The Paducah evening sun., 1910-06-30
Police Court Room is Thronged
With Morbid Crowd When Trial
of Farrin and Dean is Called
Judge Cross is Sworn off the
Bench by The Defense and
Mayor Smith Selects Judge
Ed Puryear.

After going through a lot of pre-
liminaries that consumed about an
hour in police court this morning, the
lexamining trial OF Tom Farrin and
Guy Dean charged with the murder
of the unidentified red haired boy in
the woods In Littleville near the
Pool road, on the night of April 3,
was begun at 10 O'Clock. A motion
OF the attorneys for the defense to
examine Farrin and Dean separate
was withdrawn.
At the outset the defense scored
point in dethroning Police Judge
Cross, ON the grounds that he was
familiar with the case and had form
ed an opinion. An affidavit was filed
by Attorneys Sam Grassland and
David Browning, representing Far
rim and Dean, to this effect, and
Mayor Smith was called and swore in
Judge Ed II. Puryear as special
Judge.
The defense entered objections to
Detectives Moore and Collins being
. dAONtu W Nnt NOuit lOOhis
claiming that they were not officers
of the court. The policemen were al
lowed to remain. Then the defense
asked that Mr.. Turner Andersen,
uncle Of Tom Farrin, and Wilbur f..
Dean, father of Guy Dean, be permit
ted to remain. Commonwealth At
torneys NJ. L. Gilbert and Thomas
Lovett objected, and after a lengthy
discussion they agreed that all inter-
ested parties should remain outside.
rule was called for the separate
Termination of witnesses and they
retired to the exterior OF the court
| room.
Detective T. j. Moore was the first
witness examined and Miss Polly Dur
rett, deputy county court clerk, who
took down Farr.ns confession, was
the second. II was during her exam
nation that the defense raised the
coDteutlon that Farrin's confession
was not voluntary. but made by prom
ses or IN hopes of getting out Of the
trouble, by being made a states wit
ness. Miss Durrett was asked the
substance of Farms confession. but
this was not permitted for the rea-
son that the court was not sufficiently
/ advised as to whether the confession
was a forced one. II was agreed
that at the time of the confession no
promises were made to Farrin. 1t is
said that promises were made prior
Ito that time, and Attorney Grassland
read several cases of law covering
this point in support of his claim
that the confession should not be com
petent evidence and used against
Farrin. Commonwealth Attorney
Lovett took issue with Attorney
Grassland, and after a lengthy argu-
ment II was found that all of the arg
uments were unnecessary and the
examination was continued.
Detective Moore said that, after
receiving information that Tom Far
rim would visit Lula Shelton at Mrs
Annie Redman's, 1926 Kentucky ave
nue.. on the night of June 10, and af-
ter confding with Lula Shelton, he
went to her room and concealed him
self behind the wardrobe. He said
after a short time, Lula and Tommie
came into the room and began talk
ing about other matters, before they
touched upon the murder. This con
sumed about an hour and half.
Lula asked Tommie who the dead
man was, and Tommie told her not
to mention that to him any more.
She kept repeating her question, and
at the fifth question Tommie used an
oath. saying: "If you care anything
about me you won't mention that
again" Tommie then pulled of his
coat and shoes and reclined on the
bed. He had his back turned to
Lula and after a time she said:
"Tomme, what are you crying
about Tommie told her he would
stop crying If she would never men
tion the dead man to him and she
agreed. Mr.. Moore said Lula took
the oath with Farrin that she would
never tell anyone. Mr.. Moore said.
upon cross-examination, that he saw
the dead man at Nance & Rogers. He
said he never took any interest In
the case until some time after the
murder, but admitted that he had
trapped Farrln into a confession to
Lula Shelton at Mrs. Redman's
house.
Miss Polly Durrett was the second
witness examined and said that at
the time Farrin made his confession,
Detective Collins. Deputy Jailer
Charles Whittemore and Turner An
derson. uncle of Farrin, were pres
ent she said no promises were made
to Farrln at that time. that she knew
Of She was allowed to so, after the
controversy between the attorneys
for the commonwealth and defense
as to Farrln being induced to swear
Continued on Page Four.)