The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-05-24
JOHN R. FORD ACQUITTED
AFTER WEEKS HARD BATTLE
Jury Reports Verdict at 2:30 This Morning Four
Hours Consultations Prisoner Released
Yesterdays Proceedings

! Lewis because Lewis was coming a
him with knife. MCsely was in tht
building ready to testify as stated
but was not called for by the alter
neys for the defense. The reaso-
why he was not called was made an
parent in the defense's testimony TC
| have admitted MCselys stttem nj
would in effect have amounted to an
admission that kimmons was prs sent
when the shooting occurred, wharea
| the defense's plan was to. show that
| he was not present but had left the
room before the shooting occurred
which the defendant and one other
| witness swore' Kimmons had done.
Two other Witnesses for the defense
We're not PIT ON the stand at least one
or whom, named RutleGse. was pres
ent in court States Attorney wilson
in his argument brought cut this
seeming decrcpancy or weakness in
the case of the defense, charging that
they were afraid to Introduce the wit,
nesses they had promised, seeing that
they would prejudice their own case.
The states attorney made this point
in reply to the charge by Mr. Green
that the prosecution had shown
cowardice in not permitting its vii,
ness to testify as to what. occurred
previous to the tragedy at Riddles
saloon.
The Testimony.
All of the forenoon and until $3.50
n the afternoon was consumed in the
taking of testimony. But little of this
Tine was taken up by the prosecution,
which had only one more witness in
chief to present. A. B. Comings. who
testified that he was on the scene of
the tragedy al Riddles saloon shortly
after it occurred; that he asked John
R Ford whats the matter?' and
Ford answered 81 killed the son OF
a gun; he was coming at me with
knife"
With this the prosecution rested
its case declaring that II would in
troduce witnesses in rehuttal.
Tho Defense.
owen Campbell was the first wit
ness called by Attorney Green. Camp
bell is young boy employed at one
of the railroads down town. He said
he boarded at the Union Hotel on
Lower Commercial avenue at the time
of the tragedy; was at Beckwith'S s
saloon, corner of Fourth aud Com
mercial on the night of Oct so, 1907,
saw John r. Ford there. also Kim
mons and Lewis. Ford went up to
the bar and asked kimmons and
Lewis to drink; Lewis said Ford in
suited him. Ford replied II never in.
suited any one in my life" Lewis
called him a C ID liar" I'm.
yiting him to come outside and he
would whip him Ford made no reply
turned around and left the room. He
left Beckwith's place going up Com
mercial: saw Kimmons and Lewis at
Sixth and Commercial Lewis was
trying to go back but Kimmons in
duced him to go ul. Saw Fcrd
going up Commercial avenue about 3
o o'clock. Admitted that he had talked
with attorneys Green and Lcek re-
garding his testimony, saving theyI
went over his verdict"
VIM Trailer, 10 years old. said he
had been at Beckwitn's the night of,
the tragedy; saw Kimmons, Lew's
and Ford; Ford invited all to drink
was not angry. some angry words
passed from Lewis; Ford said hel
treated everybody nice. left the room. |
but returned shortly after Lewis and
Kimmons had left aud again invited |
everyone to drink
The states attorney asked this wit |
ness if he did not state in the pres |
ence of several witnesses the morn |
ing after the shooting that when |
Ford came back to Beckw,th's the
second time he had a pistol in his |
hand and asked in an angry manner |
Where is the - - - i
-" Trailer denied this, but the /!
states attorney had three witnesses s |
present in court who were ready to
swear that he did say this. The at
torney used only one of these Wit |
nesses, Tom Helton. The other two
were Frank Schaaf and NJ II. Hill.
(That Ford did come back to Beck |
with's and make this inquiry was also
testified by one of the witnesses he |
fore the coroner's jury. who however.
could not be found to tell his story
at the trial)
Lee Beckwith said he was on
watch at his saloon. corner Fourth !
and Commercial. Ford came In and
invited all to drink Heard Lewis I
call Ford a c. d. liar: witness said
to Ford not to have any trouble: |
Ford said nothing and went out
Ford came back in ha'f hour after
Lewis and Kimmons left II he said
anything I don't remember All had
a drink: saw nothing in Lewis hand;
I asked Kimmons TO take Lewis
home: Lewis said I'm going home
nov" Ford came in second time. in
vited all to drink
On cress examination Beckwith de-
MED having told Chief Egan that he
Concluded on Second Page)