The Mena weekly star., 1910-11-03
TRIAL OF ~OUGdRAN
 FoR KILLING STACY
u.,t Evidence for State Was s",. rss, of Two Boys, of Ii and IS ''' Years = defendant Made
 Good Witness.

.r.. de AsIon of the jury Is given on the q ns na ss ol .nis pal
 Mast of the day Wednesday and a.v Thursday jury of twelve i, .ouotv citizens sat and listened
 .no story of the killing of Allen s..,r of Montgomery county. It 0 a. tbe story as told in. installments, "aS .h narrator first telling that part of ' S;nb he had knowledge, under the ' '.a.tion of skilled counsel to make it u ,, fl nossible, a justification for one '.. sn taking the Ihe of another. or at no, 70 save the slayer from being ann ."mDelled to give up his own life on .S sa solIows as a penalty for his act. Tbsn before the story, as told in its ..s, favorable light, was pas;ei be- are the jury, other skilled attorneys AK dr;vina questions, so far as was o,sihle tore it to pieces. leaving oOlv the bare facts to stand for or ssainst the defendant as the case might + was a real legal battle with ,be law for the life of a man, who in Ii. declining years, plotted out the Dls of another human being.
 To the credit of Polk County. it is .h. first case of this kind on trial here tr number of years, and it IS only ssre for trial because it was charged ,bat A fair and impartial trial could mi he secured in the county where the crime was committed.
 The work of Prosecutor Pinnix and Is Lake, counsel for the state. was ,o establish their theory that A. H.. rouohran. the accused man, became jealous of Allen Stacy, who was vOrkinc the farm owned by the new vte of the former. and while Stacy WAS ridine past his store. Coughran l lay in wait for his victim, and deliber- l atey murdered him.
 The defense, represented by Pole 1 Ncphetrige and Witt & Witt, worked m the theory that the defendent, hsrassed by Stacy's interference in the affairs between him and his bride, alarmed by threats made against his lie. and believing these threats were about to be put into execution. on that Sunday afternoon had suddenly aabbed his gun, which chanced to be usar at hand, and fired the fatal hots.
 The state made a strong case under Is theory, relying largely on two lit as boys, Willie and Johnnie Stacy. whose testimony was not impeached, and on the partial impeachment of Nme of the witnesses for the defense.
 The taking of evidence in the Cough m murder case began shortly after o'clock Wednesday of last week. fol- hsns the opening statements by J. s.
 ake for the state and Pole McPhet-
 lse for the defense.
 In his opening statement Mir. Lake
 ad that the states case rested prin-
 Rally with two witnesses-the little
 ag, son and a nephew of the dead aan, who were with him when the
 -=ssttiiiHss =sstiis took place.
 The first witness called was Willie
 SSiitE, the i5-year-old son of Allen
 Saty the man killed. The lad made iplendld witness. His face shows
 irs than usual intelligence as he
 sisd straight at the attorneys ques-
 aaine him and answered theiI
 ltstOns in clear, strong voice and N M his story in a straightforward K sHtye manner.
 Substance the little son of the s 'aa man stated that his father hae
 sa working the farm owned by hi'
 " Bell Stacy, for a year before shs
 .nned Couehran and had also beer N slng her mule team. That aftel