Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-09-27

and his ministers.
and suggested to Kennedy that he
move. This request was Immediately
complied with, end Kennedy moved his
| seat back 10 the rear of the counsel
for the prosecution, where he stayed
until the conclusion of the hearing
The unusual proximity of Kennedy tC
the witness stand, so close was he, in
fact, that he could easily have reached
out his hand and touched any occupant
Of the chair, attracted the attention of
large part of the people in the court
room when he was finally called upon
to move his seat
The Lee County Courthouse.
Though many noted criminal cases
have been argued within its walls
there has probably never been such an
urusUal murder case conducted in the
Lee county courthouse as that of the
preliminary hearings of Kennery and
Childers.
The old brick building will soon
give way to new and modern struc-
ture, for which the county commission
ers are now preparing to issue bonds,
but the new building can have nothing
of the historic flavor and the mellow
ness of tradition that fairly clings to
the moldering brick of the old square
courthouse, whose once spotless white
inside walls are now covered with the
pencillings of many an idle hand and
stained with the dust and accumula-
tions of more than quarter of a cen
tury.
The square courtroom is arranged
as was done in so many Of the older
courthouses, with the judges stand at
one end, the jury boxes to the right
and left on the side, and the seats for
spectators out in front. The floor is
carpeted with jute bagging, which has
been stained with tobacco juice from
the quid of many a lowyer, prisoner,
witness and others who come toI
court" which is an event of more than
usual importance to the residents of
the county, for many reasons.
The Presiding Of Judge Grassland.
The presiding of Judge Dan Cross
land, of the city court of Albany, at
the hearing was noted for the frmness
and dispatch and eminent fairness
with which he conducted this difficult
case.
At the outset Judge Grassland gave
warning to the spe tators that no de-
of any kind would be
tolerated, as they were contrary to-
both the spirit and form of the law.
In a timely and courteous statement,
Judge Grassland applied this warning
to the ladies present, from whom for
the most part the demonstrations made
at the former hearing had come.
This warning had a salutary effect
on the feminine element in the au>
dience, who conducted themselves in
very orderly manner throughout the
hearing. Judge Grassland made his
decisions promptly in the matter of
the relevancy of testimony and other
legal questions that acrose, having
given thorough satisfaction and impair
tial attention to the demands of each
side
The Two Prisoners.
On the same floor of the Lee county
Jail the two prisoners in the case,
Robert C. Kennedy and Maud S. Chill
ders, are now held awaiting the APP
plication by their attorneys for bail
or the arrival of the time in Novem-
Der when their cases will be given
consideration by the grand jury.
Before the hearing upon which Ken
nedy was bound over to the higher
court, there was but one vacant cell
used by white prisoners in the jail
building. When Kennedy was commit
ted, he was Immediately placed in this
cell. Later, when Childers was arrest
ed, there was no cell regularly used by
white prisoners left vacant, so it was
necessary to place Childers in one OF
the cells used for the negro prison
ers.
On account of these peculiar condi'
tions, it is very likely that applica-
tion for bail will be made in the case
of Childers, if not in the case of Ken
nedy though no such course was in'
dicated by the counsel on either side
when questioned at the conclusion o
} the hearing Monday.