The log cabin Democrat., 1913-01-02
BRUTAL KILLING
MAY BE SOLVED
LONG TRIAL ANTICIPATED
TRIAL OF DAVIDSON BROTH.
ERS FOR MURDER OF MISS
ELLA BARHAM.


county officials anticipate considera-
bic difficulty in securing jury to try
the Davidson brothers, accused of the
murder of Miss Ella Barham, is evil
denced by the work of Sheriff jim
Helm, who is riding over all parts of
the county, summoning additional tai
esmen to appear in Harrison, Janu-
airy 13, the convening of circuit
court
The Davidson boys have been held
to the grand jury, and it is generally
believed that this. case will be the
first to be considered by that body
when it meets on the 18th. In all
probability the jurors investigation
will consume several days. Much new
evidence that was not given at the
coroner's inquest in Zinc late in No
vcmber, will be brought out, it is
thought. George Barham of Pleasant
Ridge, father of Ella Barham, and
Elias Barham of Zinc, her uncle, were
! in Harrison late last week in consul
tation with officials, and it is believed
that their visit had to DO with some
newer evidence that will be shown.
If indictments are found against
the Davidson brothers, their case will,
of course, be brought Immediately be-
! fore the circuit court, when the effort
to empanel jury will be begun 1t is
here that the greatest delay is ex-
pected, as the story of the atrocious
crime of which the men are accused is
/ known to everybody in the county and
there are few who have not expressed
an opinion. No estimate can be had
as to the number of extra talesmen
/ that have been called, but it is said
/ that it far exceeds any number that
has ever been summoned in Boone
county.
Circuit Judge George w. Reed of
Heber Springs will try the case, and
it is believed that it will prove the
hardest fought criminal case in the
history of northwest Arkansas. En-
Circuit Judge B. 3. Hudgins, who was
formerly railroad commissioner from
this district, will represent the accus-
ed Davidsons. Prosecuting Attorney
Gus Sewell of YellvilIe will be assist
ed by Troy Pace of Harrison. Proba-
bly, not more than one-tenth of the
people who will come to Harrison to
hear the trial will be able to witness
it, as the court room of the new court
house will not accommodate them.
From al pats of the county, and es-
pce&lly from the north part, where
| the Barhams and the Davidsons are
| better known, entire families have in
| dicated their intentions of attending.
The story of the murder of the 49,
year-old girl near her home at Pleas
ant Ridge, has attracted more atten-
tion than any other case in this part
of the state.
The girl was dragged from her
horse as she returned to her home
from a neighbor's about II o'clock q.
M, November 21, was assaulted, kill
ed, her head crushed with a large rock
and her body cut into pieces. The
body was found in the woods about
midnight by fox hunters who had
joined the searching parties. The
head and legs had been cut off and
the trunk cut in half. The murderer
had carried the dead girl nearly half
a mile from the scene of the crime
and had taken Off his shoes to wade
Crooked creek. The body was found
on the opposite bank of the creek.
The footprints found in the sand
are said to be the most damaging evil
dence against Otis Davidson, as they
coincide with his footprints made in
-four before the coroners jury, except
that those in the sand were about a
quarter of an inch longer. This diff
ference is explained, it is said, by the
fact that the sand was damp, and
that the maker of the track was laden
with something heavy.
Otis Davidson was arrested Friday,
November %. His brother, Lair, was
arrested the next day Both men were
taken to Harrison, but were immedi-
ately removed to Berryville by the of
GERS, as evidences of the organization
of a mob were seen. Lair Davidson
has since been taken to the Searcy
county Jail at Marshall. The accused
brothers will not talk and say they
have been advised to say nothing
about themselves. They are sons of
Kent Davidson, who is justice of the