The Newport plain talk. (Newport, Tenn.) 1909-1939, 1912-05-30
CONTINUED from Page u

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he testified that he had found water
in the lungs, which convinced him
that Spencer had come to his death by
drowning. Col. McSween cited medi-
cal authority which stated that in so
per cent of the cases this was not evil
dence of drowning, and asked the ply
stefan if this was not true. DR.. Du-
laney testified that he had found no
marks of violence on the remains at
the time of his examination.
When the counsel for the Life Insur-
ance company endeavored to present
the verdict Of the coroner's inquest 1t
was excluded after numerous author-
tiles had been cited. 1t was shown
/ that the verdict had been filed with
the county court clerk instead of the
circuit court clerk and the court held
that it was not admissible for any pur-
pose.
Mr.. Gibson on being recalled stated
that after the Slagle boys had left his
house he went over to the Slagle home
and that he failed to see there, any of
the Slagie men.
Charles Koupe, a farmer of Wash
ington county testified that he was
one of the men who had helped drag
the body of Spencer from the rain bar
rel. He said that the front part of the
body was facing the post in the rear,
with one knee in between the himsy
wooden cleats which held up the rain
barrel. He stated that there was a
discoloration on one side 81 the neck
when taken out and at the undertakes
it was a more plain and was noticeable
on both sides. He had noted two
cuts in the coat, the holes looking like
they had been cut. He bad noticed
that the barrel was smooth and found
nothing which could have caused the
cuts.
The coat was introduced as evidence,
as were shirt and under shirt, there
being two small cuts, TOO, in the shirt.
DR.. X. G. Smith was introduced as
an expert and stated that the discolor-
alton could have been caused by con-
gestion when the head and neck had
been doubled over against the bottom
of the rain barrel, but he could fix no
responsibility for the discoloration on
the other side.
! Mrs. Spencer, widow of the deceas-
ed was called and Unidentified the
clothing which had been introduced.
Charles l.. Mason, former clerk of
the court of Washington county stated
that he saw Spencer in the rain barrel,
and he described the conditions, stat
ing that one of the cleats was in the
way and that he had pushed it aside
in order to remove the knee.
Sidney Campbell, owner of the farm
on which Spencer claimed to have
found the pot of gold, recalled the
visit of the hack load of men to his
place at dusk on the Sunday proceed
ing the death of Spencer and he saw
them striking matches in gully and
that Mr.. Sid Murray came down TO
where he was and when he startrd to
relate the conversation the defendent
objected and the jury was removed
while this testimony was heard. Mr..
Campbell stated that Murray called
to him and stated that he wanted to
see him for a minute and that when
he went over to meet Murray that
Murray stated that tive Amt going to
steal or hurt anything on your place,
but you had better not go over there in
that crowd, for there may be a regular
tare-up and you may hear about it day
light or some time later"
John Carter, Chas. Pack and Frank
Huff all testified as to the marks of
discoloration on Spencer's neck, Pack
and Huff stating that it was very pro-
nounced when brought back to Bridge
port.
Hicks Sage, one of the two boys
who slept in the room with Spencer
and who were supposed to be guarding
4 him stated that he had remained
awake until 3 o'clock on the night
in question and that he had dozed off
| to sleep and had beed asleep for thirty
| or forty minutes when he awoke and
discovered the door of the room open
and he mad called out to Mr.. Gibson
for a match as he was afraid and that
subsequent Investigation showed that
Spencer had escaped.