The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-17
JETT WAS OUTSIDE
HIS WITNESSES TRY TO SHOW HE
COULD NOT
HAVE FIRED THE FATAL SHOT.
ONE OF THEM SAID HE EXPECTED
TO GET PAY FOR TESTIFYING.


Was That Jett Had Been
Seen in the Court House Yard
Ten Seconds Before the Shooting,
In This Statement Some of the
Witnesses Could Not BE shaken.
Grand Jury Found no Indictments
Against Crawford and Thorpe for
Burning Ewen's Hotel.
jackson, KY. June 1.-THE arson
cases were disposed of to-day when
Crawford and Thorpe, teamsters for
Hargis, were set free and no indict
ments were returned by the grand
jury. Some expressed the opinion
that the murder cases would close the
same way tomorrow, when Jett and
White would be released. What might
follow such a result is the question.
1t is evident that everybody in Breath
lit county is considering the question
most seriously. although few will dis
cuss it openly.
1t is stated by those who will talk
on the matter, that the grand jury
was composed of residents of Breath
lit county drawn by those who are
identified with the dominant faction.
All were connected with it. and no in
dictments for any offense were eX-
pected from a jury so drawn; but the
Jurors in the case of Curtis Jett and
Thomas White are from another coun-
ty, and, for that reason, a verdict or
conviction may be possible.
The secret departure of some or
the Even family and arrangements for
the rest to leave indicates the feeling
that his life was considered in dan
ger. The general comment is that
those who were charged with arson for
burning the hotel on Sunday were not
as culpable as those who were lying In
wait to kill Capt. Even when he ran
to the FIRE and that only hired agents
have been apprehended in any of the
events
witness Showed UP.
In addition to the subscriptions
from different parts of Kentucky and
other states, house in Louisville, free
of rent for one year, was offered the
Even family. A petition was circu-
lated at Lancaster, KY, asking Gov.
Beckham to recommend an executive
Appropriation to reimburse Capt. Ewen'
and Lexington has offered him induce
ments to locate in that city. While
the witnesses for the defense yester-
day consisted of the defendants them
selves and their friends. those to-day
consisted of the relatives, employees
and close friends or leaders of the
dominant faction, and the drift of all
was to prove an alibi for the pris-
oners.
When the commonwealth closed It's
testimony last week 1t was announced
it was because other witnesses could
not be obtained, among them being
John Smith and John Abner, who We're
charged with being in the conspiracy
with the defendants to get Marcum
out of the way. The troop hunted all
over the mountains to find these wit
nesses for the prosecution, but they
were in hiding then, and could not
be secured. d, II was noted that they
were on hand for the defense to-day
of their own accord and denied en-
phatically the statements in the affida-
Wits of Marcum and Moses Feltner re-
garding the plots and efforts to get
Marcum out of the way.
B. L. Even and his family
are still in the military camp
here and contributions for him are
coming from all parts of Kentucky
and other states. There are appre-
tensions that Even will be picked off
at long range by some sharpshooter
while he is in camp, and arrangements
are being made for his removal to Lex
ington.
When court convened this morning
the defense placed DR.. j. M. Kash
on the stand. DIR. Kash was the first
man to reach Marcum after the as
sassin had shot him. DR.. Kash testi-
fed that he saw Jett on the walk at
the corner of the Court House yard ten
seconds before the shots were fired. He
went directly to Marcum and assisted
in carrying him across the street into
his Office, where he died in five min
utes.
Commonwealth Attorney Byrd cross
examined DR.. Kash, but did not shake
his story.
DR.. John Taules, the Hargis family
physician, was next placed on the stand
and he corroborated DR.. Kash and
other defense witnesses.
Inst before mon the grand iIIrU filed
into the court room, and made it's re-
port to Judge Redwine on the burning
of Ewen's hotel. The foreman said
no evidence was found against Joseph
Crawford and Edward Thorpe, and il
had been decided to order their release.
Crawford and Thorpe thereupon were
liberated.
The grand jury was not dismissed.
Another IO-SecOnds story.
John Smith testified that he was
eighteen feet from the Court House
door and saw White come across the
street toward the Hargis store. saw
Even run and saw Marcum. He saw
Jett about ten seconds before the shots
were fired. He was looking at Marcum
and Even when the first shot was fired.
Even did not look back. Smith is one
OF the men that Marcum said was In
the plot to assassinate him.
County Judge James Hargls. an I'M
Gle Of Jett and the reputed head OF the
Hargis faction, was called. Hargis
stated that he was inside his store when
Marcum was killed. He saw White
walk out Of the Court House door and
was One-third across the street when
the irst shot was fired.
when / heard the first shot fired I
saw Even pitch out Of the door and