The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-18
EDWARDS ON TRIAL
JURY HAD NOT ARRIVED AT YER
DICT LATE AT NIGHT.
ACQUITTAL OR MISTRIAL.
TWO JURORS FOR GUILTY WITH
RECOMMENDATION.

Evidence in the Case Where Mnr-
vel Edwards Was Charged With
Criminal Assault on Miss Ada
Green-PrOsecutrix in Tears Dur
ing "A Dramatic Recital of Alleged
Wrongs Done Her.
No verdict was reached last night in
the case of the state VS.. Marvel Ed
wards, charged with criminal assault,
and at 10 o'clock Judge Seabrook order
ed that the jury be quartered for the
night.
The case went to the jury d few
minutes after o'clock and court took
a recess until 10, at which hour
Judge Seabrook announced he would
return to receive the verdict, if one
had been reached. When asked II 1t
had agreed the jury announced that it
had not.
The verdict, it is expected, will either
be an acquittal or a mistriaL This was
the rumor that was going the rounds
of the Court House at a late hour.
It is understood that two of the jurors
favored a verdict of guilty with a.
recommendation to mercy. Such a
verdict would mean term of not more
than twenty years, nor less than one
year in the penitentiary.
When Edwards was brought into the
court room to hear the verdict he oc-
cupied the same seat he had filled dur
ing the day. In appearance the prison.
- ;z yot vorapocSoSSinU According TO
his own testimony he can neither read
nor write, but his statement on the
trial was made with many evidences
of frankness. He haltS in his speech,
but there was a certain impressive
ness about his manner and a way of
talking that could not fail to impress,
whether he were assuming the role of
ignorant humility or not.
During the pleadings of counsel, when
the extreme penalty of the law for
such a crime, which is hanging, was
mentioned, he would vince and turn
white.
Many who heard the trial and list
ened to the evidence, some of which
cannot be publicly produced, are in
clined to the belief of the prisoners
innocence.
The jury which is to decide the case
is as follows: H. F. Cook, D. A.
Byck, T. j. Dinkins, c. C. Pacetti,
H. l.. Stillwell, Herman Lang, 1. L.
Michels, ]. R. Miller, T. R. Chaplin,
F. H. Marshall, August B. LaRoche,
Jr., and w. c. Dierks.
Court Room Packed.
The court room was crowded almost
to suffocation when, after several
cases had been called and carried over,
the case of the state against Marvel
Edwards was called.
Three panels of jurors were drawn
before a jury was secured. All Of
the witnesses were then called into
the court room and sworn, and the
prosecution called, Miss Ada Green,
on whom the alleged assault was said
to have been committed.
Miss Green's Story.
When the young woman entered the
court room every eye was centered
on her. She is medium of hight, black
hair, dark brown eyes, and rather pre-
possessing in appearance. She walked
calmly to the witness stand to answer
ing to her statement she is 20 years
of age, and was borne at billiard, Fla,
from which place she came to SaVan-
nah last September. She has no rel
atives here. When she reached Sa-
vannah she went to work for the
American Cigar Factory for a salary
of SO per week. She said she was
approached by Marvel Edwards, who
stated to her that he did not know
how to read or write, and that he
wanted her to come and work for him,
and keep his books. That was Thurs
day before the alleged assault took
place.
81 worked from Thursday until Mon
day morning." she said, land when
1 got down to the store Monday, Mr..
Edwards had not come down. 1 wait
ed on the sidewalk until he appear
ed. When he arrived he said he had
a bad job for me, that of stemming
tobacco. l started at the work, and
he went out. He returned shortly and
said he had some papers in his room
that he wanted me to read over to
him, and asked me to go up there with
him. | went with him. The room
is on the third floor in the back. He
went up ahead of me, and when we
reached the room he opened the door
and showed me in and locked the
door,"
AT this juncture Miss Green broke
into tears, and it was some minutes
before she could compose herself to
continue her statement. IT demand
ed that he turn me out" she said
''and in answer he grabbed me by the
throat, and 1 fell to the floor. | got
up and he dragged me and I be-
came unconscious. I don't know how
long l remained in this condition.
Edwards was standing at the door
He told me that if 1 said anything
about what had occurred that he would
kill me. He then told me to go to
elmer, and if I did not feel like it I
need not come back in the afternoon
l sent for a physician. 1
also sent for Mr.. Perkins. who is
the only friend 1 have in Savannah
and who is a friend of my family.
asked him to go with me to Judge
Wlckhams court to swear out a war
rant for Edwards. DR.. Winders was
the physician who attended me-"
Broke Down at Col. COIding's cues
tiOns.
On being cross-examined by Col
Colding for the defense the witness
stated that she had known Perkins
for three or four years. After some
pointed questions by Col. Colding she
again broke down and cried. She de-
MED stating certain things. She said
that DR.. johnson was present when
DR.. Winders attended her.
lis it not so that Mr.. Perkins is a
good friend of yours?" counsel asked
What do you mean? What do Won
consider good friend?" was the an
swer.
Il mean was he not more than a
mere acquaintance"
He was a good friend OF mine and