The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-01
EMMETT HUNN|CUTT ACQUITTED BY JURY Deliberated Only Few Min
 utes Before Agreeing
 TENSION IN COURT Damonsfrafi finn When Verdict is Rrad
Demonstration When Verdict is Read Stopped by Fort-Defendant Was
 Charged With Murder of
 Houston Landrum

After a few minutes dellberation the
 jury in the case of Emmett Hunnicutt
 charged with the murder of Houston Lam drum. returned verdict of not guilty and
 tho defendant was discharged The case
 went to trial Friday In the first division
 of the criminal court. Judge W. E. Fort
 presiding. and was not concluded until
 late last night. The evidence was con-
 oluded at noon yesterday and at 2 o'clock arguments began. Each side was Efven , two hours. an hour each for tho attor-
 neys in the SC. Assistant Solicitor John
 F. Mccoy made the opening argument
 for the state, Ben Davis opened for the
 defense and was followed by White Gib-
 son. Robert N. Bell made the closing
 argument for the prosecution. Each of
 the attorneys took his full allowance of
 time and the arguments were earnest
 and eloquent
 At o'clock Judge Fort concluded his
 charge to tho jury and it was stated
 that 1t was ono of the abiest that has
 been given in the criminal court for some
 time. Attorneys for the defense submit l ted over 100 written charges. a largo ma jority of which were admitted by the judge. After giving the case to the fury Judge Fort stated that he would return
 at o'clock to receive the verdict in the 1 event the jury had como to an agreement
 He had hardly left the courthouse be-
 fore tho Jury made 1t known that 1t had arrived at verdict.
 1 Judge Fort could not be located at that | time and the jury was taken to supper. l Shortly before o'clock Judge Fort was | reached by telephone and came imme- | oiately to the courthouse and received l the verdict. The court room was crowded with the friends of tho defendant and
 or the deceased and as the jury filed
 In to render its verdict the stiffness of
 death prevailed
 Have you gentlemen reached 6 yer dict?' asked Judge Fort, as the Jurors stood in front of the railing that d. | vides the court room.
 We have" replied tho foreman | Hand 1t to the clerk"
 Every face in the court room was turned in the direction of the clerk, in- | tense interest depicted on each counte- | nance. The. clerk slowly unfolded-.tso | document containing the verdict of the jury and read in stentorian tones, We the Jury, find the defendant not guilty"
 Instantly a buzz of excitement per-
 Naded the court room and demonstration
 was almost started. Judge Fort stopped
 1t and dismissed the jury with the thanks | Of the court and then the friends of the young defendant crowded around him and
 lis attorneys and warmly congratulated him and them on his acquittal at tho nds of the jury.
 l The defendant was charged with the Killing of Samuel and Houston I.andrum 1 brothers. on the night of January 31, 1914. 1 The tragedy occurred at Oak Grove, a
 small settlement on Red Mountain, a
 short distance from Oxmoor. The defend-
 ant claimed self-defense. The killing was 1 brought about by an alleged remark made | by the defendant about a female relative l of the deceased. It was alleged that they l and their brother-in-law, Posey Reese, went to the home of the defendant and | called him out for the purpose of chas-
 using him and that fight occurred and ii his attempt to escape he fired the shots that killed the two men. Hunnicut, was indicted separately for
 the killings and was tried on the one charging him with the murder of Hous- ton Iandrum. The other indictrac.-.,
 charging the killing of Samuel Landrum, Is still pending.