Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1911-10-29

and eaea and every juror followed !
him closely, apparently hoping that
he might be able to point to them
some honest way in which they might
avoid the unpleasant duty of return
ing verdict of guilty. Thread by
thread Col. Murphy took up the tes-
timony offered by the State, relative
to the different phases of the case,
and gathered as he went, until, when
he had reached the scene of the
tragedy, it looked like his reasons
presented were unansWerable and
his client could not be guilty. He
would then revert and take up an
other theory and follow it as before,
each time browning his thoughts with
magnificent eloquence, logic and rea-
son that appeared 10 be most convinc-
ing Notwithstanding the fact that
Col. Murphy appeared careworn and
feeble it was evident that he had lost
none OF his youthful vigor and was
yet capable to fulfill the task that
, had been assigned him in this impor-
,ant case. While he spoke, going
from juror to juror with his impress
sive appeal, his hands trembled and
his body shook. Col. Murphy said
he doubted if there was man ON tie
jury that would extend credit to Il
single negro who had testified in
this case, for peck of salt or a sack
OF meal, and yet upon that character
of testimony was asking the life OF
a bright young man. He said that
only self-confessed murderers, thieves
and their friends and henchmen had
appeared in court to testify as to any
phase OF the case, except and only
save what had been said about the
slain mans dying declaration. He
said he hoped the jury would picture
to themselves an unfortunate white
man surrounded, as was Rhea on
that plantation by Il band Of negroes,
whose only hope of escape from pay
ing the penalty of a crime, was to
lay it at the door of he who stood
alone, with no one bu, himself there
O speak in his behalf. Col Murphy
then criticised the testimony of tie
physicians and others, who had UNI
dertaken to say that Archard was "a
tional and in condition to make any
sensible statement about what oc-
Cured on the eventful night; that
a man paralyzed rs was Arc ard and
who had remained in the wilderness !
unattended for many hours, could not
have been in any condition TO make
a statement upon which an intelli-
gent jury could be asked to write
verdict. Col Murphy closed with one
Of the most beautiful appeals in be-
half of his client that had been heard
here in years, and when he concluded
many there We're who wiped tears
rom their eyes.
Nixon Closes Case. n
After brief recess began the argu-
ment of the young district attorney.
who has already, during his first year
in office won for himself the distinc-
ton of being able to secure a con-
1iction of murder in the first degree
the case of a white man, the first
IN this county within the past TWEEN
-y-fve years. Mr. Nixon, who had
been listening with unusual attention {
70 the able arguments of the five
lawyers who had preceded him in the {
case, acquitted himself admirably by
tue manner in Which, he answered the .
array OF legal talent on the other
sioe. Brick by brick he pulled down ]
what appeared to be an invincible s
wall OF logo, which had been care
fully erected by Col. Murphy and Col
Taylor and Ex-Governor Pindall
when se had concluded nothing of
the structure seemed to remain and
was apparent that his determined
argument was having a material eff
teet upon the jury. -
nc began his speech by saying thai
re honed t'e Jury would NOT %
stray and decide the case for tho
Fida that was able to present tho
greatest array of LEGAL talent, nor for