The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-01
Will Adams Tracks the
Only Evidence.
MOTION TO DISMISS
Judge Brown Reserved Decision Pend
ing The Argument. Defense In
trCduced no Evidence. Spe-
ciaI Venire Exhausted in
Getting Jury.

The entire morning session Of the Su-
perior Court yesterday was occupied in
the selection of a jury for the trial of
viii Adams, the negro charged with the
murder c. a colored woman named Mary
Bridgers, and her little daughter Lille,
22nd. A special venire OF sixty men had
been summoned, and the entire venirc,
.,esides four of the regular panel of
jurors was exhausted before the jury was
finally empaneled the State exhausted
three of its peremptory challenges, the
defense twenty-five of Its twenty-three.
The State stood its one-tenth of the whole
venre. six in this case, at the foot OF
the panel. and two of the regular jurors.
There were twenty seven challenges for
cause.
The jury. as it was finally sworn in, is
as follows:
j. T. Hamlet, S. T. Leonard, 0. E. God
win, w. B. Knight. G. w. Ford. NJ. b..
Butts. William Edwards, Hinton Stephens,
r. H. Sanders. L. f. Womble. r. E. VIII
Hams and C. d. Upchurch.
When court re-convened after dinner,
mary of which is given below. The case
appears to hinge largely upon the identity
OF the footprints in the vicinity Of the
crime. The little boy OF three years, who
recovered frcm the terrific blow dealt him
at the time, was of course, too young to
testify and the words of the little girl
accusing VIII Adams just before her death,
could not be used III evidence.
After the evidence was all in, Mr. W.
b. Snow, of counsel for Adams, made a
molten that the case be dismissed. on
the ground that not sufficient evidence
had been adduced to Justify the case be-
ing allowed to go TO the jury. He con-
tended that only a strong suspicion OF
guilt had been shown, and proceeded to
review the evidence in an argument OF
some length on his motion, But Judge
Brown said lie would think it over AID
III the meantime the argument before the
jury could go on.
Mr. Charles IT, Harris opened the argu-
ment for the defense dwelling upon the
fact that the evidence was entirely CIR
cumstantiaI and reviewing briefly the
circumstances upon which the State de-
pended The chain must exclude all rea
sonable doubt of the prisoners guilt, the
burden being upon the State to show that
Mr.. Harris quoted some instances OF cir
cumstantial evidence, notably IN the 1O6th
n. c. at p. 701, Justice never requires
the sacrifice of a victim" declared Mr.
Harris in concluding.
Solicitor Armistead jones followed Mr..
Harris, and took up the evidence care
fully, TO show how it pointed as ccnclu-
sively as ci.cumstantial evidence could
point TO Adams. Mr.. Jones was suffering
from a severe cold, and was compelled to
address the jury sitting IN a chair. II
was extremely difficult fer him. to speak
with his accustomed vigor. On this ac-
count Mr.. j. Newton holding is assisting
him in the prosecution of this case.
To-day it is expected that Mr. Elmer
f. Shaffer ard Mr.. w. Is. Snow Will argue
TO the Jury for TIE defendant, and Mr..
Holding for the State.
THE EVIDENCE.
The summary of the evidence is as fol-
lows:
Robert Bridgers, the husband OF the
dead woman, was the first witness called
Tor the State He testified that the last
time he had seen his wife alive was Fiji
day morning, on that day in January
when the killing was done. He LETT that
morning. coming to- Raleigh to sell load
of pine straw. When he got back late IN
the afternoon, he called his wife number
of times to c5me and take out his mule,
while he went after a COW he had brought
home and which had broke loose from him.
No answer came. Then he went into the
house, and saw his two children the girl
was on the bed and the little boy near the
fireplace. They were all bloody and he
nearly tainted. He rushed out cut the
gear Of his mule and rode with his gun to
his neighbour, Sid Hall. Together they go
back to the house with Halls two sons.
and they find tracks leading from the