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

vective, sarcasm. pathos and bumo1
He had paired the blows of his antae
onists at times, and he had foIced th,
hghtlng at other times He and the
learned counsel who had preceded hin
for the defense had left nothing un.
said that their well-tIained minds
could suggest; and when he sald, 81
leave the life of my client in your
hands, gentlemen, " it meant that the
last word had been spoken for Lee
Rountree; and it was a solemn mo
ment, and the audience seemed to
realize it.
Attorney General Job Garner
At once arose to make the closing
speech in the case. Mr.. Garner is a
young man vet; only q or p years OF
age DE has not been Attorney General
very long. and though he is known as a
installing, cOnscientious officer of the
State, and young man Of much prom
lsei MS lam as an orator and debater
has not gone abroad, and many had
wondered If he could meet the occasion
ana measure up to the big men who had
preeef led hun. He did MT Tong leave
his audience in wonderland. He was
not on his feet five minutes before he
words. He is rapid speaker, and a
fluent one, aud he choUses his words
with nicely most uncommon He did
not choose the ornate, though his Eng
lish was true and his sentences well
rounded; but he went straight into his
subject, and sent his shafts deep and
straight with almost cruel precision:
and # any marshalling of the facts
could Wrest verdict of guilty from that
jury. his speecH would. H spoke about
two hours before adjournment ame,and
his evident purpose was to impress the
jury with the motive for the crime He
repeats SO little, he is so rapid a talker
and his argument was so consecutive
and connected that we can report him
but impertectly ia the time and space
we have to give to it.. He said in sub
stance:
"Gentlemen of the jury, my standing
before you is an evidence of my convic-
ton, but not of my personal feeling ]
feel sympathy for every man in dis
tress; ana no one would be gladder to
carry the message of not guilty to the
aged mother aud father of this defen-
dant, and his children, if that message
was true one. But while / svmpa-
thize deeply with this defendant, and
his family. there are other things that
appeal to me more. 1 have never known
Mrs X ayes. never saw her until re-
Gently / went to her house. and there,
tor the first time, was surprised and
psined to learn that she was the dau0h-
ter OF two of my best friends / have
enjoyed the hospitality of the home of
her parents: have slept under their
roof and eaten of their bread. And il in
the argument of this case had to make
her old and honOred parents liars, as
counsel has suggested, l would rather
take my seat, and ask His Honor to in
struct you to return verdict of not
guilty. For thew are not liars, gentle
men. Her father is a true and honora-
BILE man, and her mother sweet and
woman; and il their daughter
mas gone ast-ay, il was no fault of
theirs. Her father is an old Confeder-
ate soldier; ana permit no man to hold
those ola soldiers in greater reverence
to love them than | have. / have in
times past attended these reunions of
these old soldiers with my father; and
have stood and felt the hot tears of my
father rain down on my head; and
have seen him hold hands with other
old soldiers and stand and weep with |
out saying word And / have heard a
Dne armed comrade say to him, edo you !
remem Der Raymond?' And then [ |
knew where be lost his other arm, and
that he stood and fell side by side in the |
at Raymond w tn my
father. And l yield to no man
q greater love and reverence for |
the old Confederate soldier than l feel. 7
And If their daughter has fallen so low |
1t is no fault of theirs; and / will stand |
and prosecute the man for the double |
crime of murder and ruin of their child. !