The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-12
The Newc of Mobile.

up and later telling him of the mans death.
 This closed the direct testimony for the State, and at 1:30 Wick took the stand. years. His attorney asked question as to intimacy of Brown with vick's wife, which was objected to and sus- tained, this bringing an argument be- tween counsel for defense and the court, the latter referring to the. Gafford case. The defendant stated that he met Brown and the latter accosted him, saying he was sorry of his troubles. Wick asked him about visits to his wife and Brown replied: You are out of 1t and 1t is none of your business. 1t is clear prop erty.'
 Brown then put his hand behind him and fred" the witness said.
 At this junction 1t developed Wick had his testimony. The witness was then sworn and reiterated what he had pre- viously stated.
 Continuing. Wick said eighteen months ago he found out about Browns visits to his house and had reason to believe there was intimacy and became positive the day before the shooting he said.
 On cross examination Wick said the reason he did not tell the reporters of Brown putting his hand behind him was because he was all torn up.
 The defense offered a signed testimonial of good character, from residents of Thomasville.
 John Harmes said he saw Browns bug gy in front of the Wick home frequently
 A number of character witnesses tes- tifed and just before the dinner recess Wick was again put on the stand in ref erence to a letter and the showing of a pistol to Miss Hopkins. He denied it and also denied telling Larry Murray he would kill a man that night
 Mrs. Covington, daughter of Mrs. Wick, testified that Brown only came to the house on business and always acted gen. tlemanly and treated her mother as a lady. She said she got the money with which to move from Duggan on an order from her mother.
 After recess other testimony for the State was introduced in which was that of Larry Murray, an ex,ponceman, who % said Wick took several drinks with him and said he was going to kill a man that night who had broken up his homo.
 At o'clock a young attorney opened argument in behalf of the State and re, viewed the testimony. He was followed by an attorney for the defense and he In turn by the defendants senior counsel who made a brilliant plea for the pris- oner. James H. Webb for the State made a very strong argument.
 At 9:15 o'clock, after Judge Semmes had given an exhaustive charge to the jury as to murder in the first and second degrees and manslaughter in the nrst oe- gress and reading several charges rom the attorneys IOF tnc ueiehsc' eHS 1eAy retired to make up verdict. nabout ten minutes they sent out for pen, ink ana paper. few minutes later they sent message to the court tnqulrlng as to whether the verdict should be written on the indictment or on a separate piece or paper. Judge Semmes sent message back to the effect that they must come into court and ask for instructions. At $40 they came into court with a verdict written on the indictment as fol- lows: we, the jury, find the defendant guilty as charged in the indictment, ana further find that he be imprisoned Nh the penitentiary for life. H. E. Bragg,
 Judge semmes informed the jury that he could not accept this verdict ana gave them further instructions as to the proper and legal form, if 1t was their intention to impose the life sentence and find the defendant guilty. The jury thereupon re- tired and in a few moments returned with a verdict reading as follows:
 We, the jury, find the defendant guilty of murder in the first degree and further find that he be imprisoned Tn the pehi- tentiary for life H. E. Bragg.
 "Foreman.'
 Attorneys for the defense asked the court for sixty days in which to file bill of exceptions. The court demurred be- cause of the amount of work on its hands, including another similar motion, but finally consented to hear the motion later in the term when sentence would be imposed This ruling was satisfactory to the defense.
 Spreading Toward Atlantic.
 The Cefalu line steamer Hiram, Cap tain Petersen, arrived yesterday after noon from Porto Cortez, Honduras, from