The Savannah morning news., 1904-11-10
TRUTH RECEIVED
SOME HARD JABS
TESTIMONY OF WITNESSES
IN ODOM BURGLARY CASE DECID-
EDDY CONTRADICTORY.

One Man Swore That Dog Seized
Defendant by Ear and Held Him,
but the Evidence of the Dog
Could Not BE Secured In COrrob-
OratiOn-Odo@'s Wife Lent Him
Her Moral support Through the
TriaI-Verdfct for Acquitted.
Truth received some hard jars yes
terday in the Superior Court during
the trial of the case against John
Odom, white man, charged with bur-
glarizing the store of Charles Cat
man.
Statements made by the prosecutor
and bv the defendant were direct con-
tradictions of each other. and the 9TH
er witnesses seemed to be imbued with
a desire to perform like juggling feats
with the crushed goddess.
The part which is probably most to
be regretted is the fact that two dogs,
who figured in the case. were unable
to give testimony. According to one
story one of these CANNES landed on
the ear of the defendant and held on
until the prosecutor took it away. The
dogs side of the story could not be
obtained, so the jury was left to de-
eide whether it would believe the pros
ecutor or the defendant. The verdict
was not guilty, indicating that they
picked the defendant. or were in doubt
and gave him the benefit of that doubt.
The prosecutor, Charles Gatman, was
the first witness called. He testified
that on the night in question. Odom
had gone to his store and asked to bor-
row so cents. The loan was refused,
and Immediately Odom stated he would
take it, Gatman then forced him from
the store.
Shortly after 1 o'clock of the same
night Gatman, who admitted he had
bought a pistol for the especial pur-
pose of perforating Odom if he should
return again, heard a crash in his
store. He hurried down and found
Odom, he said. with his head and
shoulders through a break in the win
dow. and one of the dogs of the pro-
prietor hanging to his ear. Odom was
cutting at the dog with knife, but
as yet had not connected.
Gatman then took broomstick and
knocked the knife from Odom's hand,
and called off the dog, he alleged.
Odom at once retreated, and later was
arrested at the request of Gatman.
He Had a Bad Ear.
Odom then took the stand in his own
behalf. He had a bad ear but he ex-
planned this by stating Gatman had
struck him there with an ak handle,
the blow being without provocation.
He also claimed Gatman drew re-
volver and announced the time had
come for Odom to shuttle off the coils
of mortality.
Odom denied having wanted to bor-
row a half dollar and on the contrary,
claimed he went to Gatman's home to
see friend. Gatman, he said, told him
to get out just as quickly as he could
and he at once Excused himself"
Then Gatman chased him down the
street and finally landed on his ear
with the AK handle. He denied that
Gatman's dog was responsible for the
| break in his ear.
Had Wife's support.
Mrs. Odom sat just behind her hus-
band and gave him just as much sup
port as she could. The first intimation
the court had that she was in the
room was when, during the testimony
of a witness, she was referred to as
the woman that keeps house for
Odom.'
I'm his wife," she exclaimed and
subsidized only when her husbands at
toneys, Messrs. Frank McIntire and
Dexter Bolunt, motioned her to be
quiet. During the remainder of the
trial she shook her head approvingly
whenever a bit of testimony favoring
her husband came out, and with Wig
orous head-mov ements contradicted
all testimony against him. Once or
twice she tried to get in some uncall-
editor testimony but her attorneys
managed to keep her quiet.
Some Strange Evidence.
The defense introduced several wit
nesses who swore they would not be-
lieve the prosecutor on his oath. The
first one called testified he wouldn't
believe him, but he couldn't testify as
to his general reputation
The second swore the mans reputa-
ton was such as to absolutely pre-
clude his being believed on oath. Later
he admitted Odom worked for him and
Gatman and himself had not been the
best of friends.
A third witness was then produced
who testified that from Gatmans rep
utation he could not believe him on
his oath. The state at once introduced in
evidence a letter that the witness had
written to the prosecutor in which he
addressed him as Dear friend Char
lie" The witness then qualified by
saying that the letter was written be-
fore he found out how bad Gatman
was.
The case went to the jury without
argument, and after few minutes
deliberation, a verdict of not guilty was
returned.
GROVES TASTELEss CHILL TONIC.