The Mena weekly star., 1911-07-20
BOTH ARE HELD IN
 NIGHT RIDER CASE
Tom Cox and R. II. Edmiston Are Bound Over in Sum of $500 - Each. Which They Promptly
 Makc-Excitcment Prevails.

Fayetteville, July f2.-Tom Cox and II. II. Edmiston, charged with night riding, were bound over by Justice Walker this evening to await the action of the grand jury which will convene the third Mon- day in October. The bond was placed at $500 each and both par ties immediately gave bond The state closed the case at ii:30 this morning, when court adjourned un- Itil 1 o'clock and the arguments commenced.
 Much excitement prevailed here today in regard to the case and the courthouse was packed during the Itaking of the testimony. This morn- ing large number of residents of Boston township, where the trouble was started, arrived before the court convened. Among them were many sympathizers of both sides. The decision of Justice Walker came as no surprise, although much of the testimony was cir cumstantial. The defense opened the case today by introducing wit nesses to show that Vol and Steve Reed were the parties who wrote the anonymous letter and that they were prompted to this by the ac- tion of their sister-in-law marrying Rowe Absher. Mrs. Absher was formerly the wife of Walter Reed, new dead.
 Attempts Impeachment.
 The defense then attempted to impeach Vol Reed, calling to the stand four prominent citizens of Boston township, who swore that they would not believe Young Reed under oath. During today's trial it developed that the Reed brothers had been suspected of being the guilty parties by their relatives and that an investigation was con- ducted to see if the crimes could be traced to them. Detectives were hired, but the result of the inves- tigation was that the boys were declared innocent. The defendants were placed on the witness stand early this morning. Both men de- nied knowing anything about the letters, except what they had heard. During the examination of the members of the Reed family many exciting accounts of attempts to burn the Reed home were recited Button Reed told of the burning of | his barn April f2. Just before go- ing to bed that night he heard a noise at the barn, and upon going out there discovered that bale of straw had been set on fire, but had not burned very much. He returned to the house and 30 minutes later the barn was discovered in flames. Live stock and feed to the value of | Si HOO were destroyed.
 Testimony taken today showed that Edmiston had been having trouble with members of the Reed family over some hogs, and a law suit followed. The letter which Vol Reed swore he saw Edmiston drop near the Reed home seemed to refer to this trouble. It spoke tauntingly of the fact that the Reeds had to pay some damages. The arguments began at 10 o'clock and continued until 5:30, prosecut- ing Attorney John N. Tillman opened the arguments for the state. He was followed by Fred Tillman, George Yates and Judge Tillman, in the order named. Wythe Walker closed the arguments.
 Judge Tillman spoke directly to the point, taking up the testimony at once and sticking to it during his 30-minute talk. Attorney Walker ndulged in no little oratorical ex- hibition and at times devoted his attention to Judge Tillman, making many testing remarks at the expense of the latter, much to the amuse- ment of the spectators. Justice Walker, in rendering his decision. reviewed briefly the testimony as presented.
 Reed Brothers Not Guilty.
 He said that 1t was not reasonable to suppose that the Reed brothers were guilty of the crime of night riding. The many obnoxious let ters which reflected so shamefully on their father and mother Judge Walker characterized as being the product of some one who was ut terly depraved. He stated that the testimony showed that the most perfect harmony existed between members of the Reed family. Judge Walker stated that he was very positive that the Reeds did not attempt to burn their fathers barn and home. As to who did it, he said, was a matter of mere con- lecture, but that the evidence sub mitted was, in his estimation. suf- ficient to warrant him in binding the defendants over to the grand infxy