The log cabin Democrat., 1915-03-12
STATE PRESENTS STRONG CASE
 AGAINST BLOUNT; DEFENSE OPENS
DEFENDANTS TALK
 HAS HURT HIS CASE I9 WITNESSES EXAMINED
STATE RESTS CASE AT 1O:4O O'CLOCK THIS MORNING.
 NIGHT SESSION HELD.

After 19 witnesses for the prosecu- tion had been introduced and examin- ed in the case of the state against Lee Blount, the state rested at .10:40 o'clock this morning and the court or dered a recess until o'clock D. m., in order to permit the defendants coun- sel to confer with their witnesses. Introduction of testimony for the de- fense was begun this afternoon and will probably require all of the after noon, with the probability of night session.
 The case is not moving so rapidly as was expected, and if the state in troduces rebuttal testimony it will probably be sometime Saturday morn- ing before the evidence is completed. fThe reading of instructions and the arguments will follow aM it may be late Saturday before the case goes to the jury.
 Blount's proclivity to talk freely and boast of his prowess is making his defense much more@ difficult. Nu- merous witnesses introduced by the state testified as to threats he had made against the man he killed before the tragedy and as to conflicting statements made by Blount after wards.
 Every seat was occupied and every inch of standing room was filled when George w. Clark began to present the case from the states standpoint at o'clock yesterday afternoon. MT. Clark detailed the history of Blount' s previous crimes, his escape from jail and the facts which led up to the kill ing of Honea. He paid a high tribute to the courage and daring of the dead officer and recounted the value of his services to the county "When Lee Blount assassinated Oscar Honea,' MT. Clark said. "he not only killed a valuable citizen, but he slew a faith ful officer who was endeavoring to en- force the law and the judgments of our courts. If our officers are to be slain in the performance of their du- ties, then there is no protection for any citizen. In simple justice the state asks that Blount's own life must pay the forfeit"
 A. l.. Barber stated the case for the defense. He declared that this ques- tion, like all others, had two sides. Honea, the attorney said, had sworn to take Blount's life if ever given the opportunity and on one ocasion had fired two shots at Blount as he was fleeing from the officer. Blount, MT. Barber said, was acquainted with this prejudice against him and knew that one or the other must die when they met On the occasion of the kill ing, the attorney said the defense would prove that Blount offered to surrender if Honea would drop his gun, but that the officer refused and Blount fired. He concluded by de- claring that the defense would pre- sent such evidence as to make yer dict of not guilty inevitable.
 J. B. Honea, the father of Oscar, was the first witness introduced by the state. Mir. Honea only testified as to his relationship with the deceased and identified the clothes worn by him on the day he was killed.
 J. s. Johnson, who was sheriff at the time of the tragedy, was next introduced. He testified as the pur- suit of Blount following his escape, with two other prisoners, from the county jail on October 21, and denied that the cell door was left unlocked, but declared that pieces of wire and a broken spoon gave evidence of the fact that Blount, who was in the cor ridor, picked the lock and released the men from the cells. Blount's state ments to the sheriff after his arrest were related by the former officer, who detailed conversation between him and Blount on the train going from Mayf1ower to Little Rock. Blount, MT. Johnson testified, said he was squatting down in the weeds at the edge of a thicket when he saw lionea coming toward him, and told Honea to drop his gun. Honea refused to do it and Blount fired After he fired the shot Blount told the officer he took the empty shell from his own gun put it in Honea's gun and hid the latter. On cross-examination Mir. Johnson stated Blount was being con- fined in the county jail on a fine of $1O ard costs, fine assessed upon l him on charge reduced from assault