The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-17
A. J. STOKES ON TRIAL
COURT ROOM WAS FILLED WITH
 NEGROES.
Preacher and Negro Women Who are Accused of Shooting William Binford Told the Same
 Story of Affair.

Evidence in the assault to murder cases against A. J. Stokes, Frazzie AL len and Lottie Inge was heard in the criminal division of the City Court of
 Montgomery yesterday, Judge William II. Thomas presiding. The testimony will be finished today and the arguments gone into by the attorneys.
 Stokes, who is negro preacher. and the two women are charged with mur- derous assault on William Binford. negro attache of the office of the Judge or Probate. on January IT..
 It will be remembered that at the time Of the assault the Allen woman declared that she had shot Binford in self defense and that neither Stokes nor Lottie Inge
 were involved. As soon as Binford was
 abl etc speak he declared that the shot
 that came so near ending his life was
 fired by Stokes. the pastor of the Colum-
 bus Street Baptist Church. The scene yesterday in the court room was novel one. In every place in the groes there were negroes A number of white people also heard the entire pro- ceedings. The negroes were evidently di- vided in their sympathy. When a bit or evidence contrary to the interest of | the defendants was Introduced, a hum | Of approval arose from one side of the court room. If point was gained by the defense, the Stokes faction, on the oppo-
 site side of the room. murmured it's ap- l proval. The bailff was repeatedly re- quired to sound the warning ''order in court"
 One negro. after repeated admonitions | from the court. laughed outright at a point brought out by counsel, for which | he was sent to jail for the remainder of | the day by Judge Thomas. | Binford went on the stand early in the | day. His evidence was that on the night | of the shooting. he went to the home of
 Frazzie Allen and was met at the door by | Lottie lnge. The Inge woman, he says,
 attempted to keep him out of the house
 and failing, ran to the room in which Stokes and the Allen woman were and
 told them of Binford's presence The | lnge woman, according to Binford. then grappled with him. In the scuffle which | followed the door to the room of Frazzie Allen was forced open Binford entered | and testified that he was seized by Stokes | and the woman. A fight ensued. Then 1t was that Binford says Stokes drew and | fired his pistol Binford returned the fire and at length fell unconscious from his I wounds.
 The testimony of the three defendants was similar in every detail It's substance was that Binford entered the house of Frazzie Allen on trouble bent, had fired | on the Inge girl. had broken into the room of the Allen woman and after firing | on her and Stokes was himself shot down..
 Who shot Binford?" asked Solicitor Dent of the Allen woman in the least i'm passioned of voices.
 "I shot him." she replied in the same tones and with no change of expression, The defendants testified that they held | no conference after the shooting and that no one was refuse admttance to the house.
 A negro dining car waiter contradicted this evidence. He was the first man on the scene after the shooting and he testified that he was refused admittance for a pe-
 riod long enough for the defendants to consult.
 Evidence was introduced by the State to prove the bad character of Stokes.
 The court did not adjourn until well after o'clock.