The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-13
From the Kansas City Star ~~-HE story of Eugene Aram, by
 Bulwer Lytton, was responsible

N Bulwer Lytton, was responsible for one of the most pathetic trials ever witnessed" remarked Circuit Judge N. M. Shelton of Macon. Mo. 'It occurred some years ago in Schuyler county. I was a practicing attorney then. being the law partner or the late Sam Dysart.
 "A young district school teacher, charged with attempted murder, em- ployed John Shoot of Memphis and my self to defend him. The teacher had not long since married widow. One day he learned a man had been making un- complimentary remarks about his wife. He immediately armed himself, sought out this party. and, with the remark, You have been slandering my wife, sir, and I am going to kill you! pulled out his revolver and began blazing away. Several bullets struck the victim, but he recovered, and the school teacher was arrested.
 There was quite bit of feeling over the affair, and when the next term Of court came on MT. Shoot and l deemed it best to get continuance This was easily done, it being the first call. But at the next term conditions, as we looked at it, were no better and we again sought continuance. To our surprise our client objected; he was ready for | trial, he said was just bound to have | a trial; didn't care to be in suspense any longer. Of course we tried to reas- | on with him, going over all the points why it was best to continue the case. But his head was set, and finally he said:
 "'You gentlemen may just consider yourselves out of the case, and l will defend myself!
 "He was so positive about 1t that we | took him at his word, and after consid- ering the matter 1t occurred to us that possibly that might be best for him after all The states attorney was re-enforced by two strong lawyers. employed by the | man who had been shot. But this would, we saw, be an advantage for de- fendant who had to try his case un- aided.
 q asked the defendant if he hadn't been inspired to conduct his own de- | fense by reading the skillful plea of Eugene Aram, who was tried for the murder of Godfrey Lester. alias Daniel | Clarke in Lord Lytton's powerful story.
 "'Yes,' he said, I have read that book several times, and like the idea Aram made as good a defense as any lawyer could have made for him, and there s nothing to hinder me from doing the same. I'm not afraid to try
 "There were no hard feelings. He had already paid us small retaining fees,
 which we had earned in the preparation. The trial excited great deal of interest, more especially because man, in the shadow of the penitentiary, was making a lone fight for his liberty.
 "As I recall it the defendant didn't do much in the way of cross-examining wit nesses. The three lawyers for the state
 were in delicate position-they knew
 the least sign of severity or unfairness
 would awaken the jury's sympathy for the accused so they handled him with gloved hands, letting him do pretty muck | oS ic piNoSSN'
 "The school teachers real defense was
 made in his argument, just as Eugene Aram had made his before the English
 court and jury. He pretty well covered
 the speech of Lyttons hero, and did it
 effectively, 1t seemed spoke of being
 there alone, not having the advantages
 of counsel, unlearned in the law, unac-
 quainted with the ways of courts just a
 plain man, telling a straight. unvar-
 nished tale to jury of his peers, just as
 Eugene Aram had done,
 Tt was quite an effort and I felt con-
 fident that he had done better for him.
 self than the ablest lawyers mighs have
 done. But just before the case was sub
 mitted an old farmer on the jury arose
 to ask a question by leave of court
 Certainly said Judge Ellison. who presided at the trial. you may ask any
 proper question
 "In this trial over there he's beer
 talking about said the juryman, 'wha did they do to that man Aram, who triet
 his own easel
 Oh. they, convicted him. said the de