The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-01
STRONG EVIDENCE
 AGAINST HOLLAND Mrs. AIonzo Webb Goes on
 Witness Stand SAW HOLLAND GET GUN And Make the Threat That He Was Going To "kiIl Man"-Saw
 Him Enter Putnan's House.

Cullman, July 31.-(Special.) )-Notwith- withstanding the extreme heat great crowds continue to pack the courthouse to witness the trial of John Holland for the killing of H. D. Putnam.
 One of the most damaging witnesses against the defendant was Mrs. Alonzo Webb, formerly of Birmingham. She told about Holland coming into her store at Hanceville on a run a few minutes be- fore the killing and getting pistol which he had left with her husband that morn- ing, and stopping as he went out to turn the cylinder, there being only two car- tridges in it. and telling her husband that he was going to kill man, he started off in run, witness watching him until he entered Putnam's gate.
 Mayor on Stand.
 More strong evidence was given by Mayor Frank Gladney, who testified that Holland came to him for warrant for Putnam, claiming he had been whipping his wife, and giving the names of Mrs. Gibbs, Dr. John Yielding, Mrs. Taylor and daughter as witnesses. The mayor issued the warrant and later Holland came hur- riedly into the store where the mayor is employed, asking for cartridges, and on being told there were none in the
 
 vented, and then seized an axe handle, which was taken away from him. He told the mayor that Putnam had run him off with shotgun, and the mayor then told him not to go about Putnam any more.
 Mrs. Taylor on Stand.
 Mrs Taylor, who was attracted by the screams of Mrs Putnam went into the Putnam residence between the fourth and fifth visits of Holland and found Put nam on the back porch with a shotgun across his lap. He told witness that his wife screamed because he got the gun, but that it wouldn't shoot showing her that there were no caps on it; that he had picked the gun up when Holland was pushing his Putnam's) wife around, be- cause it was the handiest thing to him. Putnam further told witness that Holland had said he was going to get gun and come back and kill him, and added that he was there without anything to defend himself.
 Witness went out and met Holland at the front door, coming in with the pistol in his hand. She asked Holland not to go in the house, as Mrs. Putnam was "tak- ing on so" he would scare her to death if he went in with a pistol, but Holland went on in the house.
 Willard McEntire testified that about an hour and half before the killing Hol- land went into his store where Mayor Gladney was employed, and told wit ness that he and Mrs Gibbs were in the woodshed of Mrs. Gibbs house, near Put nam's, when Mrs. Gibbs said she heard Mrs. Putnam screaming, but Holland said he told her it was only the baby crying, but Mrs Gibbs insisted that it was Put nam whipping his wife. and told Holland to go and see about it.
 Yielding on Stand.
 Dr. John Yielding testified that Holland came to his office shortly before the kill ing and asked him to make a charge against Putnam, as he wanted to arrest him, but did not specify what kind of charge he wanted witness to make. Wit ness declined to make any charge, and further testified that he did not ask Hol- land to go to Putnam's and investigate as to whether Putnam had been mistreat- ing wife. Holland leaving claimed on one of his visits that Yielding had asked him to look into it.
 There was testimony showing that a cord was drawn from the place in the yard where the bullet struck, on a straight line with a place cut in tomato vine and another place cut in railing on the porch, over the chair where Putnam sat- and to the kitchen door where Hol-