Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-05-28
HORTON RIDDLES
M'COMAS' DEFENSE
she SLEW HER IN COLD
BLOOD" HIS CHARGE
DECLARES JURY SHOULD CON-
vlcT MRS. MOVES SLAYER
Deputy District Attorneys Argument
Is Brilliant and Forceful.
Rogers Will Reply
Today

"He chased her clear through the
house and murdered her in the nall
way in cold blood" was the climaxlcal
statement of G. Ray Horton, deputy
district attorney and representative OF
the people, when he made a masteriui
plea to the Jury yesterday that justice
he done in the caes of w. P. McComas.
vindictiveness, sneers, insinuatlons,
all We're lacking; logic, analysis ana
a calm consideration of the facts were
their substitutes.
1t was no blind appeal for the ven
geance of the law that Mr.. Horton ad-
dressed to the jury. but ever and al
ways there was the note OF harness.
even of mercy at times.
He asserted that if any doubt exists
in the minds of the jurors they should
dissolve it in favor of the defendant
and acquit him.
Mr. Horizons argument was forceful
and Impressive He refrained from
appealing to the passions or the jury :
men and devoted himself to a logical
consideration of the facts as adduced In
the evidence. ,r
He made no attempt to eulogize Mrs.
Moves. saying, Charlotte Noyes was
no angel"
The speech was crisp with epigrams
and the short sentences were hlled WIN
the pith of logic and the quallty OIL
appeal. IT,,
Yesterday SO far exceeded the capacity
of the court chamber that the deputy
sheriffs in charge had their hands tuli
in controlling the disappointed croWus'
1t was 1850 O'Clock when Mr.. HOT
ton arose and began his plea 10 the
Jury in behalf of the people.
Rogers Absent
Earl Rogers, who will make the prin-
cipaI address in behalf of the defen-
dam today. made it a point to remain
away from the court room throughout
the summing up by Mr.. Horton.
Former Senator Dodge OF Iowa anu
PAM w Schenck who will ADDRESS the
Jury today in behalf of the defendant,
took copious notes of the address OIL
the attorney. .ho
Mr.. McComas sat throughout the
speech with his eyes riveted upon lhe
attornav and showed not the least
sign of emotion during any part Va
the address.
"Gentlemen of the jury and your
honor: Weakness, weakness, l say;
however vicious is seldom a threat,
were the opening words OF the d'toln ',.,,
"a tahbv cat in it's hour of frenzy
need hardly be called fierce. Inc pow :
erful mastiff, the ordinary dog or the
giant Newfoundland, if you please is
not afraid of cat. Can you lmaeIne
the powerful masti1f being AFRAID Oh d
cat? Or the giant Newfoundland rear
so a cat? | don't care how fierce a
cat is or how hard 1t claws or now
sharn its scratches or how loud II
Kisses / care not how frenzied or now
enraeed that cat is, no clrcunstasiIsice:s
under which the powerful mastir IS
lahoring would justify in my nina the
sn1ffinS ont of the life of that cat by
the noWerful mastiff," said the attor-
nev. turning clear around and racing
McComas who was sitting pehlnu ni III,
"The accused man has my nunlple
sympathy. AS matter OF REGARD "
The community | am forced to DO my
dutv am sorry he is in this plight.
am sorry that his actions have put
him in this most serious position. AS
TO the early history of this man know
nothing, save for his own faultless ulc,
tion. But | am also sorry for the deaa
woman who now lies beneath the sou'
Numbered the attorney.
mo other testimony save his mas re-
cited to YOU the actual story of the
shooting. All the evidence points 10
guilt. The killing was either malicious
or showed a great lack of care, Whlch
would make the accused criminally re-
snonsible. You have been impressed
with the cultured, polished manner OF
this linguist His tone of voice shows
him to be an exceptional defendant, ana
it no doubt impresses you. There Is no
other way that you could De aIIecteu'
RdicuIes McComas
"This distinguished, cultured, de-
bonair gentleman, this gun man, fresh
from the gun district of Arizona, New
Mexico. yes and old Mexico, too, whert
force rules; where men live on thell
triggers and where every man who
argues must back it up with gun, il
YOU please. He wants you to believe
that in an unguarded moment he was
moved to frenzy, and shot. moment
gentlemen, which was as nothing az
compared with some experiences which
Z he must have met in his experiences as
q frontiersman. In that moment ne
used such law as the borderland dealt
From his own statement of time he
had known Mrs. Noyes for five years
for five years, mind you! Now, a mar
Of his type. man of the world that he
is. isn't taking any woman blindly. He
knew her, but she did not know him. A
splendid man he is to be laying doWr
the law to this temperamental woman
as he calls her. Talking to her about
the evils of racing. This cool, calcu.
lating gentleman with his day anc
night life. Gentlemen, his manner upor
that occasion was not as he pretended
it to be while on the stand. You would
think from his description that he was
her pastor calling upon her and giving
her spiritual advice. That he was 8
saint and she an erring woman.
Horton went on telling how it be-
came necessary for the defense to ill.,
ject a certain amount of mystery into
the case. "They could give accurate
descriptions of everything except the
killing itself. The tongue of the de-
PENDANT, glib as it was in regards Il
everything except the killing itself
Then he knew nothing but poetry
everything was vague to him. my i'm
pression,' he would say" concluded
Horton.
The attorney told of the mystery in.
jected by the defense in regard to the
old clothes. He spoke of Conductor
Johnson and his most wonderful
memory" He said there was no truth
in the statement that Mrs. Noyes is
alleged to have made regarding some
body trying her door. Giving as his
reason, women who are afraid DOM
go around in the darkness of the night
They stay in the house."
He brought to the attention of Tho