The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-04
BOTH SIDES CLOSE
 IN HOLLAND CASE Argument Will Begin This
 Morning DEFENDANTS STATEMENT I Says Putnam Was Advancing On Him and Drawing Something From His Pocket When He Shot Him.
 RebuttaI Testimony.

Cullman, August S-(Special) )-The de- fense concluded its testimony this morn ing in the case of John Holland for kill ing H. D. Putnam, and the state closed its rebuttal testimony soon after court convened this afternoon.
 The defendant testified in his own be- half that he was at Mrs. Gibbs we'll house when Mrs Gibbs told him Putnam was whipping his wife, or had been. De- fendant went over to Putnams and asked Mrs. Putnam if her baby was dead, and she said no, and defendant told her he heard somebody crying over there and thought the baby might be dead. Put nam came out and witness told him he had heard that he was having trouble with his wife, and Putnam denied 1t and went in the house. Defendant beck oned to Annie Ligon, Mrs Putnam's sis ter, and asked her if he made the charge would she tell about it in court and the girl nodded and looked scared.
 Defendant then went to the mayor at McEntyre's store and told about tho trouble and Mayor Gladney said: "I ex- pect you'd better arrest him." Defend ant asked for a warrant and the war rant introduced in evidence was given him, the mayor telling him to arrest Putnam and bring him before him.
 Defendant went back to Putnams and as he entered heard Mrs Putnam say: Please don't do that; put that down." and Putnam replied, T told you about this long ago. and something about he would kill her ''before he left" When he entered the middle room Putnam had the shotgun and his wife had her hand on it, too. Defendant jumped and grabbed the gun and told Putnam he had to ar rest him, to put the gun down and come as he had a warrant for him and Put nam said he'd die before he would go. Mrs. Putnam begged him to go and de- fendant talked to him, trying to get him to go. Putnam jerked the gun four or five times and almost got it away from defendant. Mrs. Putnam then took hold of the gun again, and defendant turned it loose and ran. Went to McEntre's store and asked for a gun, and McEntire told him they didn't have any, and de- fendant picked up an ax handle which Mayor Gladneyl took. from him.
 Defendant told the mayor that Putnam had gone crazy and was trying to kill his wife, and the mayor told him not to go down there any more. Went then to Webb's store and got the pistol. Met Webb at the front door as he came out and deputized him to go with him. tell ing him he was going to arrest man who had whipped his wife
 He went back to Putnam's. passing ir,ft tla hut said nothing to him. They were cry ing or ''hollering' and defendant thought there was trouble sure enough then" and went on to the back porch Put nam was in the door with his gun. Mrs Putnam was outside on the porch hold ing to the gun. Defendant ran out and grabbed the gun and Mrs. Putnam went out crying.
 Struggle Over Gun.
 He struggled with Putnam over the gun into the kitchen and out onto the porch Defendant told Putnam again to give. up and go with him and he repeated that he would die before he would go.
 Webb also told him to give up the gun and go. Webb had taken the pistol out of defendants hand and Holland reached out and got the pistol again and struck Putnam on the hand, making him turn loose and leaving him holding the gun with one hand only.
 Defendant then jerked the gun away, the force of the jerk sending him back into the kitchen and Putnam back near the edge of the porch. Putnam made two steps toward defendant. with his hand in bis right pocket and had his hand almost out of his pocket and some thing in it. Witness did not know what ] Defendant said: Don't do that" and then fred holding the pistol high up
 pd turning the muzzle downward, thus
 plaining how the shot ranged down
 I'd through Putnam's body at an angle k nearly 45 degrees.
 As soon as pistol fired defendant, with out waiting to see the effect of the shot. ran out of the house. Went to MT. Towles house and got shotgun. He later went to Mixon's soft drink place. where he met a man from Warrior whom he had never seen bafOra and whose