Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1911-10-20
NICHOLS CASE
 10 JURY TODAY
FEEBLE DEFENSE PUT UP BY MAN CHARGED WITH MURDERING
 HIS WIFE.
HE ADMITS HIS ANGER
Says His Wife Was Not Trying to Harm Him When He Cut
 Her Throat.

William T. Nichols, we'll known contractor of this county. yesterday, on the witness stand in the Jefferson circuit court, made feeble effort to vindicate himself in the eyes of a Jury that is hearing the case in which lie is charged with the murder of his Wife, Mrs. Minnie E. Nichols, whose throat he slashed from ear to ear on the morning of Sunday, September 16, when she went to his home on the Warren road, near this city, to get possession of her three small chil- dren, pursuance to an order of Judge J. M. Elliott. The latter at that time had under consideration the divorce petition of Mrs. Nichols, in which she sued for absolute divorce and the cus- tody of the children
 Nichols, who was indicted fer mur- der in the first degree and who has been in jail ever since the tragedy. vas the last witness to take the stand in his own behalf His admis- slons on cross examination were most damaging and it was evident by the weak manner in which the de- fendant tried to justify bis brutal act that he made no impression whatev- CT on the jurors. It developed during his statements yesterday that Nichols and his wife fell to the ground, after he grabbed her, and according to Mi chols' own statement, the fatal wounds were inflicted by him when the woman was down on the ground.
 Nichols testified that he and his Wife were married in Ouachta coun- ty nine years ago. Four children were born to them, one of whom has
 since died. For several years, he testified, he and his wife, had frequent quarrels and disagreed frequently. In every instance he blamed his wife. He charged his wife with having been without motherly feeling for her chill dren and disagreeable. Finally, he said, she left him and left the chil- dIen in his care. On the morning oi the tragedy, he recited, when his wife came to his home, her former home he said she appeared to be pleasant and agreeable. He knew ske had come after the children under an order of the chancery court. He said he was sitting in rocker at the time, on the front porch. The two little girls were willing to accompany the mother, but their boy of two years, who was in the fathers lap, was not willing to leave him. When Mrs. Nichols grab bed hold of the child and pulled him from his lap, the witness said, he got up, walked to and down the steps and grabbed his wife from behind. The two fell to the ground and Nichols says he cut her throat while they were down. He said he did not make llp his mind to kill his wife until she took mold of the baby boy, which an- gered him so that he decided to kill her.
 On cross examination Nichols ad- mitted that for a few months prior and up to the date of their separation his wife's aged mother, who has since died, lived with them., She made her home there because, witness admitted, she had no husband, brother or son t" care for her She was an invalid Nichols said he worked in Pine Bluff and was away from home except on Saturday and Sunday nights. On one occasion when he became angered, he admitted that he picked his wife's mo- ther up and sat her down in the road, telling her she would have to remain away from their home. When his wife interfered Nichols confessed, when questioned by District Attorney Nixon, that he slapped her jaws. Af- ter that incident Nichols said he car Tied the children to the home of his parents, who, he acknowledged, were not on good terms with his wife.
 Nichols said his wife was not arm ed when he killed her, nor was she try ing to harm h:m. He said he did not even suspect that she had a weapon
 At the request of Attorney J. M Shaw, counsel for Nichols, Judge Grace held the case open until this morning, when two character witnes- ses from Camden will be used by the defense. It is expected that the jury
 will be given instructions by 9:3t o'clock this morning when the argu- menlts will be presented in the case.
 The State put on only three witnes- ses, Constable w. H. Babcock. of My en township: Mrs. Ada Parnell, o1 this city, and City Detective w. A. Branson. They repeated the stories told on the day of the tragedy, which were published in full. Mrs. Parnell was the only other eye witness to the tragedy. with the exception of the three small children and Nichols him- self. Her story of how Nichols had deliberately walked from the porch and killed his wife was really pathe- tic and her review of the horrible scene apparently made an impression on tie jurors and those in the crowd ed court room<
 w H. Nichols and Mrs. Sara, I. Nicbo1c tho AOod norc,,t- ,T dn-