The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-12-08

Is years ago. Witness was then dis
missed.
Counsel for defendant then asked for
further Gloss examination OF State
witness, Mary Jordan. in regard TO
Gel tain statements made by another
witness but the court luled that 1t
was not cross and there
fore out of order. The next witness
for the State,
DIR. W. E. COX,
was then called. Witness te'tified that
he was a pIacticlng physician. has
lived at Theta for about 18 years. Was
born in Franklin and liveu there before
moving to Theta. Has practiced medI-
cine for ABOUT 80 years. Witness
knows defendant, Lee Rountree; has
known him for about % years and has
always been on friendly terms with,hlm.
Has, prscticed in RountIee family.
Witness knew deceased, Jno. Reaves,
since he moved to MauIy county, about
four years before his oeath. Knew
deceased quite intimately. Witness
stated that Jno. Reaves was small
man; weighed about 115 or l20pounds.
Witness saw Reaves on the morning
after he was killed about 10 O'Clock.
on boards near and to the left OF the
door to the ReaVes home, outside OF
house. Witness came to Reaves home
to examine the body on call from the
coroner's jury. Describing wounds
found on the body, witness stated
that he found several wounds on the
right side of the head to the back and
above the right gar. In two places
tkull of deceased was fractured and
witness introduced his finger in the
openings to examine the wounds. Wit
ness was of the opinion that the
wounds on the head would have pro-
duced death, but was not positive
Deceased 8 throat was also cut almost
from ear to ear. All the vessels on left
side of throat were cut and also the
1ugular. Witness was positive that
tie throat WOUNDS would have caused
death alone. Witness stated that In
his opinion the wounds on the dead
man could not have been self inflicted
witness thought there mad been three
strokes of the knife ON the throat,
though he stated that there may have
been four. Noticed no other wounds
on the uead mans body. Could not
say how long Reaves had been dead,
when he examined the body, but II
must have been several hours, as IT
was cold and s,ltf.
Witness made some examination OF
the premises on the morning. after
killing, ana saw a spot of blood Just
inside of the swing of the gate at the
pike. The trail or blood commenced
across the wagon road leading fro %
the gate, but witness saw a few drops
of blood, between the spot of blood and
wnere the trail commentator the
other side of wagon road. Witness
followed the trail of blood through the
front lawn or lot to the back lot and
on to the barn gate. Trail OF blood
WAS distinct ana body must have bled
Gather freely.
O.-Couid you tell fIom the trail oil
blood as ~ which way the body was
carried, whether from front gate to
Darn lot, or from barn lot to the front
gate? u
Any OPINION was that 1t had beer
carried from the front gate toward the
Darn lot, by reason of the NATURE II
which the blood traIled over the grounc
and obstacles passed over. Witness
saw consider able pool. or spot of blood
&C barn yard gate, which had become
absorbed in the dust. The trail Of
blood from the front gate TO the SIDE
lot gate was over grass ana leve
ground. After passing INTO tho lot
gate, the trail through the lot to the
Darn yard gate was down little De
cline, and the ground was little
ough with rocks and sticks.
W,bess saw the defendant at Reave'
mouse on the morning after the kali
ing. Defendant testified before cor
oner's jury. Witness first saw ROM
rec when he arrived at Reaves place
IN front lot, but did not say much t
ann, AS be was in q hurry to answer
the sumtoons f the jury. Saw Roun
tree after the examination on the cor
oneI g jury and had CONVEX satfon witt
him at the horse block, In front of thu
dwelling. Witness was anxious Il
learn ali he could ABOUT the TRACED!
and ask q Rountre about the trip the
lIght before to Spring Hill Witness
asked Rountree II he accompanied
Reaves to tue lodge the night before
and which way tney went. Witness
asked If they saw anyone or had am
difficulty with anyone on the road
Rountree said they did not. He alst
asked II the CaIteT's Creek miner
knew Of their going to Spring Hill o
If they saw anyone as they CAM
through.tbe mines. Defendant said b.
bought not