The Springdale news., 1912-12-06
io Br nied in January

Harrison, Ark. Nov 29.-It Is not thought that a special term of of court will be called to try Otis Davidson and his brother Lear for the murder of Miss Ella Barham near Pleasant Ridge, ill the eastern part of the county last week. The regular term of circuit court opens here January l3 and 1t is generally supposed that the trial will not be Set until that time The most dam aging evidence that was brought out against the accused at the inquest at Zine centered around the foot prints in the sand and their very close comparison with those made i'll the flour i'll the courtroom and revolver which was found on the enc a pair of vel. sand-c ON red socks that had been sprinkled with Ted pepper, pair of shoes treated with the same hot stuff. and all ax.
 The revolver in question was found Sunda5 a terneon by Thurman Ragsdale, neighor boy He was looking around at the scene Of the crime and found il at the exact point where the murdered girl had been dragged from her horse Eyi dence was brought out identifying this revolver as the property of Otis Davidson The shoes which were sprinkled with red pepper We're also identified as his, and al so the socks covered with creek sand and wet The axe, which was offer- ed in evidence, was identified as an axe belonging 10 the family Ii is said that this axe had been freshly washed when found al the house but that there was still blood ill the eye at the end of the handle when found
 The accused put on stodd faces and would not talk. saving that their lawyer had advised them not To. Not much evidence was gained from these witnesses. except that Otis Davidson Has required to makeZa foo print in his sock feet in flour. The footprints in the sand that the murderer had made ia carrying the body away from the scene Of the .erime and across the creek had neen measured and the jury want cd 10 compare these measurements. They tailed in eyer. detail except in length. tHe footprints in the sand being abont quarter of an inch longer than those made in the flour on the courtroom floor
 Otis Davidson $ younger brother testified Wednesday night that ot
 is had left the house early in the afternoon with an axe on his should CT going toward the creek The dead girls clothes we're also brought before the jury 10 aid in the inves- tsgation.
 Kant Davidson. father of the ae- eused. is q justice Of the peace of Zinc township, in which the crime was committed. In the absence of the regular county coroner the in vestigation was started before him on Friday night. However, after the jury had viewed the body and the remains had been laid to rest, his own boys were arrested for the crime. This disqualified him from fnrtheg sitting in the case Some relatives of the accused had also been impaneled on this jury, and they were excused and the case was brought before A. N. Smith, anoth- CT justice of the peace of Zine township at Zinc Other jurors were summoned to take the place of those who had been excused.
 The investigation was carried di- rect to the Davidson graveyard at Pleasant Ridge where the girl had been inferred, and the body was ex- humed for further examination.
 Physicians made all examination and confirmed the report that the girl had been rayished
 Members of both the Davidson and Barham families were present at the investigation and testified before the jury. George Barham and his wife. parents of the murd- cred girl. were stopping with brother and family who live at Zinc. They are well along on the shady side of life and their uneon- solable grief of the past few days has aged them years, and they will go to the grave with wounds unheal- cd.