The weekly soliphone., 1915-12-17

morning of July IS, 1915, was de- clared not guilty by jury in cir cult court this morning and was immediately released from the GUS tody of the officials.
 Eaton faces other indictments on charges of having entered into a conspiracy with his father, J. w.. Eaton, and Frank Threlkeld to set fire to several buildings in the business district. It is not known what action the prosecuting attor- ney will take on the other indict- ments.
 The Mime fire of July IS was a separate charge from those lodged against Eaton in connection with his father and Frank Threlkeld The attempts to burn out the five buildings occurred on the night of October l.
 The indictment against Eaton was predicated upon remarks he is alleged to have made to Sam Pruett and Walter Cooper on the after noon of the Sunday when the at tempt was r,ade to burn the Mime building. Pruett and Cooper both testified Eaton told them he made a mess of setting fire to the building that morning, but he would make better job of it that night.
 Pruett told Chief of Police Hous- ton about Eaton's threat that after noon and for several nights the po- lice officers watched the building. Pruett also informed the deputy prosecuting attorney of the threat the following morning. A witness named Dunniyan, now residing in Mississippi county, testified to a conversation he had with Threlk- cid and the Eatons prior to the at tempt at wholesale arson. Dun nivan testified Threlkeld said work was dull here and it was about time to start something, and he thought a few fires would help out some.
 The defense claimed an alibi, in sisting young Eaton was not down town on the morning the Mime building was fired, but was at home asleep all day. The young mans mother and father testified to this contention. The defense al so attacked Sam Pruett, the princi- pal witness. Young Eaton claimed Pruett had it in" for him because |. he (Eaton) had failed to pay Pru- lett one dollar balance due him on 'some liquor. Eaton testified he bought thrae pints of whisky from Pruett one day prior to hte Mime fire. that he paid him for two of them and that Pruett had threaten ed to give him a threshing because he had not paid for the third pint. He also testified he had bought between sevanty-five and one hum dred pints of liquor from Pruett.
 The state insisted this was inn probable, because if Pruett had been selling Eaton liquor he cer- tainly would not have informed on Eaton when the latter made the alleged statements about setting fire to the Mime building. The state further cOntended Pruett had never been charged with or sus- pected of selIlng liquor.
 Closing arguments were made in the case this morning. The jury was out only a short time when it returned with a verdict of not guilty.
 Fifty special veniremen had been summoned to make up the jury to try the charge of arson against J. w. Eaton, and at the conclusion of the Len Eaton trial the attorneys began the examina- tion of jurors for the J. W. Eaton case.
 J. T. Craig represented Len Eat on and is also handling the defense in the J. w. Eaton case.
 Lawsoa and Lucas Cases
 Will Be Dismissed.
 The failure of the grand jury to re-indict Ed Lawson and Ed Lucas, previously indicted on charges of obtaining money under false pre- tenses, means the old indictment will be dismissed and these men will be released from their bonds.
 When the supreme court reversed the Ed Lawson case several weeks ago because the proof did not con form to the allegations in the in- dictment, it was expected no fur HOW'S This |?