Mexico weekly ledger., 1906-03-29
COURT ROOM CROWDED ALL DAY,

The preliminary trial OF James p
Edwards, who resides about n miles
west OF Thompson, and is held fol
shooting and instantly killing John
Oldham, a neighbor, on Thursday,
March %, was held Wednesday before
Squire Bass.
Because OF the expected crowd the
use Of the circuit court room was Dor
rowed and at ten O'Clock, when the
court called order, every seat In the
room was filed and many were forced
to stand In the aisles. The crowd was
augmented by a large delegation from
Thompson and that vicinity who
were much interesting, being well
acquainted with the parties involved.
The tragedy, which occurred at Ed
wards home, was without an eye.
witness. and the slayer claims that II
was In defense Of his own life. Both
principals are married and have fam.
lilies, Edwards being go and Oldham
about so years of age.
After the killing, Mr.. Edwards mott.
fed the officers over the telephone and
waited at bis home until their arrival,
voluntarily placing himself under ar
rest. In company with the sheriff,
the coroner hurried to the scene OF
the tragedy and held an inquest over
the body OF Oldham, Edwards was
then brought to this city and placed
in jail to await his preliminary hear
ing.
TRIAL BEGINS.
Shortly before 10 O'Clock the family
of Mr.. Oldham came into the court
room accompanied by William Old
ham, the dead mans brother.
Mrs. Edwards, her daughters and
son, also arrived about the same time.
Both families appeared well tc-do and
we're accompanied by friends.
Nj. Edwards is a stalwart man OF
60,about six feet in heighth, black hair,
heavy iron-gray beard, and a face
tanned by exposure to all kinds Of
weather. He was cool, seemingly,
and showed no nervousness over the
approaching ordeal.
P. II. Cullen and o. Hit are the at
torneys for the defense, Mr.. Orear
conducting the prosecution alone.
Squire Bass called the court room
to order at 1915, requesting that per-
feet order be kept, as be did not wish
to exclude or force anyone I, leave. 1t
is said that there Is much feeling over
the shooting and everything is being
done to forestaH any demonstration.
Coroner Coil was the first witness for
the state. He told OF holding the In
quest over the body Of John Oldham
at the home OF James P. Edwards.
'tHis death was produced by two
gunshot wounds. One charge entering
the left side, just over the hip and
riercing the heart, going clear through
the body; the other entering the right
side, a little higher up, and coming
out on the right side Of the breast"
"The clothing of the dead man was
left In charge of his brother. VIM.
Oldham. On the right side of his
clothing were four bullet holes in
every piece; ~overcoat, coat, top shirt
and undershirt. On the left there
we're three separate holes and one
large one, part Of the overcoat and
shirt was driven into the wound here.
In front on the left side were three
holes coming through the overcoat and
ID was also torn near the button hole,
there we're probably five bullets that
came through here. When the body
was found it was laying on its back
near the stove, the east end Of the
foot rest on the north side seemed to
have a fresh break"
The bullets extracted from the
heart OF John Oldham were buckshot
but the coroner could not state wheth-
er they were nodded or not.
The clothing Of the dead man was
soaked with blood in the back.
1t was about $50 on the afternoon
of the shooting that the coroner saw
the body. The testimony Of the cor
oner's inquest was also introduced as
evidence.
The States second witness was Z,
G. Wilson, constable Of Wilson town
ship. 81 heard the statement Jas. P,
Edwards made before the coroner's
jury. He said he shot him lOldham).
On cross examination MI. Wilson
stated: IL heard no other statement
concerning the crime except that made
to the coroner" Mr.. Wilson identl'
fed the statement Of Mr.. Edwards
read by Mr.. Cullen from the written
testimony Of the coroner's inquest. II
was about as follows which is the in
terview he gave a LEDGER representa-
tive the day following the shooting;
81 was lying on the bed when ht
entered but arose and took a chair IL
front OF my desk; be seating himself
few feet in front Of me-"
"He said, "You owe me s45l."
az don't think l owe you any
thing l replied, but l will cancel thu
$500 you owe me and give you 500 IL
cash to vacate the place and cause M
trouble. When he refused this l pre-
posed that each Of us pick a man, ant
| LET them settle the affair."