The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-03-24
Continued From First Page.

himself, which should have gone to the
jury, i shall mean co cast no imputation
upon the State or its counsel.
"You have been told that circum
stantial evidence Is stronger than the
positive swearing of witnesses; or may
be so; but ] call your attention TO the
fact that the circumstances of this case
must ali be sworn to and substantiated
by human testimony; and every circum
stance OF the case, and the entire case
mast rely at last uron human testi-
mony. SO you, gentlemen of the jury,
have not only TO consider the oircum-
stance sworn to, but also to consider the
evidence itself as it falls from human
lips. And | would remind you that there
is nothing more deceptive than circum-
stances; and that unless they all agree,in
part and as a whole. they fall to the
ground as unworthy of belief. A truth
built up by circumstance. must be all
true, for there is no variation 10 the
truth. The very light Of heaven travels
in straight lines; truth never crosses it.
self;only the false ever crosses the truth
And under the law. and under your
oaths. every fact and circumstances must
be proven and established beyond a
reasonable doubt. and then the whole
must be likewise established beyond
every rea sonable doubt, so as to exclude
every reasonable hypothesis of the de-
fendant's innocence "And 10 that con
nsction You sh0u Id consider the defend
ant s chara cter and his environments.
and his RAISING. And l will saw to You
that in all my practice l have never
seen a m an's character 90 fully opened
and gone into p lis whole life is laid
hare from the very movement hls eyes
first looked upon the light of heaven.
And with the single exception of the oBe
SIN. the one yielding to the lust Of the
flesh, VIII ich rather than to swear falsely
he admits: with that single exception,
there is not flaw in his whole life. And
the Introduction Of that into this record
recalls to my mind the Bible story Of the
Master and the woman who was brought
to him BY the scribes aud pharisees, the
lawyers and hypocrites; and they said
to the Master. Master. this woman was
taken in adu terry: and according to the
law OF Moses che should be stoned:wh
say you chat wa do with herr And a.
the woman stood shame faced, cowed
and Trembling befor her accusars, the
Master wrote upon the eand while the
lawyers and hvpocrites accused her;
and hen they were dome he lifted bis
face and said unto them let him that
is without SIN cast the first stone And
they skunk away, the lawyers and the
hypocrites, every one OF them.
The speaker said this with force
and earnestness and energy that eIoctrI-
fed the audience. and there was a rio.
pie of applause when be rounded his
period.
And | would lay his up,n yonr
eouls,'' he said addressing himself to
the Jury: "consider his one sin IL YOU
will, but consider his entire life as
we'll /"
He was horn and reared in one of the
fairest sections of Marry County, in a
filled with churches and
schools. His associations had been
with the best people of the County.
among men ana women whose lives
and examples we're calculated to in
spire hun with a noble purpose of
living an upright life. In his home he
was under the. care of Christian
mother and father. From the earliest
hour of his infancy he was rocked in
the arms of Christian mother, and
his footsteps guided and directed by a
Christian father. And as soon as he
reached the years of competent ability
to determine upon his own course In
late he united himself with the church
of his parents and with the best ele-
ment in which he lived. And every
witness who has been introduced in
this record, those who have testified
against him as well as tEose who have
in his favor, have bourne testimony
to the fact of his orderly life, the full
discharge of his duties as citizen, as
a husband and az a son.
"When he reached the years of man
hood he took to his bosom the woman
of his choice. And upon his father
homestead erected his own cottage, so
close to the old home that the rays
from the nightly lamp shined across
and into his own cottage. Here he lit
the fires upon his own hearthstone
and in all Maury County there was
not young couple for whom life held
out brighter and sweeteI promises
Children came to bless the union. and
his life flowed on in peaceful current
until something over four years ago
the first sad misfortune came upon
him. His only sister. a bright and
lovely girl, met premature death. |
and his wife, the dearest object of his
affection, declined in health. Her
mind tottored and tumbled into ruins, |
her reason was broken like a sweet |
bell, tangled out of tune and harsh
and her eyes looked ont upon vacancy
and heI soul held discourse with the |
lncoIporal air. Upon her he lavisheu
all of his affections and his hard earned |
treasure in order to restore heI She
was taken to an asylum in Alabama. |
He accompanied her to Nashville and |
remained with her for three months, |
and then to the asylum where she has
for four years. During |
which time he has each month visited !
her. Not that he could realize any |
in her society. but simply that
he might he with her. though but the |
wreck of her former self. His children |
deprived of their mother s society and |
beca me a double burden upon |
him, and he assumed the tender care
of motherhood. The oldest one Just |
to reach the age when she
might administer to him some of the
comforts OF sweet association. the sky |
blue of nine summers shines in her |
f. IL