The Pensacola journal., 1917-07-11
WITNESS SAYS
He HAD SWORN
To UNTRUTHS
Detective Moore Gives In
teresting Recital of Past
History of the Case.
THRILLING CLIMAX
TO EMOTIONAL DAY
A. ]. Melvin, Who Smashed
Alibi, Broke Down
While Testifying.
BY Thomas Ewing Dabney.

Crestview, Fla, July 10.-Bob
Blackwell's alibi is blown into a
thousand pieces.
AS Bob leaned back in his
wife's arms, the smile still on
his face, though there was little
mirth in it, A. J. Melvin, the man
who Saturday swore he saw the
accused in chair car at Holt,
bound for Pensacola on the night
before the murder, confessed that
he had perjured himself at the
instance of the father, Duncan
Blackwell.
Two other witnesses were produced
to forestall any insinuation the de-
Tense might make that Melvin was
lying now-who swore that they had
been at the train that night and Mel
win was not there.
The boarding house keeper, Blair,
in whose establishment Bob swore
he had spent the night of the muir
der as well as the previous night,
declared that the prisoner had not
been in his house for at least three
weeks before the crime; and Jim
Sellers, with whom Bob swore he
slept in the Blair establishment on
the night of the crime, said he was
at the time in Ferry Pass, and did
not see Bob in the entire month of
March.
1t was the climax of an emotional
day, featured by Bob Blackwell's tes-
tinony and Detective Moore's narra-
tive of how he had unraveled the
mystery
Will Blackwell's story was contra
dicted in a number of important
points as well, and there was further
evidence disproving the bribery
charges that have been laid at the
door of Sheriff Sutton and the de-
tective.
Further sensations are promised
tomorrow. Argument will hardly
begin before Thursday. To what
length OF speeches counsel will be
limited, Judge Campbell has not yet
decided. It is hoped that the case will
be given to the jury by Thursday
night.
The Days Proceedings.
Proceedings of the second day of
the second week of trial of VIII and
Bob Blackwell, charged with the muir
der of Bud and Nancy Davis:
A. D. Peoples, of Tallassee, Ala,
brother-in-law of Bob Blackwell, de-
clared that Bob had been boarding
with him for two weeks up to the
time of the arrest, but declared that
he was not going by the name OF F.
Black, the alias under which Con
stable Cannon says he effected the
arrest. al made him acquainted with
all my friends as Robert Blackwell,
said Mr.. People, adding that Bob wSs
known in Tallassee anyway, anc
therefore would not dare an allas
Mrs. Robert Blackwell declared wit.
ness, was at her fathers house about
25 miles away, having been callec
there by his failing health. The ole
man subsequently died
Rob Blackwell on the Stand.
Robert Blackwell then took thu
stand-for one hour and twenty-five
minutes he answered the examining
ATTORNEYS for the prosecution and th(
defense, trying to explain his action:
and the motives therefor to the sat
isfaction of the twelve good men anC
true, to whom his fate is entrusted.
A Good Witness.
Bob made a good witness-the I'M
preston he made was much more IA
vorable than that of his brother, VIII
whose promised sensation yest.rda1!
proved such a fizzle, and who made
such vital contradictions and who's
lapse of memory in the case OF tn
Woodman card and the picture on TIT
wall was so deadly. =.
Bob sat on the witness stand, NJ.
legs crossed, his face illuminated D!
a smile almost continuously. HIS re
plies were uniformly prompt, NJ
voice was low and masical, like VIII
but without the metallic character
he did not evince any nervousness
that the fearful ordeal of the eros
examination might be expected I
cause.
Says He Is Innocent.
Bob declared his absolute lnnocenc