The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-03-17

no. Nothing uncommon, nave You
He said Eyes. ! asked him what i
was. He said heard they were try
ing to saddle this thing on mel
said you certainly don't mean that.
He said That's what a friend o
mime told me in church.
Q:-What did you do then?
Al looked him square in the
face. and he said, You needn't lool
at me like that. It's true that the
report is out 1 said well, every tub
stands ON its own bottom. You know
Lee Rountree and l know Lee Carl
gan, and you know Mr.. ROuntree
whether or not you are guilty.
Q:-Did he say he was not guilty?
A:-No.
Q:-Have you talked with him since
that time.
| AYES, several times
Q:-Did he ever say he did not kill
| ReavesY
A:-No. have no recollection of it
Q:-Have you ever heard nay one else
accused of the crime?
A:-Yes. / have heard several say
they thought maybe it was E. E.
Tucker.
JOHN ROUNTREE
was then called, and c. J. Mckee and
Joe Trimble were put under the rule.
Witness was an uncle of defendant
Was one of the three men retained in
the room by permission of the court
to advise defendant. Had worked up
the case for defendant. Denied that
he had gone to Charley Rountree s
house and told defendant that he was
going to Reaves house too much.
Q:-Did you not call upon Mr.. Rus
sell, Joe BuIcham and Jim BuIcham
to 60 down to a Gel tain barn where
you would have an postum, and did
you not propose to them that you
would kill the o'possum, put the blood
en- a cloth and send 1T to Kentucky to
be sent from there to DR.. Leroy to be
analysed by him?
A:-No / didn't see it, / heard
something about it. I heard that they
did go, but that Russell and Burcham
refused to have anything to 90 with
it,
On cross examination witness stated
that after the third meeting of the
coroner's jury he haeId that Rountree
was suspected of the killing and advised
him not to go around there any more.
He replied that his friends and a num-
br of those on the coroner's jury had
told him to ignore the Iumors In
regard to the o'possum trick witness
had nothing to do with II. but under
stood it was done with view to test
DIR. LeIoy's ability. Defendant and
heaves had been the best of friends.
and were partners in several business
transactions Before this trouble came
up he had never heard that there was
any wrong in defendant going to the
house of Reaves Mrs. Reaves visited
the best families in he neighborhood.
On denomination witness was asked
If 1T was not matter of general re-
pute in the community that RountIee
was too intimate with Mrs. Reaves
He replied that 1t was not
Q:-Havent you heard since Mr.
Reaves death that Mrs. Reaves was a
woman OF bad repute.
A:-Yes, / heard a IumoT to that
effect after Reeves death, and That
she was too intimate with several
men. but never found man yet who
said he knew it.
JOE TRIMBLE
One of the turee men permitted to
~
sion OF the court Had done every
thing in his power for Rountree. In
regard to the o possum incident, wit
ness said that he bought the O. possum.
and went to Lunn McKee's with he
of killing the opossum TO
get the blood. Mckee had asked Jno
Burcham and Russell to come. Russell
came but asked to be excused. Their |
VuuG I'm fnof
only. Mr. Hatcher. counsel for the
defense, had suggested the idea. He
said that there was but one man in |
Tennessee who could tell the difference
between human blood and any other
kind Mr.. Hacher was to send the
blood off to be tested
On Gloss examination witness said
that when it was decided to try this
hat Mr.. Hatcher had saio that it was
70 test Dr. Leroy 8 skill. and fol- moth
ing else that the blood was to be sent,
and it was agreed at the time that the
,ole object was to get the truth.
Q:-Was it not fact that the sole
object was to send the blood tC Leroy
70 that we could get an unbiased
opinion without his knowing that de-
'endant or his counsel had anything to
10 with it, and was it not so stated at
The time?
A:-Yes
RE-CROSS EXAMINATION.
Q:-Was not the ultimate of sending
he bic cd away to break down DR..
Leroy s testimony?
A:-No. 1t was to try his skill.
Columbus McKees testimony was in
,ffect the same as above.
W. J. JACOBS.
Mail carrier. Since Reayes death
Jaw defendant and Mrs Reaves in the
,acK yard of Reaves place. When
,e first saw them they were ten OF
welve feet apart. she was going
owards him. She raised and opened
lei arms as he got close to heI.
DIR. G. A. FORGEY
sstified to the reputation of Dr.. Leroy.
W. j. MCKNIGHT.
~ l. 1s1Ea dnwa stt