The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-10-07
BOB CLEMON'S FATE
| TO Be DECIDED TODAY
Evidence Makes Good Showing
for Defence
J. H. MILLER MAKES BOND
Manager of Ringling Circus Arrested
for Not Paying Parade License
and Forfeits $3.50 Bond.
Other News

own behalf, Bob Clemens defendant in
the famous murder trial, took the stand
in court today and without a tremor in
lbs voice or a CULVER of his muscles
denied everything that state witnesses
had testified against him. He denied all
knowledge OF the murder of the Edmond
sons at Woodland mills little more than
a year ago. For two hours he sat on the
stand and submitted to the hot fire of the
cross animation of the states attorneys.
but he never wavered and never contra
dicted himself.
He accounted for every minute of the
day preceding the fire. the day that the
Edmondsons were supposed to have been
murdered. He testified that he had gone
to sleep shortly after dark and was
awakened by the roaring and the light
OF the fire. He dressed hurriedly and
went to the fire. after awakening his
wife, whom he told to ring the farm bell
and that he assisted In looking for the
bodies. He denied having made a con-
fession to Gilbert LulSer. his nephew, who
has sworn that Clemens had confessed
to him. and he denied having told anyone
that he had killed the Edmondsons.-
Corbin Clemens, the bright little son of
the defendant, who testified in his faith
ers behalf yesterday. was recalled today
and denied that his father came from
the Edmondson place the morning after
the fire with blood on his hat and cloth
ing. as had been testified by states wit
nesses.
| Frank Murphy testified that Gilbert
Luker told him that Bob Clemens was
| not guilty and that if it had not been
for pack of lies," which were sworn
to at the first trial. Glemons would never
have been convicted at that trial. Other
expert testimony by well-known Decatur
physicians was introduced today and this
evidence benefited Clemens
| The indications are now that by to-
morrow night Bob Clemens will know
whether his neck Is to break for the
crime. whether he Is to spend the rest
of his natural life behind prison walls,
or whether he Is to be exonerated and
return to his own freslde, surrounded by
his wife, who has stood bravely by him
through all these months of trial and
anxiety, and to his seven small children,
the youngest of whom is barely old
enough to whisper the word papa"
These closing hours of the trial are seri-
Gus ones to Bob Clemens, but he doesn't
show 1t by either his looks or by his
demeanor on the stand He said today
that he was not guilty and that he ex-
pected an acquittal at the hands of the
jury
| If he is guilty, he is one of the coolest
| arch fends that ever faced a Judge and
| jury with his life resting in their hands.
| If he is innocent, he is one of the most
| prosecuted men that ever spent days and
weeks and months behind prison bars in
Alabama Whether guilty or innocent,
| the indications are now that he and the
| world will know by tomorrow night, so
far as the verdict of the jury is con-
cerned.
IL The evidence was all completed today
and the lawyers commenced their argu-
ments to the court and jury.
There was evidence introduced by the
defendant which showed that Tom Ed
mondson. head of the murdered Edmond
son family and himself supposed to have
been murdered, had never been found
no trace of him either living or dead.
There was, however some evidence on
the contrary that did have slight ten
dency to show that Tom Edmondson
might be living. One witness testified
that a man who looked like Edmondson
had been seen in north Georgia. 1t had
never been fully determined whether this
was Edmondson or not. This was
brought out by the defendant to try to
show to the Jury that If Tom Edmond
son was living that he might have COM
mitted the crime himself.
Witnesses testified that Tom Edmond
son was a man of weak mind and that
at some times he went off into crazy tam
traums. Some year sage brother Of Tom
Edmondson was hanged in this county
for the murder of his wife. The woman
was found dead at spring. The hus-
band claimed she kneeled down to drink
out OF the spring and that snake bit
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