The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-07-24

/ = ~ ftEa 49,
tween suuSct aud dark Asked Il sa'
dian say AT fhe preliminary hesfi3~
that they had supper an HouT a
sun tile witness denied the -fs8
m"ut and made thl~ compliment
reference TO tie euoErapf:"rs -
it's on that book. didn say r.
The witness 1as sure ~ aer prem
Uses ana her voice dominated the Cg8
room Ill sharp contrast - the hs-.-
tatiue Iow-spoken street
Questioned further ~h. fixed tas
| tim. she first SeH the light Ar about
| Ugh clock This was q v~arian@e -
f1rty minutes from her estimate nti"
a fees minute before. The atrkey c4Ha.
10 the housc about nine witness t.@
timony in the preliminary trial ~a-
read and approved by her. Mr.. SOFT
came - her two weeks before the first
trial. She made a statement 10 Scott.
but to no one else.
Rev. Pope. At tile Capital Inn. was
introduced as q character NitueSS FOR
Mrs. Emily Womack.
CroSs-cXamiued. he stated that he
had never heard that Mrs. Womack S
mind had been affected.
Commissioner Young.
Commissioner Young was intro
dGccd and stated that M Instituted
the prosecution. Witness was asked
how lie came 10 DO it."
There was objection to the question
ana Colonel Iiinsdalc. foF the STATE.
replied that the question was incou-
pctcnt unless it was meant to impt4cu
the witness.
The witness then said that the i'm
Surancc companies had nothing To DO
with the prosecution. except 10 coIu-
plain; that he proceeded To inNestl-
gate and brought the prosecution with
out til" instigation of the insurance
companies. After Captain Scott had
visited the community and obtained
a~ffidaXitS, he mad gone to NOnCure III
company with the solicitor and there
examined the Witnesses. among them
Robert street. Asked as To why the
prosecution was delayed he stated that
the first information came ON Deem
Der Is. and by the time he WAS ready
to swear out warrants he did not do So
because he oun he might be criti-
cizcd for furnishing the insurance ON
pany with material for it's answer in a
civil suit, and therefore waited until
such answer had been filed.
Mr.. Young was then examined as to
the statement mad To him by street.
by way Of confederation Of his ,esti-
mony. both as to what occurred and
as to Streets testimoney as to his
meeting with Norris and Womble.
on crosS-eXamination Mr.. Holding
attempted to read an affidavit made
by Street to Mr.. Scott, but this was
ruled out as incompetent. The de-
Tense ~ the bush, however, by ross
examining in such Il way as TO get the
avermentS contained in the Street at
tidaVitS in the record.
There was a long Wrangle over the
defense wishing to use the affidaVits in
the examination before they had been
put in evidence. This they got around
by cross-eXamining the commissioner
as to the statements made by Street
to him. following the paragraphs Of
the affidavit in formulating questions
and thus bringing out contradictory
statements. The running fire of quar-
relsOmenesS continued YEARLY. though
sometimes to the great amusements
of the crowd.
Mr.. Young was closely questioned as
to the part taken by the insurance
company in the investig alton and the
procurement Of witnesses. Finally he
became eXasperated and attempted to
explain. while Mr.. Holding insisted on
categorical w The confusion
immense. with lawyers and wit
ness participating.
\ Fragment.
Mr.. Holding: Il insist upon"
Mr.. Young 4 don't want to get in
a speech, but I'm going to say"
The Court. amid a babel of attor-
voices: III see if | cant man
age you both"
A long dispute followed on the heels
of this statement by the defense ask
ing whether Mr.. Webb, of the insur-
company. had furnished the COM
With a~ffidaVitS procured by
the detective Banks. The use of the
detective" raised another storm.
asked whether Scott was a detec-
We (AIOre out-crNl. Colonel IlinS-
dale said again that the questions
were competent only to impeach the
witness. With This the Court agreed.
Holding then stated that the pur-
U-a f1cCt To chou that the n III ~
was prosecuting with
Mr.. Young second. the temper and
Over-zealouS character of Mr.. YOung's
actions.
you can call it Impeachment if o
like he shouted.
Said the Court: There seems to be
smart temper this evening
Mr.. SpruilI: The question is en-
tirely collateraI!"
The Court: "Nhat's the question:"
Judge Womack: "That's just what
[ was going to suggest We find out
The bar looked dazed and was quiet
until the st~enographer held a post
examination and found the
lOng-forgotten cause of the tumult.
1t was then discovered that the ques-
ton was entirely innocuous-whatever
it was-and the witness answered it,
NO"
Defense scores With Scott.
Inc above Is 1alfIN tNp1Cdl OF the
three hours and a half of the after
noon session. 1t got worse when de
u commissioner Scott was put on
the stand. although in his case the
defense undoubtedly scored in the
crOss-eNa1nination, by showing that
he had depended in his Investigations
entirely on Thomas; that he
had approached one Nh. Ayent. a wit
ness for the defense at the suggestion
of Mrs. Thomas. and asked him
whether or not Norris had offered
him ten dollars to swear to a certain
party's bad-character. 1t finally WAS
extracted that the certain party was
Thomas. \ map exhibited by his
witness was also shown to be III some.
respects ridiculously inaccurate.
The examination of NJ. Scott was
severe and raised great disturb
ance. 1t was charged through the
medium of questions that he had gone
to see several witnesses for the de
Tense. told them that the evidence
against Norris was clear and that any
man who appeared as his witness
would have his character attacked.