The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-05-13
Hs Is Not Worried Over the Ac.
cusation Of Murder, He Says.
CONVICTION IS IMPOSSIBLE.
Witnesses Afraid to Testify Against the
Prisoner, as They Fear They viii Be
Murdered II They Do,

Lexington. Ky. May l3.-The quesuoh
|uppermost i'm the minds OF law-abiding
|Kentuckians Is. VIII the assassins OF
|James b. Marcum ever be punishedY
when Curtiss Jett was arrested in Madi-
son county at the home of his mother
|people who read OF the capture felt that
|the end was near.
They thought Jett would tell the whole
plot and the whole gang would soon be
behind the bars, Jett has asked for re-
|lease on a habeas corpus writ, and IL this
fails he must sbe taken back to Jackson,
where the crime was committed. for trial.
HE will not ask for change OF venue
|preferryng TO risk his chances among
Those who have stood by him I'm the past
Governor Beckham cannot send troops
or disqualify the officers, unless the pris,,
|oner asks that IL be done. The ieud
feeling is so intense and the situation SO
dangerous In the face OF the three as
sa ssinatios just recorded that the people
| will not testify 10 the killing. they tell
| one story I'm Lexington and an entlrey
different story In Jackson Already sew
. eral have made affidayits denying state
ments attributed 10 them.
CooMBs MAKES DENIAL.
Yesterday william NJ. Coombs who was
in the office OF j. j. G. Black, the at
torney who came here on saturday night
and caused Tom Cockrill TO swear out a
warrant for the arrest OF curtis Jett'
SAYING that five good citizens would tes-
. tify TO the movements OF Jet, so tnat
no jury could fail TO convict him, says
that Judge Black himself was seated IN
his office in such position that IL would
have been impossible for him 10 have
seen either Marcum or Jett. Coombs was
named as one OF the men who Witnessed
the movements of Jett. and he says he
. did not know Jett was within % miles OF
the court house.
B. j. Even who was reported to have
seen Jett approach Marcum after he had
fallen from the wound inflicted by the
first bullet, and fire a second shot into
. his head. now says the statements are
untrue. There are half dozen men
who say Even told them the ssme thing;
Jett received many callers In his ceh
at the Clark county jail. He was the
centre OF attraction and shook hands with
every one with his left hand. his rignt
being hurt from catching his thumb un-
der the hammer OF his revolver Ills
mother and her husband. ex-Sheriff Len
VILE Hagin. called and had long talk
with Jett
JETT NOT WORRIED.
He declared he is innocent OF the
crime. and that he cares nothing about
the trouble.
''When | get back TO Jackson" he said,
81 will prove that / was not in the court
Jets stepfathe- denied that Jett had
run him away from home on Saturday
night.
Jett employed w. w Stevenson as his
attorney. and habeas corpus proceedings
were begun before Judge j. NJ. Benton.
The Cockrill people wired to Jackson
for witnesses. but were informed that
they would. not come IL was then de-
cided by Judge Benton To send special
baliff after them and enforce their at
tendance.
Tom Cockrill. Sam Jett, Mckinley
Cockrill and others of the Cockrill side
held "A long conference yesterday. They
fear that IL will be impossible even IN
winchester to get the witnesses neces-
sary to hold Jett. Winchester is the home
OF ex-senator Alex. Hargis, a brother OF
Judge James Hargis and his business
tion is weak and lacks influence. while
the power OF the opposite faction ap-
pears TO be recognized everywhere.