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

Their evidence of the Great Green Eyel
Monster? Mrs. Resves tells of hel
Nashville trip of where she went anC
where she stayed. and witnesses before
you state that her husband showed nc
signs of displeaspre.
''You have heard the defendant tell
of the Nashville TIP. you have heard
his story of what transpiled before and
after the killing. He is an interested
witness. yet you are to give his evi
dence certain weight and cIedence.
You are to study his demeano1, take
into consideration the Ieasonableness
of his statements and judge fof your
selves whether OF not his statements
are true The testimony of the defend
ant in this case has been verified In
many instances by dlsinteTested wit
nesses His story rings with truth
His demeanoI is frank and open and
straightforward. In fact, his entire
stamp of truth
I'VE have the scene where the bell
was ringing and are told that the de-
tendant was excited and shocked. So
was Lee Carrigan. Mr.. FigueIs asks
1
for Tucker after the murder was dis
covered? Tucker was the best friend
OF both Reayes and Rountree No
man was left at the Reaves home and
it was only proper that Tucker and
Rountree should offer their neighborly
services. You are told that Rountlee
spoke in low tone of voice when talk
ing with Mrs. ReaveS. Is the house of
/ =. 10.
tones? There was nothing suspicious
in any of these matters, nothing incon-
sistent with the innocence of Lee
Rountree, nothing compatible with
his guilt
Like Kind neighbor and especially
country neighboT, the defendant
offered his Darouch for use of the
Reaves family In going to the funeral
and drove only at the request of the
father of John .Reaves, yet witness
comes before you and states that
RountIee carried Mrs. Reaves to the
funeral in his buggy, not telling till
CT oss- examined that 1T was barouch
instead of buggy, ana that other
members of the family drove with
them. He stood by the mules during
the burial that those in the vehicle
might not be uneasy. 1t is depicted to-
you as darkly suspicious ciIcum-
stance. And then he dared to go back
to the house after the finger OF sus-
piclon had been pointed at him. 80
did Emerson Tucker. so did Boyd Nc
Knight and they too were under sns-
plcion. Gentlemen there was nothing
in these circumstances inconsistent
with Lee Rountree's innocence OF
compatible with this guilt.
THE fact that the widow of John
keaves has taken no part in this prose
cution Is pointed at by MI. Figuers
as another incrIminatlng circumstance.
Why should she help prosecute Lee
RouEtree? She knew the motive the
State was trying to establish. She
knew that motive did not exist; and
knowing this. she knew Lee Rountree |
could not be guilty of her husband S
murder. Though murder mad been |
done at her home, she had no wish |
to BEE legal murder perpetrated here
in Columbia. In all this evidence,
the State has been able to prove only
that Lee Rountree was good neighbor.
They hired three detectives, who
worked for several weeks gathering
evidence. These detectives could tel-
tify before the Grand Jury where Lee
Rountree had no representative, but
they haven't been brought before this
jury. 1t they found out anything,
why didn't they cone here and tell ity
THE only thing to connect the de-
fendant with this murder is the gray
coat. Do they prove he had on gray
coat that night. Four members OF the
COZ oner's jury tell you that Henry
Thompson testified he had on a dark
coat. Otner witnesses testify he had
on dark coat. Aud then about the al
legged blood on the gray coat. DIR.
Leroy says he found three spots of
blood, one On the tail, one on the
change pocket and one on the under
side of the sleeve, but he didn't know
what kind of blood. DR.. Leroy was
looking for human blood and when he
failed to find it, went no further. DR..
Mallett, an emmineEt chemist found no
blood at all. Would a murderer ask
help to wash blood off his clothing?
Is it reasonable that after a murder
is discovered the murderer should put
on his bloody clothing?"
Gentlemen the State has advanced
no theory inconsistent with Lee Roun
tree s innocence or compatiable with
his guilt. They have tried only to
prove his relations with the woman
and the bloody coat theory.
Gentlemen. / thank you for your
kind attention. +"