The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-20
WITH JURY TO-DAY
FATE OF THE POTTERs, FATHER
AND son, WILL BE LEFT.
ELDER PoTTER'S STATEMENT.
LEADING COUNSEL WILL CONCLUDE
THE ARGUMENTS THIS MORNING.

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Arguments by Associate Counsel
MIR. Hartridge Opened the Argu-
ment to the Jury and Was Follow
ed by Mr.. Sheppard and MIR. My
rfck-Potter Told of His Where
abouts on the Day of Homicide.
Said He Was Surprised Mt Testi-
mony of Grand Jurors as to His
Conflicting Statements No Man
Living, He Said, Could Prove That
He Was Ever in the state of North
Carolina Prisoner Wept as He
Spoke and Asked the Jury to Bear
with Him.
The argument of Judge H. d. d,
Twiggs will be made this morning in
the Potter case after which Solicitor
General Osborne will conclude for the
prosecution, and this afternoon the fate
of father and son viii be in the hands
of the jury. The afternoon and night
sessions yesterday were occupied by
the argument of counsel, Mr.. Hartridge
speaking for the state. and Messrs.
Sheppard and Myrick for the defense.
The court toook a recess at 9:45 o'clock
until 10 O'Clock this morning.
Many thought the case would go to
the jury last night. when in the after
noon Judge Barrow, in granting coun-
sci an extension of the time for the ar
gument, said that the argument would
conclude after midnight.
Never before has a trial attracted
such a crowd to the court room. Ev-
cry available seat every bit of stand
ing room, every door and window, the
corridors and the gallery, were packed,
and many could not gain entrance. 1t
was estimated that there were 800 peo-
pie in the room when the court took a
recess.
The days session was the most sem
sational during the progress of the
case. Its feature was the statement
of w j. Potter Swayne Potter was
not placed on the stand. AS the ia
Their spoke his frame shook with emo
ton, and anger and anguish depicted
themselves plainly on his Redeemed
face. At times he spoke dispassion-
ately then his words were lost in
sobs.
with Changed Countenance.
The whole attitude of Potter changed
when he took the stand to plead for
the life of himself and his son. The
man. who for four days had sat before
his accusers, without a murmur, with
scarcely a change of expression, listen
ing to the charges of the prosecution,
seemed no longer to contain himself.
Then 1t was more than at any other
time throughout the trial that he SEEM
ed to realize the enormity and gravity
of the offense against which he and
his son We're even then defending their
lives.
The accused man was on the stand
for about an hour. He began with an
accounting of his actions from the time
the hunt was arranged on Saturday
afternoon. and told of his travels
throughout the next day. From the
time he left his home, he said. for the
country until he got back to the city,
his son was for no appreciable length
of time out of his sight. AS he spoke,
the countenance of his son, which
throughout the trial has been grave,
melted into sadness. and when the
father alluded to him as the pride of
his heart, he burst into a silent weep
ing.
The Prisoners Statement.
The defense closed its case. shortly
after court convened. after the exam
ination OF three witnesses, and the
statement of Potter had been conclud-
ed. A hush fell upon the crowded
court room, when Judge Twiggs called
w. J. Potter to take the stand. The
defendants statement follows:
Potter's Statement.
Gentlemen, will do the best can.
l know this is a very serious thing,
and God knows I'm innocent I hope
you will excuse me and be very pa
tent with me. l will try to tell you
about this thing. l didn't see Mr..
Bourquin that day. and God knows
that l did not and as to that negro
with him, that was a new Niger on
me. / never heard of him. | never
saw him in my life that l know of.
II was working with Mr.. Dixon on
West Broad street. and he was talk
ing to me. l told him about some deer
going in Mr.. Horne's field. He said he
wanted to get up a hunt for a friend
of his who was here. He wanted to
take him out to show some of the
country to him, and / told him l could
go with him on Tuesday, but that / did
not want to lose time. / needed some
day morning and / said to him, Mr..
Dixon, l am trying to break away
from Sunday hunting; l don't want to
CO. but he insisted on my going. He
didn't seem to believe that there was
any deer-that the deer were so plenti-
full here
80 l told him finally that 1 would
go little while with him Sunday
morning, and after he paid off Satur-
day evening I walked out on the street
after putting on my coat. Mr. Horne's
little boy run up to me, and he told
me, Mr.. Potter he said, papa was
out deer hunting yesterday back OF
the field and he saw three deer and
shot at them and didn't cut hair ]
said, When you see your papa tel
him expect / will be up in the morn
ing, and would like TO meet him VI
there
Got FOrgersOn's wheel.
After I started home 1 got I,
thinking that l would have to borrow
a wheel. 1 went 10 old man Fo=ersor
and borrowed his wheel. / told hin
that l would have IL back by u or
O'Clock next day; so l went home anC
got my supper
Il had to go down town 10 get
shirt, and / went down town. 1 cam,
back and went to Mr. Rocca and pais
him little bill owed him. / got hin
TO load some shells for me. / wen
from there home. told Mr.. Dixon. al
plain as / could speak. II you are her
about half past 6 win go with you
Out u you are later ] won't 20 M
there ! waited until about haif-pae
In the morning. ] got up AZ 8 O'Clock
Got a little coffee. / didn't call m,
wife as 1 did NOT want har 90 80 -,