The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-03-10
dAYwOOD-sKINNER CASE.
A Great Conflict PrOmised-More
Facts Gathered by Charlotte OBJ
server Stan Correspondent.

tina it has the right of way over all
other subjects and will not down. The
Raleigh people are inclined 10 be mad:
they do not talk above Il WHISPER
when the question Is being discussed.
The shock unnerved many good men
and women here. They do rot care to
think Of the tragedy, mucH less SPEAK
Of ii. The several families directly
connected are prominent n business
and social circles in the state. There
is no way TO calculate the extent ar
scope of the horrible disaster.
The questions being asked are. How
was Skinner killed? What was the
cause OF the homicide?
When the case comes up for trail
there Will be a battle rOval between
great legal giants. The trial Will go
down in the history of the stat as
one Of the greatest conflicts ever con-
tested between lawyers in the soIth
Look at the army of talented d.tOr~
neys: For the prosecution. John e.
Woodland. of Wilson,: Don Gillian. az
Tarb0IO: Walter F.. Daniels. of Wei
don; a.. W. Graham, of Oxford. and
II. Z. Norris. OF Raleigh and for The
defence. James II. POu. AreU & Shat
fer, ". II. Day, J. G. l.. Harris, w. n.
Jones and ]. y. Holding. all CT Ral-.Ch.
The contest between these men will be
There is splenuid ability
stubborn determination and
fulraSs on either side. Most Of theSR
men have won fame and G,Cry 1T the
North Carolina par. Many of tha
names are well known from Cherokee
to CurrituCk- The cOunse on either
side IS backed by wealth and influence
HAYWOOD and his friends will make a
dOeged fight for his freedom. Will" the
prosecution will fight to convict him
Of murder in the first d-gree. The
state will contend hat the defendant
shot II killed Skinner Wilfully. With
malice, after delibeTatiOn and Drem9dl
tatiOu: while the defence will claim
that Haywood shot in self-dcfen"e. af>
Ter being knocked down hF skinner.
vino was in the act of drawing his Lis
tCI.
WILL THERE BE HABEAS CORPUS
PROCEEDINGS
Many people here are asking them
selves if there viii be an application
for d writ of habeas corpus. The
counsel for the defence are too smart
"a show their hand. Mr.. FOu. who Is
looked upon as the manager of the
case for the defence. is always equal
TO any emergency. but no can ever
tell what his weapons of war are load
ed with until the battle is on. 1t IS lot
generally believed here that haHeaS
corpus proceedings Will be instituted,
but nobody can sal positively l5nlit
this. for HaywOOd'S attorneys are say
ing nothing out of conference. Desir-
ing to be fair. in writing OF the case,
l went to Mr.. Pou and urged hin to
give me his side. but he refused 10 do
so saying that the defence would rot
give out anything before the case was
begun before a Judge Mr.. POu was
very pleasant and courteous, but cure
full. He gave me no encouragement
whatever. The statement published in
The Observer of last Tuesday will
staud for the defence. 1t fellows
as counsel for Mr.. Ernest Hay
wood. we think 1t proper that we
make this statement: The accounts, of
the unfortunate occurrence of Sttur-
day afternoon are incomplete and IN
accurate. Mr.. Haywood did not shoot
from behind. nor did he shoot all IN
suSpeCtinG man. On the contrary
there had been n personal alteration
between him and the deceased, beHur
by MIR. Skinner and in which Mr.. SKIN
ner struck Mr.. Haywood first and
Knocked him down. Both men Their
reached for their pistols and Mr.. H1y-
wood fired first not having stricken
blow
These facts will be proved by ner
u III 1 /" N@oNN 'A-O w."
eye-witnesSes. Among those who shW
the alteration is RObt. \. Simrns
Esq, and he saw Mr.. Skinner st~.kt
AIR. Haywood. Mr.. HAYWOOD Ia:
made no statement to his counsel o.
any other person rejecting on th'
character of any one; and he is i'll M
way responsible for any scandals rOV
being reported Or published"
II a writ of habeas corpus is aDDliet
for it will be vigorously resisted by
the prosecution. AS far as the puf liz
knows. the defence, up to date. relic!
on the testimony of Robert \
Simms. q highly respectable younE
lawyer of the Raleigh bar. who hai
asserted that he saw Skinner kHOcl
Haywood down. This statement. com
ing as it did two days after the kill
caused considerable comment. a nm
Der of voluntary witnesses. who Re
lieye they had an equal opportunity o
observing the occurrence with M
Simms, Will swear hat they saw NJ
blow pass. In talking with several mel
who know Simms Well l found that n,
is regarded as an honest man. On
man who was in college with min
said: IF Simms says he saw Skin
ner strike Haywood. l will believe il
He is = reliable man The man VII,
said tina does not live in Raleigh ant
has no connection whatever with tn
case. But, on the other hand tn
statement is challenged.
1t is thought by some, that. i ha
bels corpus proceedings are bAGur
the application viii be made not b"
fore Judge Henry Il. Bryan, who II
k.nsmau OF Mrs. Skinner. but b5fCr
one Of the associate Justices of the sr
prelne court. most likely Judge M1ri
gomery. This IS mere conjecture. l
any event the prosecution Is prepare
TO resist the writ and have but lirtl
fear that 1t would be granted.
I understand hat the coats worn b
Skinner. when killed. will lay an III
portant part. The ball that cause
death went through the lapels OF il.
OveTcoat and underCOat. How con;
this have been unless the 4 "er
drawn back by the arm to where IT
BAH went in the side? Skinner was let
handed and the holes are on the LEI
side. In reaching for his gun ShlnHt
r1TrHT IN 70 80 -7 tho 1HlTS in nos