The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-01-17
.LAURENT'S SLAYER
 IS ALLOWED BAIL
Preliminary Hearing of Charles
 R. Smith Is He'd
SHADOW UNWRlTTEN LAW
No Explanation Is Given of Causes That Led to the Shooting, But 1t Is Believed To Be a Fam
 fly Affair.

Columbus, Miss, January 16-(Special)
 Artesia. Miss. IA miles west of Colum-
 bus, the junction point on the main line of the Mobile and Ohio railroad and the
 Montgomery division was the center of
 attraction for all the people of this sec
 tion today for it was there that the pre-
 liminary hearing of Charles R. Smith, I the slayer of Ed. A Laurent, at the de-
 pot in that little city yesterday after noon, was held between the hours of l and o'clock.
 MT. Smith was brought to Columbus on the midnight train last night in company of several officers from Artesia He was delivered to Sheriff Prowel and spent
 the night at the jail
 Early this morning plans were made for the hearing to be conducted within the jurisdiction of the court nearest the trag- edys scene.
 Many people from Columbus went to Artesia on the morning train to attend the trial. C. R. Smith who killed Ed Laurent, Hon. Zack P. Landrum, one of ! the most prominent lawyers of Missis- sippi who had been engaged to defend MT. Smith. and MT. Smiths daughter also left on the morning train for Artesia.
 The trial was commenced at l o'clock, i Justice of the Peace j. Y Mitchell. from : district No 5, presiding. The prosecu- tion was represented by Messrs. Betts and Sturdivant, of Columbus.
 Doctors Testimony.
 The prosecution first introduced pr. i Lemburg of Artesia, who made a rather l imperfect examination of the manner in which Laurent was shot. He said the 1 body was not stripped and that his ex- animation was made in the baggage room where the man fell. He testified Laurent i was shot twice in the head
 The next witness was a MT. Foster, who travels for Chicago concern. MT. Foster was standing near enough to MT. Laurent as MT. Smith approached to see both principals actions throuhout the en- tire difficulty. He testified that as MT. , Smith advanced towards Mir Laurent and his two companions that the latter ex- tended his hand to Mr. Smith, who drew back and struck Laurent twice with an 1 umbrella. Laurent. then retreated. taking SuelteT Deninu d NIT. Rogers, or the MO- 1 bile and Ohio bridge crew MT. Smith l advanced drawing his pistol. Mir. Laurent got from behind Rogers, confronting MT l Smith for a moment and again retreated to narrow baggage room about 15 feet l away. The door of the baggage room
 was partially opened. Witness stated that
 the room was somewhat dark. Witness
 saw no shot fired and nothing further
 until a few minutes later when he re- | a nd Mr. 1x.tx, d. T
 on the baggage room floor There was no
 exchange of words between principals | Witness heard three shots.
 Testimony of Rogers.
 The only other state witness was MT. 1 Rogers. He testified that the first he 1 knew of any difficulty was when some one, whom he afterward learned was MT. Laurent ran behind him as stated by l the first witness. Rogers saw a pistol in l MT Smiths hand and called: Don't shoot him while he is behind me" Then 1 Laurent confronted Smith for a second and ran toward the baggage room, Smith 1 following Smith stepped to the door and shot the first time at Laurent. Witness l saw Laurent on the floor when two more 1 shots were fired. He didn't see Lau- rents actions when he first entered the 1 baggage room.
 The defense had only one witness, c. 1 R. Smith, the defendant. MT. Smith tes- 1 tified that for three or four months there had been serious, irreconcilable differ l ence of the gravest character between
 him and the deceased He stated that he
 had come from his plantation, near Ar
 tesla, to meet the Columbus train for the l purpose of meeting his daughter who
 had been to Columbus to attend the
 funeral of a friend yesterday. His daugh- ! ter did not arrive on the train he came 1 to meet. He had no idea of meeting l Laurent and suddenly encountered him
 for the first time since the matter of 1 difference arose. He stated that he was swept off his feet by sudden access 1 of violent passion when confronting Lau- l rent. He said he immediately struck | him twice with his umbrella and upon Laurents retreating he followed to give him sound thrashing, and when Lau- rent took shelter behind Rogers he be- 1 came possessed with the idea that Lau- rent was preparing to make the encounter l death struggle. Thereupon he drew his pistol and advanced when Laurent con- l fronted him. He followed Laurent as he | ran into the baggage room. Laurent 1 turned and confronted him again He i then fired the first shot and the other i two in rapid succession. retiring when 1 Laurent fell. This was all the testimony.
 Protest Against Bail.
 1 Mir. Sturdivant opened for the prosecu- 1 ton and strongly insisted that the de- l fendant be not allowed ball. He reviewed | the evidence at length.
 MT. Landrum insisted that the defendant l be allowed bail. Following closely the l evidence MT. Sturdivant spoke briefly. l After MT. Landrum had finished and at l the conclusion of his argument, the jus tice presiding allowed Mir Smith bond l for his appearance at the courthouse in l Columbus on January 25. The bail was | fixed at $S000.
 It is well understood and freely said by 1 MT Smiths friends that behind the scenes as presented today by the wit nesses, who testified as to what actually ] transpired at the time of tn hs killing yes- l terday that there stalks the shadow that 1 turks behind so many homicides in the | south.
 The close of today's trial leaves the matter entirely up to the next Lowndes county grand jury, which convenes Mon ! day week Whether or not a true bill