The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-03-29

 with the states counsel. Toms father saw this, and his jaws set hard at the sight
 .They're feeling pretty sure of con viction,'' he whispered to Major Gentry Dryden. ''Is it likely they've obtained evidence against Tom that we don't know anything about2''
 The lawyer shook his head. fI hard Iy think so,. he replied We've got a line on all their witnesses. T believe. I can't figure out how they'll be able to spring a surprise on us.'
 But one sinister sentence in the pros ecuting attorneys opening statement to the jury undeceived him.
 "We shall prove, gentlemen, beyond a reasonable doubt,'' the states counsel said, ''the motive which, we claim, led Thomas w Strickland to s1ay Stam- ford Tucker, and then''-moVing a step bearer to the jury and lifting one hand pressively-"having proved this, we shall establish by the testimony of an eyewitness the fact of Thomas W. Strfckland's presence at the scene of the murder at the time of it's commis- sion.'
 Major Gentry Dryden, in spite of himself, started at hearing this crush ing announcement. Something of fierce resentment, pathetic in its fmpotency, showed in Colonel Stricklands grizzled eountenace-, Toms face, a helpless per plexity in his eyes, went deadly white.
 The atmosphere became tense with the sudden dramatic grip of the sftua- don thus created
 4R &1-4 f<~y. the state began.
 It went forward with merciless pre- cision and dispatch, a certainty and rapidity so well ordered as to be over whelming in moral effect.
 | The evidence was cruelty against Tom Strickland. Two witnesses, a farmer and his son, testified to finding the dead body of Stam Tucker by the roadside, at a point midway between the Tucker home and the town of Nineveh, at daybreak on the morn ing of the 27th day of July just past. They were on their way into town to sell garden produce. The dead man lay on his back just at the edge of the road. There was a bullet hole in his forehead, A pistol, with one chamber empty lay an inch or two distant from his right hand The witnesses had hurried into Nineveh- and notified the authorities.
 Simeon Birdsong testified that bad feeling had existed between Thomas W. Strickland and Stamford Tucker since the night of the clash between the Strickland and Yancey factions at the opening rally of the Strickland campaign. The witness stated that the accused at that tiIne made threats to
 
 ing to break up the Strickland meet ing. On the following day the accused had openly insulted Tucker in the bar room of the NineVeh hotel and had knocked him down short time later when they again met in the same place. It was generally believed that there would be a bloody encounter between them before the campaign closed. Other associates of the dead man and the ac- cused testified to the same facts.
 Mrs. Todhunter, whose appearance as a witness for the state was a dra- matic surprise and who was pitifully agitated, testified to the fact of. the accusation made against Thomas W. Strickland by Lottie-day Doggett at the reception and hop given by the Nineveh Light infantry, and her testi- mony was supported by that of several
 
 Nicholas BIedsoe, the Bartender in the saloon frequented by the Yancey- Tucker faction, testified to the facts of the two visits to his place made by the accused on the forenoon and evening . of the 26th day of July just past. On the occasion of the latter visit the ac cused had told him that Stamford Tucker was the nan whom Iottie-May Doggett should rightfuIIy have charg ed with her ruin; that the girl had r told him, the accused, of Fuckers l i meeting her secretly, and that he : meant to make Tucker acknowledge , the truth publicly or else kill him ; This witness testimony esta ablished the hour of S:3O on that night as the f exact time at which Tom Strickland 2 had left the barroom to go out to the f 1 Tucker home for the purpose of com polling Stamford Tucker to agree tt make such an acknowledgement or o1 forcing hostile meeting in the even of his refusal
 White haired Mrs. Tucker, the dead mans mother; Katherine Tucker. hi: sister, and Ellen Barry. domestic il z the Tucker home, testified that Stam ford Tucker had left the house at Ol about 8:3O o'clock on the night of thu 26th of July past, saying that he migh II be late in returning. He had not tolC them where he was going. They hat believed he was going into the towl of Nineveh.
 , Dr. Longford, the county coronOr , testified to the established facts of tn