Hattiesburg daily progress. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 18??-1909, 1903-01-21
ets Up Insanity Plea
For EIOping With
IL BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER OF
preventative Milestone of Arkan
sas-The Prosecution
ERE IS NO DOUBT PROVES THAT
Was Married in Arkansas Sev-
eral Years Ago.

Port Gibson, Jan. 20.-Thls after
bn promptly at O'Clock, the bells
the county court house rang and
tongs of citizens and strangers from
road went toward the house of JUS
10. 1t was shortly after the above
ur when Judge Anderson called the
rt to order for the trial of Mason
ne, alias Rev. Jean Skyles, the cell
Eated bigamist who has coterie OF
YES reaching from Maine to Cali
mia.
rhe attorneys for the defense, who
Martin & Mcdonald, the latter
Em Memphis, Immediately filed an
blication for continuance, which
overruled. Court took a recess
ill 2 O'Clock, at which hour jury
empaneled composed Of citizens
this county.
The first witness on the stand was
M. Hatley, of Russelville, Ark,
o testified that Skyles had charge
the Christian church of that city,
b married Miss Rosa Pitts of Ar
nsas, who is now principal of a
blic school in that (Hope) county.
tley was at that time county and
bbate clerk, and it was his deruty
(rk who issued the marriage license
the above ceremony, which Ii
hse the defense attempted to show
hs illegal, owing to it having been
sued to an unauthorized clerk, but
court held the same to be law
ly issued.
'Dr. Lomax Anderson, one of Port
bson's best physicians, examined
accused and pronounced the man
ane or suffering from what is
led satyriasis, which dethrones
overpowers the mind. At times
ling the examination of witnesses
les would weep, especially when
misfortune of his brother, Lewis
e, was mentioned, who is now
ned in the insane asylum of Ten
be at Bolivar. His brother de-
lately walked into the Peabody
at Memphis some years ago and
a a man whom he had never seen,
BIZ at the time:
have been sent here by the
IS to kill man, and you are the
g. Myers, representative of
able Insurance Company of
us, and ex-Secretary of the
8 of Mississippi, was next put
b the stand in behalf of the de-
liant, and stated that he had known
les father, who resided at Holly
ngs at which place Meyers was
sheriff and that he, Skyles'
er, was man of many peculiari-
and very unreliable.
kyles is man of prepossessing ap-
rance and fascinating manners.
was proven that Skyles was a
lister of the gospel, he having
hched six weeks in Woodville
bn he eloped with Miss Theresa
etstone, on which charge he is
being tried.
lheriff Neilland, of Wilkinson
hty, said that he went to San An
10, Tex, to bring Skyles back, and
he had no trouble whatever on
route, and thought him man of
nd mind.
piece of poetry, or poem, writ
by Skyles, when he was young
inter- at the time, was sought TO be
reduced in evidence by the de-
dant to show that he was a man of
kuliarities at the time he was grow
up. The title to this piece OF
etry has a very suggestive idea, be-
entitled "A Feast of Twenty
ends.''
here were present witnesses on be-
of the state of Arkansas. some OF
were members of the chulci
hich Skyles presided when ht
t Russelville, one of them, A.
nard, the clerk of the church,
are was also number of promi-
en- from Woodville, Wilkinson
the place from which Skyles
with Miss MILESTONE. All Of
htlemen testified that Skyle'
dot show any sign of insanity
EN- he was either in Arkansas or a
bodyille, and they all spoke of hin
an exceedingly smart man, beins
ne preacher.
The defense's only hope is to ge
ir man off on the insanity theory
at will be. left with the jury Il
ide whether or not he is sane.
The testimony was concluded thi
ernoon and an adjournment of ceur
held until tomorrow morning
bn argument will be made By tn
q and defense, and the case vii
o the Jury.