The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-15

dows. is only three miles from the mod ern town of Luverne. In the old town. with its atmosphere that of another generation. with It's interest that Of other days. the Sikes and the Walkers. had for years been prominent people. On the ycrandah of one of these stores the struggle began which has It's sequel In the murder trial of today.
 Witnesses of the tragedy tell in one ominous sentence of the cause of the tragedy that brought so much of grief and sorrow in its wake. They say. Walton Slkes had been drinking" The sentence itself in the light of the tragedy. Is tragic. In countless court records, between the lines there may be read the same sentence when murder and other crimes were put down for trial. Back to this one central fact. Walton Sfkes was drinking, the aues- ton of the tragedy goes aud finds its answer
 The two had been together in the early part of the day Virgil Walker and Walton Sikes. Sikes had insisted that young Walker take a drink with him. At last young Walker consented. The two stepped behind building. and when they were next seen. the two who had disappeared as friends, reap peared fighting and striking each other.
 They were separated. But the rage of Walton Sikes could not be quieted,
 He cut me-" he said again and again He cut me and he knew l never had a knife
 Virgil Walker returned to his fa- ther's store and went inside Sikes. according to the witnesses, crossed the street and from another store secured a gun and knife. As he started to- wards the Walker store, friends Of the two men stopped him and took the gun from him. But he kept the knife, the more fatal weapon of the two. Nor could the friends pacify Sikes. tie took his position in front of the Walker store. cursfng young Walker and dar- ing him to come out on the ground.
 Fight in tlae store.
 At length he went to his home. a quarter of mile away, and changed his clothes. But his ungovernable an ger drew him back to the store. which was to be the scene of the violent trag- edy. Virgil Walker was playing checkers when his enemy came near
 Standing close by, Walton Sikes again cursed Walker with all the epl- thets that came to the tongue of an angry and reckless man. The curses contained the epfthet that no man In the South can brook and retain the respect Of hls feIlowmen.
 Virgil Walker jumped from his place and struck him. The two ciinched They fell 10 the ground. Friends pulled Walton Sikes away But vilgiI Walker did not rise He never again stood upon his feet.
 The witnesses say that Walton Sikes made an attack upon his prostrate foe as soon as he was released. Eat Virgil Walker was dying. The keen knife had ripped through his abdomen.
 The case against Walton alias Walt Sikes" was called today for the third time in the Circuit Court of Crenshaw County. Twice before 1t has been con- tinued. It has been warmly contested from the outset, for much Is at stake and men of influence are interested on both sides
 For the defense, Dempsey Powell and Frank Brieken appeared Solicitor Charles R. Bricken, his assistant, q. O. Diekey. and M. ". Rushton were pree- ent for the prosecution. Pat A&c- iauly of Mont gomeEy was ssgprp an as official stenographer.
 The large court room was Hifed from. the railing to tine wall with Cranahaw County farmers. who had ridden over the hills in the early morning hours to he present at the trial, most of whom were members of the special venire drawn for the trial of this capital case. In buggies and on horseback. practi- cally the entire male population of Rutledge rode the three miles to Ltt- verne to witness the big trial
 When the long roll of witnesses had been called and all had been counted Mir. Powell asked for continuance. At the same time he submitted a telegram to Judge Richardson. His motion for continuance was based upon the ob- sence of Dr. L. L. Hill of Montgomery, a witness in the case, and the sender of the telegram.
 Judge Richardson refused the mo- tion. telling MT. Powell to prepare the showing. as to what the missing wit ness would testify if he were in court
 The court recessed until the noon hour. while the attorneys for the de- fense were engaged in preparing the showing.
 When the court reconvened, the State refused to admit the showing and the case was unexpectedly continued.