Evening journal., 1904-05-27
PRISONERS DID
NOT TESTIFY
Joiner and Brinte on Trial
for Murder Were Not
Put on Stand
ACCUSED ARE BREAKING DOWN


Addresses Made by Deputy Attorney
General Richards, Mr. Townsend and
Mr.. Hastings.
Many spectators who ewnt to the
county court house this morning with
the expectation Of hearing Walter
Brinte and John Joiner, on trial FOR the
murder OF John r. Taylor. testify on
the stand, We're disappointed. Daniel
O. Hastings and Sylvester ID. Town
send. Jr., counsel for the two men, had
no defense whatever to OFFER as both
the accused had made confessions.
They, however, had been thinking Of
putting the witnesses on the stand In
thier own defense, but when court
opened this morning they had decided
not to do so and notified the court they
had no defense.
A strong effort IS being made to save
the life Of Brlnte. who is nothing more
than a boy and who is supposed to
have been led into the commission Of
the crime by Joiner, who is looked upon
as the principal Mr.. Hastings In his
prayer sasked the court to Instruct the
jury that il they find that Brinte only
stood by and saw Joiner murder Tay-
lor that does not make hih an accom-
plce and he should be acquitted.
Mr.. Townsend on behalf Of Joiner.
asked the court TO instruct the jury
as to confessions and that II they think
it was made under any inducement to
disregard it.
Addressing Court.
3 Counsel for the accused men will ar
que to the jury. Deputy attorney Gem
eral Richards made the first address.
Mr.. Richards took up both confessions
and argued on them to the jury. He
argued that the confessions show that
1t had been prearranged between the
two men to kill Taylor. They knew he
said that the murdered man man had
s26 on his person and killed him to get
this money.
Accused Men Scared.
Z All the time Mr.. Richards was talk.
s ing Joiner hardly moved a muscle and
: sat in the dock with his head down
p Brinte also had his head down mos
Of the time but occasionally looked ul
q az Mr. Richards or the jurors. Boil
men seen. to be on the verge Of break
4 ing dcwn Mr.. Richards talked -
a a0out h7H al hour.
Townsend Talks to Jury.
1 S. d. Townsend. Jr.. counsel for Join
= er, followed Mr. Richards and mad'
r an excellent plea for the life of hii
client Mr.. Townsend talked at length
IN regard to the blanket which thu
weight Is said to have been wrapped IL
: when Taylor was struck the fatal blow
He asked why the state had not pro
duced this blanket, which was yer,
important thing in the case.
He contended that the object OF tn
% prisoners in wrapping the elevato
weight in the blanket. was so that the!
. could knock Taylor out enough to ge
% his money. but without injuring hin
a seriously. Mr.. Townsend next took ul
70 the confession OF Joiner and said It wa
70 plain to everyone that the languag
10 contained in the confession was no
% that Of an ignorant negro. but hal
20 been doctored by the police.
a Mr.. Hastings Talk.
Daniel o. Hastings talked to the jur,
. for nearly an hour. He also attacke
the confessions made to the police an
y said Brinte was no doubt scared int
making such a confession. Although
n he said the police asked Brinte ques
u tions, not one of the questions asked
n contained in the confession. He claim
ed that Brinte took no active part d
~ the crime and only accepted some O
the money taken by Joiner and too
:. one of Taylor's shirts.
~ 1t was 130 o'clock when Mr. Hast
= ings concluded his address. This after
y noon Attorney-General Ward will ar
y que for the State. after which tn
y court will make its charge. The jur
% will probably retire about o'clock.
y Continued on Fifth Page)