The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-11-01
h ,uddllnx tho brains Of the defenders

ara fuddling the brains Of the defenders
OF McCue.
When Mr.. Lee was asked this evening
gff tho conferences concerned this matter
no nnswerea In the language quoted above
that tho conferences concerned nilmbe;
OF matters. He would say absolutely
nothing else FOR publication, but the EN-
tire town knows that the situation IS
practically as 1t Is described above.
Prom the viewpoint Of The defense, eitil-
cr course is bad. II Is d question OF which
Il tbe least bad. This article has already
s pointed out the probable decision that
nrevails at this moment, Tomorrow VIII
show II the conditions lave beau re-
versed.
For the Defense.
nut little can be said OF the first day
for the defense. On the whole, no session
fof Inc court since the trial began was so
devoid of strong points Of human IN
tcrest.
/ rlint Of two OF blcssld humor that
wos n delightful relief from the sombre
4. ,ile t,ha. has colored the entire affair
showed Itself late in the day, but as tor
as; Tie session as 4 q whole, 1t could scarce
ly5bn called moderately Interesting. much
,sl.ss exciting. The only possible feature
and this was scored by the prosecution
Vas I, tell tale letter from Willie Mcsne
20 his aunt, who Is a sister OF the MUIR
dered woman This letter was written
sometime ago
rhc aunt lives in Athens. Ga, and when
she read OF N-iiles sweeping denials. she
enclosed the letter tnder a special dcnV-
ery cover to Ernest Crwford. 1t reached
here Sunday and was introduced as soon
as court opened to-day. Regarded oy ~
self, there IS nothing so siartllng IN ~
Z s. =, Nat l,u
before. It's half-uttered thoughts are sls-
nificant to say the least.
~ am flshting one of the greatest bat
Ties now said the boy to his aunt.
am among ali my fathers people anu they
wonder why took such step IN TINS
case. have only ono thing to live for
now. my little sister.
The defense tried to keep It out, but the
court admitted it for the purpose Of I'M
peachins the son, not as eidenceS against
the father. Z.
80 Inpeach Crawford.
The work of tho defense itself was d.
rected along two broad lines, the m
nenchment OF Ernest Crawford. and the
establishment Of the cordially Of the re-
Iationship between McCue and his wlfe+
How we'll 1t succeeded In either direction
must be gathered from the detailed re-
port of the evidence.
By4 o'clock In the afternoon the case
for the defense had been practlcallS IN
ished. q confirmation Of the previous
statement in these columns that 1t Is
relying chiefly upon what It gained III
the course of the prosecutions dayl IT
tbo question OF the appearance or MIC
Cue had not required such careful con-
sideratlon, the end would have been
reached to-day. AS It Is, Mr.. Lee him
self says he will be through by noon TO-
morrow.
Assuming that there will be little or
Z no rebuttal, the argument of instruc-
lions will consume the remainder OF TO-
morrow, and possibly all Of Wednesday.
The argument will begin Thursday 70
continue possibly three days. This VIII
bring the case up to Saturday. Beyotiu
this, no one cares to predict. 1t IS inn
possible to say how long the jury VIII
take to reach a verdict.
The writer of this heard man say to-
day that if he We're NrcCue and actually
stood upon the galows condemned to die,
the most depressing thought that would
come to him would be this: That OF all
those who looked curiousy on, not one.
believed in him, and would stand up for
him before u crowd.
Without Friend.
1t is the truth, and a remarkable one.
McCue In his cell. Is u man without
friend. Murderer. or not, he is anso-
%lutely utterly, irretrieyably blasted. In
my entire connection with the case, l
have not met ono single solitary indivld-
ual willing TO express belief in the In
nocence of the eX-Mayor From one end
of The State to the other, the case Is
being discussed as no case was ever dis
cllssed before, and it is the same every
where. The unanimty Of sentiment is
astounding and impressive. 1t is a COM
mentary upon the case that is almost ir-
resistible in it's force
In Charlottesville to-day are men who.
would almost give a span of life to know
how the tide lJlll turn ut The li.lIsl.. 4Ail5
depends upon the jury. and all are frank
to admit that the jury is all unknown
quantity.
The people Of Albemarle. to a man, be-
lieve that McCue is guilty, and do not
hesitate to say SO. But the strength of
each side, which has been pointed out
before, and the unavoidable failures of
the Commonwealth III some particulars,
furnish ground for very grave doubts.
The very verdict. may. be anything from
an outright aeduittal 40 q hung jury. or
conviction 1t is not easy to say what
might happen If McCue should be ac-
quilted and should appear upon the
streets Of Charlottesville again as a free
man.
The prisoner was apparently again in
cheerful mood to-day. But he is not
as fresh looking as he was when he be-
gan. His face Is thinner and he looks
worn. His family are constantly with
him In the court room. When the jury
went to his brothers house to-day and
received the testimony of DR.. McCue's
sick wife, the accused broke down. and
wept again.
~ nN11n DAxI ny Hn11nHN