Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1903-10-29

Shelton announcing that a night
session would convene at Z o'clock
to expedite the trial. Coal oil
lamps were procured and lamp
shades improvised out Of pieces Of
paper, in which holes we're made.
Former Sheriff Nelson, of Au-
drain county, was one of the first
witnesses called at the night ses-
sion. He told Of having parted
Rhodes Clay and Barnes in a
court house fight. Witness stated
that Clay had struck or slapped
Barnes.
Miss Maude Wallace, a society
editress, testified that she saw
Clay strike Barnes several times
on the back of the head.
Miss Alberta Jordan testified
that she saw a fight between Clay
and Barnes on or about June B,
1902; that Clay struck Barnes, and
that another man running across
the street, held Barnes hands be-
hind him. whereupon she said,
Clay struck Barnes several times
in the face.
Mrs. Etheridge says she was
passing close enough to hear
Barnes say:
Don't follow me. l don't want
to have any trouble with you"
Troy, Oct. 22-The register of
the Ringo Hotel in Mexico was
presented this morning as evil
dence for the defense in the MUIR
der trial of Clarence A. Barnes,
accused of killing Rhodes Clay.
The defense was trying to prove
that the young representative of
Audrain county was out on a
spree" and had gone to the hotel
the night before the killing in
stead of going home and had reg
istered under an assumed name.
The states attorney succeeded in
preventing the register from being
introduced. The judge himself
asked for the book and it was tax
en- up to his bench and the lawyers
pointed to the name of John Ly-
ons' as that signed by MIR. Clay
the night before the killing. The
register was also passed among the
members of the bar and some Of
the spectators stood up in their
seats to see what name Clay had
assumed, if he had assumed any.
1t is victory for the state in
keeping the book away from the
jury.
The evidence in what is called
the street fight" between Clar-
ence and Latney Barnes and
Rhodes Clay before the killing Civ
en- at the trial in the city court at
Mexico, was introduced by the de-
fense to show that Clay had, in
progress of this trial, threatened
to kill the defendant and had
cursed him in open court. The
judge examined this evidence and
refused to admit that part refer
ring to the alleged threat, which
was considered a strong point for
the defeuse. The state cOntended
that Clay had said he had tried to
kill Barnes in the street fight, but
did not threaten to kill him. The
defense has witnesses to prove
that Clay had been drinking the
day of the fight.
l.. B. Barnett, K. w. Rodgers.
Louis Shootman, John Walker
and George Brock testified that
they had seen him drinking beer
and soda water the day of the
tragedy. ii. T.. Turner, a news
paper man, testified that he talked
with Clay few minutes before
the killing and told him that
he (Clay) was drinking again. He
had told Turner before going to
the Legislature that he was not go
ing to drink while at jefferson
City He did not as far as known
but drank after he returned to
Mexico, and the day Of the killing.
The defense intends to close this
afternoon. The state win then put
on witnesses in rebnttal. The
case may not reach the jury be-
fore tomorrow night.
The defendant himself was one
of the last witnesses put on the
stand. Barnes testified that he did
not see George Morris, the st.
Louis jewelry salesman, in No
vember, 1900, and that he did not
tell Morris that he intended to
, kill Clay if he ever made another
move at him. Judge Shelton re-
fused TO give manslaughter in-
J struetions. The most important
II instruction was that Barnes had