The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-30
Contention of State and
Defense in Murray
Killing.
Eye Witnesses Differ as TO lust What
Did Take Place, and This Means
Fight Will Be Hard
Especial to News and Observer

Especial to News and Observer
| Durham. n. c.. Nov. 29.-Since the
abatement of excitement over the ter
rible tragedy of last Friday when j. S
| Murray was istantly killed and W. r.
Murray, his nephew was held in custo-
| dy until the decision to allow bail
which was furnished in the sum OF
twenty thousand dollars, was reached
all interest now centers in the trial OF
! this case. 1t promises to be a great
| legal battle, in which the time of the
court will be taken for at least four
days, probably six.
! Just when the case will be tried is
an interesting question now? NeXr
week Superior Court will be held in
this county with Judge Henry Il.
Bryan, of New Bern, on the bench.
This Will be Il one week term, ana
there are a large number of cases
on docket, among them being some
thirty-five or forty Jail cases. BY the
time these cases are disposed of the
week will be well advanced ana the
only way in which the Murray trial
can be reached will be to take it up
the latter part of the week and con-
tinue the court into the next week,
or until sucn time as a decision mas
been reached. win this be done
That is the question.
The counsel for w. +. Murray say
that they are ready and anxious for
a speedy trial. Self-defense will be the
plea or else the pleadings will be that
w. r. Murray did not do the shooting
but that the pistol was fired while
in the possession of the deceased dur
ing the scuffie. On one of these pleas
! the counsel for the defendant believe
that there will be an acquittal as soon
as the evidence can be threshed
through by the court.
On the other hand the State claim.
that w. r. Murray fired the fatal shot.
II will be contended that after the de-
PENDANT had disarmed the deceased
that there was no necessity of him
continuing the fight. These are the
contentious that will be advanced by
the two sides.
There will be large number of wit
nesses. The killing was done on Main
street, at an hour when there were a
great many people stirring. There was
a quarrel that attracted attention and
then four shots, during which time
and shops had time to run out and
see the bloody tragedy. Then there
had been a long drawn out fued be-
tween the men and this had attracted
attention prior to the fatal shooting.
IN all probability both men had dons
much talking and people heard them
talk. This fact Will draw a large
number. 1t is safe to say that no
less than one hundred witnesses will
be summoned before the court. The
number may be even larger than the
figures given.
In the trial of the case there will be
a brilliant array of able counsel. For
the defense the following counsel have
been employed: Messrs. II. b. Boone
Percy Reade, V. S. Bryant r. w. Win
ston. j. S. Mainline and II. A. Foushee.
Mr.. Boone has long been Mr.. Murray S
counsel and it is said that he either
saw the fatal fight or his Attentions
was attracted so that he reached
there about the time j. S. Murray
died. He was in charge of the case
from that moment and almost imme-
diately associated with him the other
counsel, who are known as brilliant
and able lawyers.
The family of the deceased employ