The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-02-08
SMITH MURDER CASE
PURIIC SYMPATHY SEEMS TO BE
 WITH PROSECUTION.
Iaumor Says Smith Refused To Kiss His Daughter Gp0d-night, Be- cause she RepGdiated Him On
 The stand.

Columbus, Miss. Feb. 7--lSpeeiaD-- Although Sunday has halted for th+ time, the trial of Charles R. Smith for the murder of E. A. Laurent, it has not stopped the people from talking, the case having been the one topic of dis Icussion throughout the city today.
 While 1t cannot be truthfullY said that Smith Is popular. his wealth gives him a prominence in financial circles that has brought to his aid. some of the most influential business men in the lcity, and as public sympathy seems to be with the prosecution, there is natur- ally a conflict of public opinion, and warm words have passed in the dis Icussion of the case that has been So freely indulged in.
 The people are discussing with validity an incident that Is reported to have taken place immediately after the ladiournniept of court Saturday after moon. when. according to rumors the idefetidants refused to kiss his daugh- lteT. AAiss ssteIlt good night, aeclarfp9 lthat slie Had fepudiated him on the istARd. and charging th8s she had fled into cohspiracy with 7counsel for le-. Ifense to break his neck or words to that effect. Ever since the tragedy,
 Miss Smith has been devoted to her father, and during the trial. has been constantly by his side. having held his hand most of the time. It Is known that when attorneys for defense con- suited with her in regard to her testi. mony. that she would do all an honest woman could do to save her father. but she had her own soul to save, and would not tell a lie
 It will be remembered that n Sau,
 days after Smith had his second com uniting trial Hon. z. IT. Landrun. leading counsel for the defense. issued an authorized statement to the effect
 that at the proper time Miss Smith
 would go on the stand and corrob crate her fathers accusation that she had been ruined by Laurent, and in view
 of this fact, her denial of the accusa- | ton when introduced as a witness Sat
 urday has caused considerable com
 ment.
 In explaining the matter, Mir. Ian-
 drum states that Miss Smith was very
 much averse to being introduced as | Q witness in the case, but finally con-
 scented to go on the stand and tell the
 whole truth in order to save her fath-
 CT. Smith had told Mir. Landrum that I he killed Laurent because he had se-
 duced hts daughter. and the attorney,
 supposing that he was positive about
 this, naturally inferred that the young | lady would take the stand and sub- | stantiate her fathers statement. This view of the matter was
 strengthened by a statement made by
 Miss Smith in which she declared her.
 self to be responsible for the death of Laurent, but it seems that in making this assertion she meant that she blamed herself for not having told
 friends of the family of her fathers
 haIlucination regarding the unfortun-
 ate man. and thus having saved his | life. In declaring that she would go
 on the stand and tell the truth and do
 all in her power to save one near and
 dear to her. she meant that she would
 tell of her fathers strange delusion
 and impress upon the jury her belief
 that this -delusion. as well as the kill
 ing of Laurent, was the result of the
 unsound condition of his mind.