The log cabin Democrat., 1917-04-05
TO SHOW
THREATS BY WREN
PRELIMINARY TRIAL .ON
Prosecution Seeks to Show Defend
ant Often Threatened to
Kill Alfred Day.

Efforts upon the part of the pros
ecution to show that Clarence A
Wren had made frequent threats to
kill Alfred Day prior to the night of
the tragedy featured the examining
trial of Wren which was taken up
before Justice g. NJ. Eastcrwood this
| morning The state introduced 1C
witnesses and rested at , O'Clock
| this afternoon. A recess was then
taken during which the defendant's 5
counsel conferred with their witness
es.
The hearing which was had in the
circuit court room was accompanied
| by as much formality as usually at
tends trial in circuit court and a
crowd Of 200 to 300 people were pres
ent.
Night Marshal John Durham was
| the first witness examined. He tes-
titled that he was in front of the
Commercial hotel when he heard five
shots fired. three in quick success
ion and two Few seconds later. and
that when he ran to the place Wren
told him what had happened, saying
that he hated to do it, but was forced
to kill Day and was not sorry for it.
as Day had broken up his home.
Wren gave the officer his pistol and
Durham said he found a 32-calibre
pistol, loaded, in the left overcoa,
pocket of Day. He said that Wren
told him that Day came up to the
door of Mrs. Davis residence and
called for Mrs. Davis and that he
opened the other door, saw who il
was and the shooting followed.
DR.. H. E. Cureton and Undertaken
j. A. Pence testified as to the char
acter of Days wounds and the time
of his death, and Deputy Sheriff j
A. Summers testified as to Wren sur
rendering himself to his custody.
A. e. Aufenshire, who stated that
he was carrying the mail to Conway
on Wednesday preceding the killing,
testified that Wren got in the buggy
with him at Dunn's store, five miles
northeast of Conway, and said he
went out there to kill man but
failed to find him. A day or two la
ter, Aufenshire testified, Wren came
to him and wanted to borrow a gun,
(which was refused.
Ed Monroe testified that he met
Wren with his children in front of
Hendrix College on Saturday morn
ing preceding the killing, and that
Wren said he was looking for Day.
At the afternoon session of the
hearing, Mrs. Daisy Brady testified
that Wren had declared in conver-
sation with her on Friday preceding
the killing that "Alfred Day should
not have his wife" Mrs. Brady also
said that Wren asked her to ask his
wife to come to her house and talk
over their affairs. She stated that
she lived next door to Mrs. Mary Da.
Wis, mother of Mrs. Wren, where the
| latter had been staying since her
separation from her husband, anC
that Wren was very much devoted
to his wife and children.
That warning was given Day
early on the night of the killing by
j. A. Dunn and Jim Day was brought
out in the evidence of Mr. Dunn, who
stated that he and jim Day went to
Alfred Days house and urged him to
leave the country and not even come
to Conway to take the train. The
witness said he did this because Hen
ry Gibbs had told him that Wren was
going to kill Day. Mr. Dunn stated
that he was aware of the trouble be-
tween Wren and his wife and that
Wren blamed Day with the trouble.
He said Day made no response to
their talk with him.
Earnest Day testified that he Wis
tied the home of his uncle, Alfred
Day, who lived in a house alone, the
morning after the killing, and that
the lamp was burning, the shades
drawn and the bed had been slept in.
Strenuous objection upon the part
of the defense was sustained by the
court when the state attempted to
introduce the record and pleadings
in the divorce suit filed in chancery
court by Mrs. Wren against her hus-
band The state then rested.
Prosecuting Attorney G. 0. Boyle,
to secure whose attendance the hear
ing was continued from March 80 un-
til today, did not appear in the case
today, the state being represented
| by Col. G. w. Bruce and j. H. Dunn.
Wren was represented by Robins &
Clark.
HELD FOR MANSLAUGHTER.
The Wren hearing was completed
shortly after o'clock, Justice Eas-
+or,,,ooJ ordar;or tho defendant held