The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-03-23


county attorney of Carter county, i'm
mediately after statehood, had the
case transferred to Johnston county
(being the county where the crime
occurred. The court held that, mas
much as the crime originated before
statehood, and the defendants took
change of venue from Johnston
county, that county did not have jur-
isdiction and the case was required
to be tried in Carter county.
The evidence in this case showed
Ben Collins, who had been deputy
United States marshal for about Is
years shot Port Pruitt at a picnic
near Orr in June, 1903, from the ef-
fects of which wounds Pruitt remain
ed cripple the balance of his life,
and finally died in 1909. That i'm
mediately after this shooting the
Pruitt boys, Henry, Clint and Port be-
gan to make preparations to have Col
Inns killed.
The theory of the state was that
the notorious desperate, Jim Miller,
the man that was hung at Ada by the
mob for assassinating Gus Bobbitt,
was employed, together with B. B.
Burwell, who was also hung at Ada
the same time Miller was, together
with this defendant, A. Washmood,
were employed to assassinate Ben
Collins, and that in pursuance of this
conspiracy, Ben Collins was shot
from ambush the night of the first of
August, as he was entering his gate
near his home.
The case was one entirely of cir
cumstantial evidence, but the prose-
cutors weaved the strongest chain
of circumstances around the defend
ants neck, as ever before developed
in a court of justice.
Arguments were begun yesterday
morning, at eight o'clock, the opening
argument for the state being made
by Hon. II. H. Brown. Mr.. Brown
spoke for three hours, and delivered
one of the most forcible and eloquent |
speeches ever heard in the district
court room. He discussed, in detail, |
every fact and circumstance of the |
case in such a manner as to create |
most profound impression on the
jury.
Mr.. Guy Sigler, Of this city, made |
the opening speech for the defendant,
and spoke three hours and half. Mr..
Sigler attacked each weak place of
the prosecution, and presented his
side of the case in a most satisfac- |
tory manner. His argument was al |
most entirely devoted to the evidence
in the cause and those who heard |
Mr.. Sigler were we'll pleased with his
speech.
Capt. McGinnis, the leading counsel
for the defendant, followed Mr.. Sig
Ter. The tone and manner of delivery !
of the captains argument, created a
most profound impression on the jury
as well as the audience. He seemed
to speak from the bottom of his soul
and spoke with intense interest and
feeling.
Capt. McGinnis is a criminal lawyer
of ripe experience, and certainly DEM
onstrated his ability, in the trial of
this cause, as being one Of the fore
most criminal lawyers of this state.
Our own little Jimmie" Mathers,
closed the argument for the state in
speech of two hours and a half. It
seemed that he was at his best, and
he more than sustained the well-earn-
ed reputation which he has long since
established as the hardest prosecut-
ing attorney in the state.
The jury retired to consider the
verdict at 6:10 last night and report
ed this morning at $50 that they had
verdict. Judge Clark was immedi-
ately called and the jury filed into
the court room ready to render this
verdict, the defendant in charge of a
deputy sheriff was brought into the
court room and his demeanor indi-
Gated that he was the coolest man
present, the room rapidly filled with
spectators, the wife and two children
of the dead man as we'll as his father
anl other relatives being present, the
foreman handed the verdict to the
court and was read by the clerk amid
intense silence. After the reading of
the verdict Judge Clark thanked the
jury for their services before dis
charging them from further duty in
this case.