The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1911-03-24
DR.. AMOS IS NOT
GUILTY, SAYS JURY
Judge Warns Those Present
Against a Demonstration.
Brilliant Flow Of 0ratory in Fl
nal Argument Victim
Demanded.

Hopkinsville, KY, March 16.-The
jury which heard the case against DR..
ID. A. Amoss returned a verdict into
court tonight at $40 O'Clock which
Eead I'VE the jury find the refendan
DIR. Amoss not guilty. as charged in
the Indictment
Dr. Amoss shook hands with each
of the jurors, and Attorney John Kell
thanked them on behalf of the de-
fense.
The reading of thewerdict was heard
by perhaps a hundred people who gath
cred hastily from around the business
district when the report went out tina
a verdict had been reached before the
verdict was read. Judge Hanberry
warned those present hhat there must
be no expression, either of approval
or disapproval, and there WAS no
demonstration.
The decision as to whether or not
Dr. David A Amoss, the Caldwell
county physician, who lis alleged to
have led the might rider raid on
HopkinsvIille on the might of Dec. 6,
1907, shall wear prison stripes for a
term of from one to fifteen years or
be- restored ito his liberty now rests
with the jury. For ten days this
famous case has occupied the entire
time of the circuit court hereyand
during thai time scores OF witnesses
have testified. charges, counter
charges and denials have been made
galore there have been two days of
oratory such as was never heard in
a criminal prosecution, and Through
il all at every session of the court
the count room has been packed with
people from the town and long dis
tances around and wide spread inter
est has followed the case from day
to day. But now the last word has
been said, and the question DIR.
Jury.
The argument closed this afternoon
with the speech of Commonwealth's
Attorney Denny p. Smith, and pre-
Ssdlng him, i'm the order named, We're
&. IL Bush, for the defense;s S. y.
Trimble, for the prosecution, and
Judge w. T. Fowler, for THE defense,
End last might Judge j. c. Sims, of
Rowling Green, for the prosecution.
Tbs first three speeches Were deliv-
cred yesterday afternoon, making
eight in all. Judge Sims speech
last hight was an able effort. He
discussed more fully than any Of his
colleagues the Instructions of uhe
ecurt and declared that even though
ghe jury believed the alibi theory and
decided DR.. AmDss was not here on
the night of the aid, yet if he had
been proven guilty of enteuing in
to- the conspiracy to raid hte hown,
As was jus. as guilty. rs ii he had
actually taken pant. He declared
that the commonwealth had proved
this an theonly nafutation the de-
tense had presented was DIR. Amos
denial. He rldiculad the alibi and
said the word was spelled wrong
and that it should be ''a-lieIby" Judge
FowIsr's speech was mastery frCm
his side OF the case. He replied 10
Mr.. Sims and declared the conspir-
aey had only been proven by the un-
supported tdJ1imony of perjurers, re-
serring to the confessed might ridl5rs.
Hs argued the evidence ait consider
able length and in Response TO
the charges OF the prosecution, d.
elared that an alibi was the strong
est sor. of dafnese and the only re-
kHge of a man unjustly accused of
crime. His close was "a beautiful tri-
butte 10 THE country doctor as a Dsigh-
sonhOod benefactOr and the nonh.dJnt
statement that ire expected an acquit-
sal OF his client.
NEED A VICTIM.
Judge c. III. Bush CLOSED the argu-
Reut for the defense in a apesoh OF
over two hours this afternoon. He
sWered the case fully and connstrued
the evidence entirely On the interst
nj Dr. Amoss. He declared THAT a
victim was demanded by the prose
sutton for the raid ON Hopldinsyille
and that DIR. Amoss had been sabectad,
iKrt he expressed confidence that the
Jury would not convict him ON what
ne termed "perjuned testimony" He
aagued instruction No s, which pro-
Eides that DR. Amos can not Ibe con-
Eicted ON the unsupported testimony
n aocomplices. and declared that !
fhe state had failed 70 properly sup !
port Uhe stories of the confessed !
night riders. He bitterly denounced |
fhe states dhiaf witness as being un-
zofthy of belief Commonwealth |