The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-12
Celebrated Trial Is Concluded
 At Columbus
HARD FIGHT BY LAWYERS
Great Crowd Gathers In Court Room to Hear the Arguments Made By Opposing Counsel, Which
 Lasted All Day.

Columbus, Miss, February 11-(Special) At o'clock tomorrow morning the jury in the Smith case may return a verdict. The 12 men trying the wealthy planter for the murder of Eugene A. Laurent retired with instructions tonight at 9:15 when MT. McConnico closed the argument for the state.
 Hoping for a verdict tonight, Judge Buckley waited an hour longer in the courtroom, when he received word that no agreement as to the fate of Smith could be reached before morning. Just how long the verdict may be in coming however, is more doubtful in this case than usual because of the insanity plea on which the defendant has made the fight for his life. So much testimony by alienists and many other witnesses has been offered on this point that 1t seems enough to bewilder the mind of an ordi- nary layman to say nothing of 12 farmers who hail from remote sections of the county.
 Daughter Is Hopeful.
 Miss Estelle Smith, who has been drawn so deeply into this tragedy, today. as usual, sat beside her father throughout the proceedings, and tonight, when she had despaired of knowing what fate holds in store for him, clung to his neck be- fore they separated for a sleepless night Today she has seemed more hopeful than usual, while her father showed to a marked degree the stress under which he is laboring. His countenance has be- come deeply lined and holds the set ex- precision of deep dejection.
 At no time before tonight has the court room been so packed with humanity. Long before the hour set for MT. Me- Connico's speech hundreds of women whose presence heretofore has been con spicuous by their absence, began to ar rive, and by o'clock the galleries. aisles and even the windows held their fulI quota of persons eagerly awaiting the speech of leading counsel for the prose- cution. Such was the crush in the court room that people were standing on the backs of seats and craning their necks over each others heads creating such congestion that several women tainted and the heat was oppressive
 Impression By McConnico.
 The Tennessee lawyer by the light ming flash of his retorts and courteous bearing in the case has won many admirers in Columbus and the large at tendance tonight was something in the nature of a personal compliment
 At 7:45 when he entered to begin his speech the bar was so filled up with chairs and persons standing that only narrow path from the judges bench to the jury was left for him to pace dur ing the delivery of his argument And in his vehemence he would repeatedly cover the distance from the front row of the jury to where the defendant sat at the right of Judge Buckley. At times he almost came in contact wi-a the defendant and a deputy sheriff by order of the court was interposed.
 The keynote of MT. McConnico's mas terful address was the painful necessity under which he was placed in probing into the life of the defendant in order to bring to light the truth as to the killing of his schoolmate and friend. Laurent.
 Day of Speeches.
 Today was consumed in speechmak- ing. District Attorney Currie opened for the state at S:30 o'clock, making a strong argument against the bringing in of the verdict of insanity. He was followed by MT. Witherspoon of the de- fense, who argued equally strongly for an acquittal. Mr. Sturdivant came next for the prosecution bringing out some strong points for his side, and Judge z. P. Landrum, leading counsel for the defense, then spoke. Judge Landrum's s argument was convincing and eloquent and called to mind the grace and dig nity of the best traditions of the Missis- sippi county bar.