Evening journal., 1903-03-26
Mr.. WARDS GREAT PLEA

Spectators Shiver.
Staff Correspondents Evening Journal.
Georgetown. March 26.-The master
ly address Of Attorney-General H. H.
Ward yesterday afternoon was the
feature which marked the end of the
trial of Elmer Collins, who for nine
days has lbaen on trial here for the mur-
der of his wife. He did not attempt
to soar into high flights of oratory, but
gave plain and matter-of-fact state
ment of the case as it appeared to him
from the evidence produced. He drew
his deductions from it. 1t was the most
masterful effort ever heard In Sussex
county, and there was not a person
in the room who did not feel the force
of it. He did not appeal to the senti-
ment emotion or prejudice Of the jury
men.
Mr.. Wards description Of the murder
was the most realistic thing of the
whole trial. and as he went over his
theory fitting in the pieces of evidence
in their proper places. the spectators
could almost see the crime being COM
mitted before their very eyes. When
he came to the most horrible part
where the blows were rained on the
head of the defenseless woman. and
when he described how her throat was
cut most Of those in the room shivered.
| The women in the court room, and most
of the crowd was composed Of women.
fairly shook. but still they sat in
their seats, their eyes glued on the
prosecuting officer as he illustrated
with the iron bar or hatchet how in
his opinion the woman was killed.
Appealed to Emotion.
On the other hand the address OF
Robert c. White for the prisoner, was
emotional. Several times he stopped
] to wipe tears from his eyes and dweli
at length on the great harm that would
lte done should the wrong man be sent
Ito the gallows. Walking up and down
inside the railing he drew a picture OF
the Judgment scat, and the punishment
that would be given the jury by the
Great Judge should they appear with
the blood of Collins ON their hands. In
this strain Mr.. White spoke for two
hours and three-ouarters.
witness Hated to Leave.
After Mr.. Ward had finished his ad
dress last evening Chief Justice LORE
read the brief charge to the jury. Th'
crowd yesterday was not as large a.
on the previous days. Many of the wit
nesses went homes but a number stayet
TO hear the closing speeches, and the.
/, say they were we'll repaid. As a rul'
! the men were anxious to get back t
their farms, but il was the women wh,
wished to stay until the finish. DURING
the noon recess numbers of the womel
witnesses spent the time in tn,
Georgetown shops spending the witnes
fees.
, Collins looked worse than any da.
yet He sat with his head leaning bacl
on the railing. His face had a cadever
GUS look, and he seemed to fully real
ize by what a slender thread his lif
was hanging.
Opening of Court.
Court met at 2.30 O'Clock yesterda.
afternoon, and Mr.. White took up tn
thread of his address when the couT
adjourned for dinner at noon.
He said in part:
: DeJectlNe frtlnclSs In order TO Vindl
cate himself and cover his own ineffi
cheney, went away to Maryland and go
s Wrotten. He knew he was a jail-lbirC
It is terrible for an officer of the Stat
] to do this.
May Rhoads' testimony is a calamit
$ to the people of this county. That
q woman like that. of her charactel
( should be so brought before the publ
d eye is appalling. She is a self-confesse
parlot. She did not move among re
spectacle society. People have aske
why we did not impeach her testimon.
Respectable men and women do nC
s talk to- her. How could we impeac
- lher testimony? Remember how he al
y peared on the stand. The ordeal ha
been terrible one. but he has bee
!, resting on the arm Of God. Who az
the contending parties? The State d'
tectives on the one hand FIGHTING fc
= his life and his father and friends o
: the other. You cannot say as Pilot dii
sI wash my hands" You are ii
r. liudge. It is within your power TO sen
e him to his Maker. This is a duty &C
$ has imposed upon you to sit in tn
+" case and show your devotion to him.