The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1907-06-28


murder of his father
/ All eyes were turned toward the
! youthful accused in the dock, but
Eonly close observer would notice the
ldrawn, plnched look on the boys face
Hike the contraction OF some faces be-
fore death. And thus he sat through
| out the entire narrowing details OF
the foul murder of his father, Fol-
lowing is the story of the case: 1t is
the evening of December 27, 1906, said
Attorney Fry. 1.-THE defendant who
tsits before Your Honors was Is years
lold, living in the home Of his father,
near Troy. The Holder family lived
on a farm. Mr.. Holder was a preacher
In the Cumberland Pres byterian
Church, respected and admired by
those who knew him.
ION this particular afternoon the
defendant and his father were cover
ing a barn on the farm where they
lived. They came home, eat their
supper, and Rev. Holder took his gun
and went after the COWS. When he
came back the gun was put away be-
tween the mattresses in the room
where he kept it.. The evening was
dark and drizzly, and between five and
six O'Clock Rev. Holder started to
Troy in his buggy, Near his home on
the road leading to Troy, was a
stream where two small bridges are
close together. A family by the name
of Lancaster lived near these bridges.
At six O'clock, Mr. Lancaster, who
was out in his yard stirring rot OF
lard heard some one shouting near the
bridge, Help = Murder = Three dis
tinct shots we're heard. At this crisis
the roller mill whistle at Troy blew
for six o'clock, when the echo OF the
whistle died away Mr.. Lancaster
thought he heard faint wall of dis
tress in the same direction. Just be-
Tore this occurred negro named Moi.
fett, who also lived near these two
bridges, heard buggy pass in the di-
rection of the bridges pretty soon af-
forwards he heard the gallop of a
horse passing ia the same direction,
which he claims sounded like Rev.
Holders horse when Lee Holder rode
it. Later 10 the night negro COM
ing from Troy discovers an upturned
buggy and loose horse at these small
bridges. He became frightened and
reported to Mr.. Lancaster. The horse
is sent to the Holder residence where
1t Is identified as Rev. Holders horse
by Mrs. Holder, who calls Lee to the
scene. The boy came with his clothes
in his hands and dressed in his moth
er's room, after which they proceeded
to the bridges across the stream. The
next day the body of Rev. Holder was
found some distance from the road
with hole shot through his left
breast the size of a dollar, ard another
ust below the ribs on the right side
arge enough for the intestlnes to pro-
rude. His head was beaten into a
pulp, the brains oozing out, and lead
ng up to this body from the road were
racks of two persons. r unningI
racks One of Rev. Holders over
hoes was found sticking in the mud
where he evidently jumped out OF the
,uggy when first attacked. One Of
he tracks across the field indicated
hat the individual had on only one
'yershoe
The defense claimed that two other
racks were discovered leading to the
ridge. Two empty shells were picked
Ip near the buggy, and still another
hell was picked up further on. Two !
+ the shells were new and one was
Id. The gun was found under Rev.
Iolder's corn crib, 'carelessly con- ,
ealed,' the defense claimed. The
took was broken, the barrel bent, and
t was covered with blood, mud and
air The empty shells corresponded i
nth those 1. the gun, and the gun
1as identified as Lee Holders. The
un was found on Saturday.
The defendant had no blood on his 4
Iothes, neither was there any blood I
! the buggy or on the trail across the
cid. The only blood found was un- 3
erneath the body The defense .
aimed that Lee Holder was hound
] by devilish purpose, or prejudice 4
ntil Saturday, the day he was ar +
rrested for the crime. He quietly :
enied the crime and still denies it.
What motive is ascribed ?" inquired
lis Honor. None. your honor, abso T
ltely none," replied the defense. t
Mrs. Holder, the defendants mother, A