The Cape weekly tribune. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1914, 1914-09-18
SLAYER SUSPECT
ORDERED TOJAIL
Curley Smith, Unable to Fur
nish 1000 Bond, Locked
Up In Jackson.
DENIES HE SLEW STOUT
CIings to Story Despite Gruelling
Examination By Prosecutor
Caruthers.

Amid the angry mutterings of a
restless crowd of spectators, Curley
Smith, the negro who is charged with
having murdered Ira Stout at the cor
ner of Good Hope and Fountain
street, early Sunday morning, was
given his preliminary hearing yester
day afternoon before Justice w. H.
Willer, and remanded to the Jackson
Jail in default of the required bond of
$4,000.
The trial was held in the court
house and was attended by several
hundred people some of whom were
interested in the outcome, and others
merely curious to get a glimpse of the
accused negro.
The defendant appeared without an
attorney, and made a complete denial
of having any connection with the
killing.
He was brought into the court room
by Sheriff Summers, securely hand
cuffed and closely guarded.
He appeared to be frightened and
at times his ebony features took on an
ashy pallor.
In spite of the fact that he was pos
itively identified as the person "'ho
did the killing by two of the states
witnesses, he steadfas.ly chung to his
story and at no time did he make any
contradicting statements during the
gruelling cross examination Of Prose-
cutting Attorney Caruthers.
The first witness called to the stand
by the state was John Gaines, a
teamster, who testified that he was
was walking by the side of Ira Stout
when the fatal bullet was fred, and
that Val Tuck and Sam Daniels were
walking a short distance ahead.
He said they were going towards the
river, and when they came to the east
side of the tunnel where the C. G. &
N. railroad passes under Good Hope
street, they encountered negro who
became offended at something Stout
fairs near Pascola.
He further stated that the negro
cursed at them, and when Scout, WHO
was bent over in the act of striking a
match on the curbing, turned his head
and asked what was said, the shot
was fired, the victim fol forward and
the negro turned and fed westward
for a short distance, and ther turned
down towards the track Oh the North
side Of the street.
When asked il he co I'D identify the
prisoner as the negro who lid the
shooting he stated Smith answered
the description perfectly, except tha5
the slayer wore a blue jumper and a
striped cap. instead Of the cloth hat
and gray coat worn by Smith, and
that he believed Smith waE the lnan
who murdered Stout.
Sam Daniels was the next witness
called. He said thst the shot was
fired at 1895 in the morning, and that
when he and Tuck crossed the tunnel
ahead of Gaines and Stout. he saw
the negro and thought he WAS rolling
a cigarette.
He testified that neither he nor
Tuck spoke as they passed and that
the black said nothing to them. He
further testified that the first he knew
of the alteration was when he heard
the negro say something about he
land when Stout asked him what he
said, ne repeated 1t and Stout start
ed toward him, and heard him say
something else, and thought he said,
don't come no furfhsR.'"
The witness said firat Immediately
after the warning was given, the shot
was fired, and Stout ten forward and
struggled for almost ace minutes but
never spoke.