Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-17
Darden'S Eighteen Year old
Child Hopes to Establish
UnWritten Law Plea.
ASSERTS SHE KNOWS
MUCH ABOUT AFFAIR
Attorney Declares Mrs. L. c.
PearCe Will Prove Valuable
Witness for Defense.

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 excavation for the staying
of c. NJ Goddard in the Union depot
last Thursday night.
Mrs. Pearce was in conference TO-DAY
with Attorney j. 5. McClenand, coun-
sci for the father. and put him in pos
session Of information which, the at
tornev 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 Attorney
McClelIand.
She is gathering evidence for his
defense. and I'm sure will be vain
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 Tor long
while The meeting between father
and daughter was affecting.
Mrs. Pearce declined TO discuss her
plans for aiding her father. Attorney
McClelland. however, asserted that she
knows "a great deal about the affair. '
Darden's three younger children are
standing by their mother, little Naomi
Ill IL far
| 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.
I'VE will contend that Darden's home
and his home life with his family was
happy and undisturbed until Goddard
came on the scene, and that Goddard
brought about the wrecking Of It ALL"
said the attorney.
Plan to Show Torture.
1T is our purpose 10 snow that OAR
den was tormented and tortured by the
relations of his wife with Goddard un-
I'll human endurance reached it's limits
and he resorted TO that law that vindi-
Gates him
Darden. in his cell in the Tower. to-
/ day. seemed more composed than at any
time since the tragedy. lis nerves ap-
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. DardSn was outwardly COM
posed for the first time since last
Thursday night when, in the Union de-
pot. 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.
he told strange story of the events
leading up to the shooting.
"Talebearerz. he said poisoned my
mind against Goddard and my wife and
led to the shooting
Mr.. McClelland waived the prelimi-
nary hearing that was to be held before
Judge Ridley today. and viii await the
trial in the higher court, when he will
plead the unwrittcn law TO save his
client. He said this morning he would
have an unusually strong case.
Denies He Was Parasite"
/ I'm long conference Saturday. Oar
den told McCielland 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
or sources from friends, alleging re-
lation between Goddard and his wife.
He said ne faced his wife with the ac
cusation, and 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 in his ear by friends,
that kindled the spark of hatred into d
fire and sent him out into the street TO
stalk the man whom he finally encoun-
tered. TO stop shooting only when he
had emptied his revolver and the ham
mer had snapped several times on the
I empty chambers
His determination 10 find Goddard
and XIII him. he said followed a report
that came to him from "a member II
) his family his faNOJite son Fred who
too. had letl lua y rGen home an kirk