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


ust why there is so great interest Ii
this case is hard 10 explain, unless tn
public has expected something sa
lacious; and If they did. the unex
pected has happened-oI rather tn
Spected has not happened The evi
ks5nSsnce has been tame; almost tIfesome
Lano without ptejucging the case L
may not be amlss TO say that the con
sensus of opinion is that the State, 81
far, has not made out a strong case.
The State may possibly finish its
evidence liz chief today; almost certain
by tomorrow at noon. In that event,
lis Honor will charge the jury on
Saturday,, or possibly Friday.
The evidence in the case has hereto
fore been given in the Herald up to
last Saturday at noon. The first
witness put on the stand Saturday af
ternoon was
W. BOYD MCKNIGHT,
who is third cousin to the dead man,
John Reaves. and spent the night of
the killing at the Reaves home, where
he was doing some carpenter work,
ana where he had been engaged fol
some two weeks prior to that time
He testified that he slept in the room
with the two older boys, next to the
family room. The south door of the
family room gave good view OF the
barn. he heard no noises duTlng the
night, but was awakened before day
by MIS- Reaves calling the eldest boy.
Elmer. In few minutes she called
him and he got up. 1t was yet dark
when he went out on the porch and
met Elmer and the negro bringing the
dead body to the house
Q:-What did you do then?
Al sent after Lee Rountree first,
and told the negro to saddle the horse
and | would go for Squire Mcknight.
While he was getting the horse ready
went to where the body was found,
and found 50 cents in money, three
short lead pencils and a leather punch,
and an open knife. There was blood
on the blade of the knife.
Q:-Did you see blood anywhere
else?
A:-Yes, about 10 or IA feet from
the gate post at the pike there was
pool OF blood. anu trail OF flood from
there to where the Eody was found.
O. Between this front gate and
where the BODY was found, was there
another gate, and ii so was it closed
or open, and was there any blood on
it OF neal it?
A:-Yes, there was another gate 1t
was closed and fastened nut the trial
of blood led right through the centre
of it.
Q:-Could you tell which way the
trail OF blood went whether from the
body to the front gate. or from the |
gate to the body?
Alt went from the gate to the
body. / could tell that-any could
by the way it spattered. When a
drop hit rock OF chip, it would |
sparter under the edge.
Q:-At the closed gate, was there |
any r1ofusion of blood, or other evil
dence to mark any wait or delay there
or was there any blood on that gate?
A:-No, there was no blood on the
gate. nor any apparent stop.
Q:-From where the body was found
to the blood trail, how tar was it?
A:-About IS feet.
Q:-What was there near this yard
gate?
A:-The wagon was standing there;
and the buggy bride, used the night
before, was lying across the tongue of
the wagon.
O. Was there funeral in that
neighboIhood about the time of tins
killing, and do you know If MI and
Mis-. Reaves attended?
A Yes, my sister, Mrs. Stanley,
died and was buried and Mr.. and Mrs.
Reaves went TO the funeral together, in {
taeir buggy. '
O. rne afternoon Of that funeral /
day, after the funeral, where did Mr.. '
Reaves go? {
Ale went to Theta, for lumber.
y: Where was Mrs. Reaves?
A:-At home
Q:-WheIe were You? {
Al was there too.
Q:-Did you see anything of Lee
Ronntree that day after the funeral? /
A:-No, h
@: How often was Rountree at the /
Reaves house the two weeks you were b
there before the killing? n
Advice that | RENE mber of. In v
the day time. q
Q:-Did you see Mrs. Reaves anG h
this defendant together on other oc-
b
A:-Yes; several weeks before that II
was working at his house and saw n
hem together on the back porch. And G
saw them together again at the peach t.
rec near the pike. He lett me to go
md get some peaches. Il
Q:-After the killing did he say any II
hing to you about his helping you to n
10 the work on the Reaves house? Ii t
10, t Ill the entire conversation. =
A He told me few days after g
he killing that he had been employed q
o help do that work; and SAID he
eckoned / was aware of the fact that II
le had been accused of the killing.
old him yes had heard it. He asked
ne why l had not told him. | told fc
i'm that / slept in that house hat II
light, and thought / had about as al
much as | could attend to to look after h'
nv own bus ness. He said he had M
cen hired to work there and asked g
le ii he must come advised him Il
OF to. Told him he was liable TO gel Ju
nto trouble If he did. l told him /
id ct want him. Not that had any =
hing against him, but because did W
OF regard him as competent WORK.
ian. / told him he had enough land VI
D keep him busy. and he had Better :
aFf hat OF