The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-10-18

They approached the tank from the
direction of the blacksmith shop and
left. returning in that direction.
a. Santee was placed or the wit
ness stand. but his version Of the diff
ferent periods of time injured the
states side. if it had any effect on the
case. He testified to having seen
Mary Wocten. This was subsequent
to her conversation with Brown and
Sellers at a point in n of the potatoe
patches of his farm-a distance Of n
quarter of a mile from the Packer
home. He conversed with her about
an hour and after she a departed
he heard the screens of a woman n
this was al hour after Mary left him.
STATE CLOSES IT'S CASE.
The state closed it's case at $50
o'clock and %counsel for h defense
then asked for a recess to enable them
to consult. Such a recess was grant
ed and taken until 1880 o'clock.
THE NIGHT SESSION.
At the opening of the night session.
which lasted bout one hour and Il
half, Col. Kerr entered a demurrer
to the states case, which was over
ruled and the argument then COM
menced. r. H. Lyon, Esq, opened
for the defense and he made a fine
appeal for the %acQuittal of h pris-
oners. He briefly reviewed the tes-
timony, making timely n logical
comments and implored the jury to
disrel all feeling in the case. He said
the evidence was entirely insufficient
to secure a conviction and hat other
negroes beside the defendants could
have committed the crime. Upon the
fac q No.. 8 shoe was a common one
for a negro to wear he laid great stress
as being too insignificant to weigh
against Sellers life. Mr.. Lyon is a
young man and his speech showed the
great depth of his thought.
! SOLICITOR LYONS ARGUMENT.
Solicitor c. c. Lyon started the
argument for h state. He spoke
until nine o'clock and will conclude
in the morning. His speech of course.
is his usual ecathing a~rraignment,
beautifully and logically expressed.
! He already has propounded some
. knotty problems. With his customary
vigor he recited the states conten-
ton that Sellers went to the kitchen,
! attacked Mrs. Packer and dragged her
to the wilderness. where he and
Brown outraged her. as according TO
DR.. Clark's testimony the woman
| was ravished several times. Then
one Of the brutes held her while the
| other one broke a fence rail and ac-
| compIished the finale fiendisll act. He
| got around the Mary Wooten testi-
mony about Sellers being barefooted
by ~contending h n Sellers returned
to the hut and PUT IN his shoes before
going 20 the Packer house az the
track az the water hole indicated. AS
to Santee, he threw out the suggestion
that he was an unwilling witness and
cited Mary Wooten's testimony TO
show Santee's error as to time. Clear
| ly he reasoned out the track. scars
"beggar lice" turpentine, knife. blood
! stained shirt, and other signs and said
that tho isolation Of the Packer
home and Browns n Sellers knowl-
edge that the young wife was alone
gave them the opportunity, their brute
lust furnished the motive and their
strength mad their means He con-
cluded for the session by asking II
these two eProe did not commit the
ghastly double crime. who had the
opportunity 10 do SO.
CHARGE WILL BE MADE TO-DAY,
Judge Ward will. probably COM
mence his charge about noon to-
morrow and IL will. nc doubt be an
able for he has shown himself 70
be a fearless presiding officer and a