, and
bring witnesses to show his good char
acter since childhood. He claims to
be but AZ years old, while the murder
Of Page, which was committed in the
'70's, was by a man then in middle
life. The officers place Potter's age
at between so and So years. They in
sist that he is the man their investi-
cations led them to believe him to
be.
In Behalf of the POtters.
Before entering upon the trial of the
case, Judge Twiggs stated that he de-
sired, in justice to his clients, to make
a statement relative to the published
statement that one of them, the elder
Potter. was an outlaw. The statement
he characterized as prejudicial to the
interests of his clients. He said that
he had contemplated a motion for
change of venue, but after conference
with his associate counsel had aban-
doned the idea, because of the expense
which it would entail. He stated that
Potter had informed him that the
charges were untrue-that he had
never been in the state of North Caro-
lima, in which state the officers claim
the crime was committed, and that he
was willing to be taken there in chains
to vindicate himself. Solicitor Os-
borne for the state, said he wished it
known that neither he nor his associ-
ate counsel knew anything of the pub
LEGATION.
The Court Room Thronged.
When the case was called, at 1920
o'clock, the court room was crowded,
fully $50 people standing in the rear
of the room, while many eager black
faces peered forth from the balcony
above. Nor did the crowd diminish
as the panels of jurors were disposed
of, but as the day progressed the crowd
was du6Uitlleu, ulllH DIT
o'clock there were 300 persons In the
court room. The crowd was even larg-
er at the night session.
When the first list of jurors was
called ninety-two answered their
names. When exemptions were asked,
the judges desk was instantly
thronged by those in possession of GER
tifcates or other forms of excuse.
When these had all been passed upon,
the nf "
These were called and the men placed
upon the voir dire. When the panel
was exhausted, but half the jury had
been drawn. The court then took a
recess until o'clock. Twenty-four
names were drawn from the box, and
given Immediately to the sheriff for
service.
During the calling of the first list,
the first tilt of any moment occurred
between the state and the defense,
resulting in a victory for the former.
When the state had struck ten names
1t ceased awaiting itself of the right
to challenge, thinking that all the
strikes allowed it by law had been ex-
hausted, the solicitor being under the
impression that the defense would only
make twenty strikes.
Learning that the defense had deter
mined to avail itself of the forty strikes
strike twenty. This right Judge Twiggs
commended it had forfeited. Judge Bar
row could not agree with him, however,
and determined that the state was en-
titled to half the number which the de-
Tense was, and that even If the defense
decided to avail itself of but half the
strikes 1t was entitled to, the right of
the state would still obtain.
Witness Provided For.
An amusing and unusual incident &C.
Cured during the progress of the case
when Luke Conway, a young man
summoned as witness for the defense,
sought out Judge Twiggs in the court
room and informed him that he would
not remain in attendance on the court
While conversing with Judge Twiggs,
he talked in such a plainly audible
voice as to disturb the court, and Judge
Barrow ordered that he be uuieted.
Judge Twiggs informed the court
of the position taken by the
witness, to which Judge Barrow re-
piled, assuring him that the witness
would remain. During all of this time
the witness stood, staring at the court.
He wore a smile, but seemed yex-
ed at his retention, and though he said
nothing, he beat his foot loudly on
the floor.
Hell be here. alright" said Judge
Barrow, assuringly; Mr.. Sheriff, take
charge of the witness and furnish him
with accommodation" Two of the dep-
uties took Conway in charge, but he
was unwilling to go with them, and
had to be forced out of the court
room.