Arizona republican., 1914-02-27
STATE SCORES
 IN MURDER CASE
Brings Out Strong Testi- mony in It's Own Behalf in Examination of Wit ness for Rebuttal in Pe- terson Killers Trial

The state scored heavily when they yesterday Blackie Cleveland. the first ot the Tebuttal witnesses. Cleveland was called for the express purpose of finding out whether or not he had Lad cOny ersation with the defendants in Mesa on the night of the killing of Peterson. Leonard on his own be- half and Tomlin, the other defendant, each testified that they had talked with Cleveland in Mesa the night Of tLe murder and that on his word they had gone to Tempe in search of Jennings. The state sought to secure q contradiction of these statements fro mthe witness
 Did you talk with either of the defendants on the night of NOvem- Der F last?' said County Attorney Lyman.
 No, sir" replied the witness.
 Later, he said that he lived in the opposite end of the city from the furniture store where the alleged conversation took place, and that he was not in the neighborhood of the store at any time during the night in question. His story was almost the direct opposite of that of the de- fendants.
 The defense rested their case at 4:35 o'clock yesterday afternoon, after spending the early afternoon in eX- amining character witnesses and in proving that the defendant, Tomlin, since he had never been in this part of the state, owned an Overcoat and cap and was not the same man whom the officers in Mesa had arrested and sent out of the city.
 The usual difficulty of proving the quiet and peaceable disposition of the defendants was encountered and the defense had some trouble in intro ducing evidence to that end. Chief and the best character witnesses of the defense were Albert and Leon ard Wright. both of whom had known the defendants three and one-half years; John Ritter of Parker, for whom the defendant, Leonard, had worked; Al and Roy Woods, who knew Leonard in Mesa. and J. F.. Wears, who has known Leonard for the past twelve years.
 Only one character witness was called by the state after rebuttal witnesses were permitted. That one was Professor H. Q. Robertson of the Mesa schools. His testimony was to the general good character of the de- ceased.
 In the early morning session the state fired it's first big gun. Leonard was on the witness stand and the state was continuing the grilling CrOss- examination of the day preced ing. Photographic reproductions of letters written by the defendant, Leonard since he has been in the county jail. were introduced and were admitted to the record as evidence in the case.
 We got the man who caused us all the trouble" said one of the let ters. Another quotation which the state laid special stress on was that which said: We know what we will get; we won't no more than get lift
 The case will continue through the whole of today and will perhaps be continued on Saturday. Both the state and the prosecution have wit nesses which they will call and recall to the stand prior to the end of in troduction of evidence and rebuttal. It is expected that the court will then allow ample time for the argu- ments of counsel and that the case will go to the jury probably on Sat urday morning.