Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-07-16
R0dY i'm We'll.

Qulry, ndVlnS III tHe IHedilllIle louHu and read the letter which defendant had written to her. Defendant left the community on Wednesday and went over to Knoxville, a small town on the railroad in the adjoining coun- ty, where he had an uncle. residing and, perhaps, other relatives. On We'd nesday night deceased's father went before a justice of the peace and swore out a warrant against defend- ant, charging him with the crime of seduction. The officer arrested him at Knoxville at night, but he made his escape from the officer; the evidence tending to show that the officers at that time did not know or realize that murder had probably been commit ted, and had no information of it, and were not unwilling for the defendant to make his escape anad thus evade the charge of seduction made against him. His illicit relations with de- ceased had become we'll known in the community.
 Feared Returning.
 Defendant at the time he was ar rested stated that he would die be- fore he would be taken back to Logan county. He remained at Knoxville several days, not altogether in seclu- sion, the proof tending to show that he remained most of the time at the house of his relatives, but visited around to some extent. During this time he visited several other young ladies of his acquaintance.
 On Sunday, March 16, he went back to Logan county to the home of his father, going a circuitous route, avoiding the public roads through the settlement in the vicinity of Dele ware, and passing through the old field near the we'll where deceased's body was found the next day. Am prose Johnson and his wife, who had formerly lived in the house a short distance from the well, returned to the house after the day of the dis appearance of deceased, and were living there on the Sunday that de- fendant returned 10 the neighborhood. They saw him on the afternoon of that day go to the old well, get down on his hands and knees and look down into the well for few mo- ments, and then arise and go out of sight behind thicket, and thence over towards the nome of his father.
 Johnson reported this occurrence the next day to some of his neigh bors, and at his suggestion a search ing party went to the well, removed the. rubbish and pile of rocks and found the body. Defendant admitted in his testimony that he visited the old we'll at the time named and gaZed down in to it as related by the John- sons, but that he did so because he noticed the appearance of the we'll was somewhat changed, and he fear ed that some of his fathers stock may have fallen in. The testimony of the state in rebuttal, however, tends to show that the stock was not accustomed to range in the field, and that the fence was sufficient to keep them Out. Defendant went from the old we'll to his fathers house, to the house of his uncle, where he spent tine night, and, as he says, his father adj 1sed him to leave on ac- count of the charge of seduction. He left the next morning being taken over to the railroad station by some of the members of his family, and went to Memphis, where he stayed awhile, and then went to Fort Smith, Ark, where he was arrested by the of ficers after the body of deceased had been discovered.
 Admitted Relations With Girl.
 Defendant testified in his own be- half and undertook to explain all these circumstances so as to avoid an unfavorable effect. He admitted as before states his improper rela- tions with the girl, and admitted that he had had an intercourse with her about two years before that time. He admitted frequent meetings with her at the Pines and at other places. He testified that he met her at the house of a man named Bolden. He said that Bolden also was having intercourse with the girl, and that when sho was found to be pregnant, the girl stated to him that either he or Bolden was the father of the child. He stated that when he met the girl at the Pines on Monday morning, after he had mailed the letter, she agreed to go away if he and Bolden would furnish the money, and that he gave her $S which was all the money he had, and told her to get the balance of the required sum from Bolden.
 Bolden testified that he had never had intercourse with the girl and contradicted defendant about the latter being in bed with the girl at his house When he was present.
 Defendant explained his flight from the community by saying that he had heard of the charge of seduction, and had been advised by his father to leave. and that he supposed the girl had left the community pursuant to their agreement at the pine thicket on Monday. and had no knowledge that she was dead.
 Defendant also introduced members