The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-06
Defense Brings Out Important
 Testimony in Coffnan Trial
ONLY THREE SHOTS FIRED
Witnesses for Defendant Contradict State Testimony-AlIeged Golf man Was Trying to Get
 Away From Bradford.

The defense continued it's testimony in the Coffman case yesterday. The crowd of spectators was as large as any day since the beginning of the trial All seats were occupied and many stood while | the hallway was filled with witnesses called to testify either for the state or defense. The wife, mother, sister-in-law and other relatives of Coffman were in- 1 side the railing. Mrs. Coffman being at her husbands side during the entire day
 One of the interesting bits of testi- mony brought out during the day was to the effect that message was delivered to MT. Coffman from MT. Bradford ask ing the former to call at the latter s home. This was sworn to by Mr. Hunt and was substantiated by several other l witnesses.
 Only Three Shots. l Another phase of the defense was de- veloped by several witnesses. all of whom testified that only three shots were fired and two of whom swore they saw the shooting and that Coffman was trying to get out of the room, while Bradford held him by the collar. These two claim they heard MT. Coffman call to the man in the room, presumably MT. Bradford:
 Let me out of here! Let me out of herer
 This call was repeated, the witnesses l testified, three or four times. and after wards Coffman succeeded in opening the door where the shooting occurred
 w. A. Hunt was first placed on the stand by the defense. He made a state ment to the effect that the Rev. Mir. Bradford had met him on the bridge in Brookside the day of the killing and re- quested him to tell MT. Coffman that he 1 (Bradford) desired a conference with him at the parsonage during the afternoon. This message was then repeated to Mir Coffman, and the latter went in the direc- ton of the parsonage.
 Upon cross-examination the witness in- sisted that his statement was correct. He also denied that he had said to MT. Tate that if there was hell. Bradford l would certainly go to 1t.
 J. w. Mosely substantiated this state- ment to the extent of saying he had seen the Rev. Bradford talking to two men on the bridge during the afternoon. Fred Estes made a statement similar Tn re- spect that he had seen Bradford and l Hunt talking.
 J. w. Hodge testified he was with Mfr Hunt when MT. Bradford came along and told MT. Hunt to ask Coffman to call at the parsonage.
 Thomas Reed, Sr., told of an unfriendly feeling between his son, T. P. Reed. and MT. Coffman, also saying Reeds wife | AH. 11F1
 w J. Armstrong, deputy sheriff, tes- tified as to the appearance of the de- fendant and identified his hat.
 When the afternoon session of the court l was called to order J. s. Cameron began his testimony. It was to the effect that he heard three shots fired on the day 1 of the shooting from a distance of about seventy yards. He did not hear Coffman tell Mrs. Hawkins to shut her mouth nor hear her call Brother Bradford"
 Reeds Alleged EnmIty. 1 B. Lethero then testified that he had | formerly lived in Brookside and had often heard Tom P. Reed. husband of Mrs. | Reed, who testified in the case, curse | Coffman and say he would do him dirt if he ever had a chance.
 Harry Russell testified that Tom P. | Reed was decidedly hostile to Coffman and before the shooting had heard him curse Coffman many times. About cleo | ton time the witness had heard Reed say if he could get help he would hang Coff- | man.
 | w. J. Wheeler testified that he had seen MT. Coffman at Pinckney City at 3 o'clock the afternoon of the shooting.
 Gave Him Loaded Pistol.
 A. c. Sorrell told of seeing Coffman about 3 o'clock the afternoon of the shooting when he passed him going to- wards Bradfords house. Coffr an return ed in about 20 or 30 minutes later and went back to the jail and gave him a pistol. He then identified a pistol intro- duced as evidence and said this pistol was loaded in every chamber. There were no indications that 1t had been discharged. the ban- of the defendants hat and | collar were torn. A hat introduced as | evidence was identified. as also was a | collar. He also testified as to Reeds curs- l ing Coffman before and after the shoot ing.
 Bud Wingo swore he was near Dr. | Crowe's house and heard three shots at the time of the killing. He heard a racket in Bradfords house and heard some one 1 say, Let me out" Then the door was partly opened and Coffman was seen to come out the door. At the time Mir. Bradford was trying to pull him back. l Then he heard three shots, MT. Coffman | firing two down toward the floor and then 1 one upward. Coffman walked out after l (Continued on SIxth paoe1