Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-17
BATTLE F Or LIFE
OF SLAYERLED
BYDAUCHTER
Darden's Eighteen Year Old
Child Hopes to Establish
UnWritten Law Plea.

daughter OF Elmer Darden, was hard at
work today in behalf of her imprisoned
father. who hopes to avert the hang
mans moose by pleading the "unwrit-
ten law" as extenuation for the Staying
Of c. NJ Goddard in the Union depot
last Thursday night.
Mrs. Pearce was in conference today
with Attorney J. S. McCIelland. coun-
sal for the father, and put him in pos
session Of information which, the at
rorney said. would be beneficial to Oar
den and would be introduced in his
behalf
Mrs. Pearce is standing by her IA
Their and is doing all she can to get
him out OF his trouble" said Attorn ~
McCIelland.
She is gathering evidence for his
defense, and I'm sure Will be a valI-
able witness in proving his story of the
motive for the Staying of Goddard"
First to See Slayer.
The young woman was one of the
first to call on Darden in the police
station following the tragedy. She Wis
tied him early Friday morning and
was in conference with him for long
while. The meeting between father
and daughter was affecting.
Mrs. Pearce declined to discuss her
ulans for aiding her father. Attorney
1IcClelland, however asserted that she
knows "a great deal about the affair"
Darden's three younger children are
standing by their mother, little Naomi
DarGen, the twelve-year- daughter,
declaring the stories told by her father
about her mother are false"
Attorney McClelland today an
nounced that the "unwritten law
would be the sole plea Of the defense.
We will contend that Darden's home
and his home life with his family was
lappy and undisturbed until Goddard
came Oh the scene, and that Goddard
brought about the wreching of it ALL"
said the attorney.
Plan to Show Torture.
1T is our purpose to show that Oar
den was tormented and tortured by the
relations Of his wife with Goddard I'M
til human endurance reached It's limits
and ne resorted to that law that vind!-
Gates him"
Darden in his cell in the Tower, to-
fav seemed more composed than at any
time since the tragedy. Us nerves APP
peared stronger and he was not so
greatly agitated He declined to make
any further statement of the case.
In his cell In the county Jail today,
Elmer T. Darden was outwardly COM
posed for the first time since last
Thursday night, when, in the Union de-
BOT. he slew c. NJ. Goddard, the man
whom he alleged had wrecked his home
while acting the role of friend. He
partook heartily of breakfast To-Day
and was apparently normal.
To his attorney, Spencer McClelland'
Me told D strange story of the events
.eadiug up to the shooting.
"Talebearers." he said, poisoned my
mind against Goddard and my wife and
led to the shooting
Mr. McClelland waived the preliml-
nary hearing that was to be held before
Judge Ridley today, and will await the
trial in the higher court, when he will
plead the unwritten law to save his
client. He said this morning he would
have an unusually strong case.
Denies He Was PARASITE"
In a long conference Saturday, Oar
den told McCleland of the happy life
he lived until several months ago, when,
he said, he first became jealous of his
friend Goddard and of the persistent
tales that would come to him from 9TH
cr sources, from friends, alleging re-
lation between Goddard and his wife.
He said ne faced his wife with the ac-
cusation, aud In the quarrel that fol-
lowed left his home. He denied Mrs.
Darden's charge that he had been a
parasite" and failed TO do his best for
her
And still he said, would come the
tales, whispered i'll his ear by friends,
That kindIed the spark of hatred into i
lire and sent him out into the street to
stalk the man whom he finally encoun-
tered. to stop shooting only when he
mad emptied his revolver and the ham
ner had snapped several times on the
empty chambers.
His determination to find Goddard
and kill him. he said. followed a report
tnat came to him from a member of
ms family, his favorite son, Fred, who,
100, had left the Darden home at Kirk
wood and was living in the city.