The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-25
THRONES ATTEND THE PARIS TRIAL Chain of Evidence is Very
 Strong A. ]. BASS ON THE STAND Is Mail Clerk Who Was Wounded at the Time John T. Stockton Was Killed In A. G. s. Mail
 Car.
A. ]. BASS ON THE STAND
Car

Meridian, Miss, March 24-(special.)- The chain of evidence against James Paris for the murder of John T. Stockton is rapidly being forged and it is believed by tomorrow night all the testimony will be concluded and the jury will soon de- eide the fate of the negro whose chances for anything less than the hangnan's rope are considered utterly out of the question. Much time has been occupied with preliminaries but when the jury was completed today the trial proceeded rapid ly and was intensely interesting as at tested by the crowds that damned into the court room both morning and after noon.
 The whole machinery of the law was stopped in court this morning just be- cause one of the chief witnesses in the case chose to leave town, even after he had been told to remain here by the court officials. For this account T. B. Evans, mall wegher in the railway postal ser vice. will probably be summarlly dealt with by the court upon his return to the city tomorrow. Upon assembling court the selection of jurors was resumed and by Il o'clock the complete jury was form ed and accepted by both the state and the defense It was a comparatively easy matter to select the jurors today as few of them knew the details of the murder or had opinions on the subject:
 The Completed Jury.
 The complete jury was announced as follows: w. B. Dennis, A. J. Merritt, w. H. Marlborough, E. J. Culpepper, T. J. Morton J. W. Gilbert w. D. Coats A. H. Barefield, D. L. Bennett, J. B. Wsen- haunt, w. J. Henderson, T. J. Ellis.
 District Attorney Currie announced that A. J. Bass would arrive at 2:3O D. m from Trussvile, Ala, and therefore he would suggest that court be adjourned until D. m., at which time the testimony of Mr. Bass could begin. This was accordingly done.
 The circuit court room was packed al- most to suffocation in the afternoon when A. J. Bass, the mail clerk who was shot at the same time that Stockton was mur- dered took the stand, with his arm in a sling and still helpless, as the result of his wound.
 District Attorney Currie asked MT. Bass if he knew the defendant. He replied yes, that he shot John Stockton and him self on the morning of February 29 He then gave in detail the events of the trag- edy, stating that he vas in a mail car on the AIabam Great Southern train leaving Meridian and when about a mile from the station he heard a shot and turning, saw Stockton fall and a negro advancing toward him with pistol. The negro shot him in the shoulder and he fell, and as he fell the negro shot him again Bass said that he was uncon- scious few moments. then recovered and tried to stop the train.
 Uic as he went past the door after an at- tempt to stop the train with the bell cord, he saw the defendant hanging on to the side of the car. When defendant saw him he fell off. He never saw de- fendant agn until the next morning at Q o'clock at the jail The witness was closely cross-questioned by Captain Few ell of counsel for defense, who asked Mir Bass number of questions regarding the location of mail racks, equipment and doors of the mail coach.
 Adhered to Statements.
 No new facts were developed and the witness adhered to all his statements. identifying the defendant as the man who shot Stockton and himself. Captain Fewell asked Bass If he knew negro named Murray and he replied no. He was asked what calibre the pistol was that the as- sailant used. Bass replied that he could not tell the exact size, but 1t was of large calibre. Witness was again taken by the district attorney and questioned regarding the clothing worn by defend- ant at the time of the shooting. Rass said that defendant wore an overeoat and light colored hat. He further stated some facts regarding the location of the doors of the car and their fastenngs Wit ness was excused after being on the stand little over an hour
 During all this time the defendant kept h lie beyond slight nervousness was unmoved by emotion of any kind
 Officer Moody Price on Stand. Officer Moody Price of the Meridian police force took the stand and detailed the arrest of Paris on the morning of the murder. He stated that he, l.. c. Monette and J. H. Herne, being informed of the murder, started out to look for the mur- derer and found Paris at the house of Warren Monroe about a half mile from | the scene of the murder, to which point | Paris was traced by bloodstains. Parts of letters and registry receipts were also found scattered along the bloody path. | Officer Price also exhibited a pearl-han- | dled Colts revolver, Al calibre, found be- | side the bloody trail with four empty cart | ridges and two loaded. The revolver he | said had the appearance of being freshly | fired A shoe for the right foot was also | offered as evidence. Price saying that he | had takin 1t from the foot of Paris. Officer Horne Called. Officer John H. Horne was next called. He detailed the account of the murder as he heard 1t soon after 1t occurred. He said that he and several others started out with dogs to find the murderer but could not succeed in the dark. Later he and the two previously mentioned officers found the defendant at the house of War ren Monroe. Horne said he found bloody sack alongside the bloody trail which was offered in evidence. He said that Paris told him he was riding on the tender or blind baggage and some white folks got to shooting in the car and he fell off and got his leg crushed Horne said he traced the trail of Paris back from the house to the railroad and found parts of some registered letters along the trail Horne stated that he first heard of the murder through T. B. Evans the mail weigher who jumped off the train and ran back to the depot and told Horne that the train had been held up. He then started out on the hunt for the mur- derer.
 Negro Witness on Stand.
 Gabe Holly. colored, was called and