The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-05-20
GEORGE v. T|DWFLL
ON TRIAL FOR LIFE
Insanity Indicated as Plea
of Defense.
WOULD HAVE LIFTED
THE FALLEN WOMEN
Lawyer for State "IIcads OM'' Plea of
Unwrittcn Law in tho Examination
Of Talesmcn. Self Defense Also
Liable to be Relied Upon.

Greenvillc, May 19.-Accuscd OF the
murder Of II. Emmett Walker on the
twelfth day of March, 1914, George w.
Pidwell, S'r, was yesterday placed on
trial for his life in the General Scs-
sions court IN this city. Judge II. j.
Mauldin is presiding over the case.
The defense is represented by tho firm
OF TOwnes, Earle and Price, while the
State is represented by Solicitor Bon
ham, assisted by the firm of Cothran
Dean & Cothran.
The trial moved rapidly Yesterday.
The jury who will decide the fate Of
the accused man was selected by half
past twelve O'Clock, and then the tax
ing OF testimony began. In selecting
the jury one venire of men SssgtsS ex-
hausted, and a second drawn. The
defense objected to the manner in
which the Jurors were summoned to
court, the sheriff having called several
OF the venire by mail. Mr.. Price con-
tended that the veniremen should have
been summoned by the sheriff In per-
son, or by an official working under
the sheriff. Nine talcsmen OF the first
venire were absent when the case was
called Considerable discussion was
had as to the legality of the summons
made to the talcsmen. The judge
ruled that the men were properly
Summoned, and ordered, the picking
OF the jury to proceed. The exam
ination Of the partial venirc, twenty
seven men was, accordingly, begun.
Col. Alvin II. Dean, for the State
scored victory when he headed IF"
the unwritten law by a quc51on which
the judge allowed him to put to tales
men. The question is as follows: "If
you are chosen as juror in this case
will you try the defendant by the tcs-
timony hich you hear on the witness
stand ar by the law which the court
charges to you, uninnuenced by any
other consideration"
The Plan of the Defense.
James II. Price, for the defense, said
yesterday afternoon that the defense
would rely partly on the pea OF tenn
porary insanity; the state OF mind OF
the defendant being abnormal in view
OF the disclosures which had been
made to him. This may be the chief
weapon of the defense, though in view
Of the testimony Of ]. P. Cain, wit
ness for the State, to the effect that
scuffle took place prior to the shoot
ing, the defense may base part Of its
plea on the grounds of self-defense.
Legal Battle
Time and again yesterday the at
torneys for the opposing sides fought
out certain questions, and time after
time there were shrcwd questions put
to witnessos. There was no lack OF
alertncSS on the part Of the attorneys.
Once or twice 1t looked bad for the
State when certain testimony was in
troduccd, but Solicitor Bonham in a
mastcrful manner coped with the sit
uation. A tense moment 1t was when
talked impressivcly OF his efforts to
lift the women who had proved false
10 him. He said that rescue homes
and other institutions were in exis-
tence for no other purpose than to cle-
vate or reclaim fallen women. Flo
said that no man OF honor could fail
to try to lift women OF his own family.
1t was during the cross examination
when this statement was made by the
defendant Solicitor Bonhnm, who was
conducting a severe examina-
ton, looked the defendant in the face
n moment, and then asked him why 1t
was that he, the defendant, had tried
to make one OF the offending men mar
by the wife, and another the daughter.
II he sought primarily to elevate them?
why did he first try to hand the wO-
men over to other men, mon whom he
accused OF running them, II his desire
was to reclaim them?
Another moment OF tenseness, and
this one preceded tho former, was
when Tidwcll was telling of the note
which brought him to Greenvillc. The
note was written by Mrs Norris.