The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-10
TOM BLEDSOE
 IS ON TRIAL Slayer of F. 0. Webb
 Faces a Jury. MANY WITNESSES AT LINDEN Court Hearing Evidence of Thomas
 ton Tragedy. Judge LsckIsnd Finds a Heavy Docket, Including Several Capital Cases,
 For The Marengo Circuit

Linden. May 9--tSpecial. )--when the Circuit Court of Marengo County ad- journed this evening. Tom Bledsoe was still on trial for killing F. o. Webb at Thomaston, several months ago.
 The trial has attracted much atten- ton owing to the wide acquaintance of Bledsoe and the fact that Webb was we'll known.
 A great many witnesses are here and the taking of testimony will be re- sumed when the court convenes Mon- day morning.
 All of yesterday was spent on the Bledsoe case. Drawing the Jury was completed at { o'clock and 1t Is com posed of twelve good citizens. They are: William H. White, John T. Rallow. J. W. Ballard, w. R. Dixon. C. W. Full ford, T. J. Shields. D. P. McFrath. T.. B. Norris, J. s. Boozer, E. s Mercer. W P. Johnson.
 The grand jury returned true bill against Bledsoe on May {. On Tues day, May s, the defendant was arraign- ed at the suggestion of his counsel. He stood mute and refused to plead, and the court entered plea or not guilty. special venire of nfty was asked for and drawn. and Friday, May 6, was set for the trial.
 The State is represented by O. l.. Gray. Solicitor of this. the First CIT cult; Col. W. W. Quaries of Selma. ex- Solicitor for the Fourth Circuit.
 The defendant is represented by Judge William cunninghame, ex.Pro- bate Judge of Marengo County maJor I. Canterbury and Col. W. l.. Pitts. IF. who represented Wiley Huckabee at inc last term of this court and cleared him. and Col. Benjamin F.
 The defendants attorneys filed mo- ions and pleas in abatement and used every tactic known to the law for cons tinuance.
 into court to testify as to the drawing of the grand jury and an attachment was issued for three of them at re- uuest of defendants counsel. The President of the Board could not come, but sent a doctors certificate. The plea in abatement was referred to the jury which returned verdict Tn favor of the State.
 testIfied as the first witness for the State, and after being excused. she was summoned by the defendant.
 e. W. Davis and Ben Ward. sr., Goodwin Ward and W. W. Parker tes- tified for the State.
 Pleasant Nj. Cannon testified as fol- Iowa: He was fifteen or twenty steps aouth of where the shooting occurred He saw Webb and q negro named Lewis Wooten talking. Bledsoe came up to where they were. Webb told Bledsoe to 70 off, that he was talking to the man. Cannon said Webb said some- thing about a peace bond. Webb said to Bledsoe. 'If you want anything out of me you can get it," This with an oath. BIedsoe replied with an oath. ''If you want anything out of me you can get it square yourself. Webb said, "T was not talking to you but some one a damned sight better than you" and turned off and walked down the street in a westerly direction. with Bledsoe following behind him. Webb was on the sidewalk. Bledsoe crossed into the street and little behind Bled- soc "Go on. you --- cowardly ras- cal" he testIded Webb said. ''you are nothing but a damned fool.
 Then Biedsoe ran his hand in his pocket and in getting pistol out 1t became tangled. He shot down, hit ting Webb in the leg. Webb turned and Bledsoe shot him in the side. Then Webb walked off and Bledsoe fired the third shot. AS Webb was re- treating this shot hit him in the back of the neck and he fell and died.
 pr. A. s. Frazier and R. H. Phil lips got to him and held his head up. He never spoke.
 only to the Identity of the clothing and that she was the wife of the de- ceased
 The testimony of the other witnesses was practically the same as Mir. Cam non.
 There are quite a number of tho State witnesses to be examined Mon day.
 There is a capital case on the docket every day next week.
 Judge Lackland is presiding.
 The criminal docket is heavy, 17S cases.
 Two capital cases were set for yes- terday. The State vs. Mary Lou Hood charged with murder, was continued. all of her witnesses being absent.