Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-11
SEES JET WITH A PISTOL
Witness Describes karcum's Death in Ken
tuOky Fsud Murder
REMAINS SILENT THROUGH FEAR OF LIFE
Court is Told Even saw All, but re
Trained from Talking 20 Save
Himself from Friends
Fate.

JACKSON. Ky. June 10.-In the Marcum
murder trial today Attorney onall for the
defense moved to set aside the entire jury
panel as Irregular. Judge Redwine over
ruled the motion.
Commonwealth Attorney Byrd in outlin-
ing the case said he would prove that
White and Jett entered into a conspiracy
to kill Marcum and that Jett fired the
shots, having been seen by a witness whom
he would produce.
B. ]. Even, the first Witness testified to
standing beside Marcum when he was shot.
Just before the shooting Tom White passed
by and Marcum said: "Im afraid of that
fellow; he means to do me harm" An
instant later witness heard a pistol crack
Marcum, who had his arm on witness
shoulder, released his hold and dropped to
the floor exclaiming; "Oh, Lord they have
killed me-"
Witness looked back and saw Curtis Jett
with pistol gripped in both hands.
IT then fed" witness continued, "as I
thought that It was I who he was after
when a second shot was fired"
Fear Keeps witness silent.
On redirect examination he said fear for
his own safety prevented him allowing
Callahan end Hargis to know what he had
seen. This statement from a deputy sheriff
of the county, who he's lived a prisoner in
his home through fear and been under
military guard when awake or asleep for
several weeks, produced a visible impress
sion in the court room.
Even told of making a search of the
courthouse shortly after the assassination
and finding no one. He had seen the as
sassin, but dared not say so.
Attorney ]. c. Bache. the next witness,
said he saw White come out of the court
house as described by Even and saw Even
look back when the first shot was fired
Attorney John Patrick said five minutes
before the assassination he saw Jett and
White conversing in front of the court
house. He saw Jett go into the court
house several minutes before the shoot
Ing. moment after Marcum fell he saw
Jett leave the courthouse by a side door.
Later he saw Jett and White walk to the
bridge and there saw them talking with
Mrs. Marcum johnson, Marcum's sister
He was corroborated by Kelly Kash, who
occupied the same law Office.
County Attorney w. II. Blanton said he
was standing with Sam Taulbee when the
shots were fired. He could not see the
assassin.
The last witness of the day was William
Combs, wealthy farmer. He said Jett
came out of the side door of the courthouse
soon after the shooting and walked toward
the jail. Other witnesses had said Jett
walked in the opposite direction.
In the morning when the witnesses were
ordered from the courtroom, attorneys for
the defendants asked that County Judge
Hargts be allowed to remain. On the OBJ
teotions of attorneys for the commonwealth
being sustained, Judge Hargis retired with
the ether witnessk3 f,y
Says Jett Admitted Deed. .s.
Tonight Mrs. Mary johnson, sister of the
murdered attorney, made startling state
ment. In his address this morning Mr.
Byrd said 1t would be proved that Jett ad-
mitted to Mrs. Johnson that he killed
Macrum. In the evidence this afternoon he
said Jett and White were talking to Mrs.
Johnson at the bridge. Mrs. Johnson to-
night confirms what Byrd said would be
her testimony, adding that she feared to
tell this earlier, believing she would be as
sassinated.
'"As / was returning home after the kill
ing" she said, "I was overtaken by Jett
He spoke to me and said: 'Jett, did you
kill my brother? He replied: L did, but
Hargis money made me do it." He said he
was going to leave the country. Then Tom
White came up and 1 asked him II he had
anything to do with the murder, and he
said he was there, but did not fire the
shot"
Byrd says other witnesses will testify
that Jett admitted that he killed Marcum.
On objection of the commonwealths at
torney the jury was not taken back to the
home of Louis Hargis tonight and will be
boarded at the ArllnRto hotel They are
guarded by Elisor Jones, his deputies and
dafan ~ snldiaro