The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-03-11

40 it. When I was working on the
dredge there was pretty tough
crowd and didn't mind so much, but
lately when | got to studying about
it, | could see that old mans face
when he lit that match and ] could
see him fall, and / couldn't stand it
any longer. | hope ii. will be bene-
fit to some other young man growing
up. If l didn't think it would, l
wouldn't have done II.
Stewart Ready for Consequences
Anderson was seeking revenge, I
hadn't done anything wrong before.
He had been drinking and got me to
drink two bottles Of beer that day
and that's the way it happened"
When asked if he realized what hi,
confession might mean to him. Stew
art said: I'm not worrying about
that at all. | should have done my
worrying before I done it. 1t amt no
time now. resolved to follow Gods
laws as near as my conscience will
leave. me. It's something every man
should do and he'll never lose any
thing by it. just neglected Cod
too long and it got me in whole
lot of trouble"
Stewart is twenty-seven years old
now. straight and upright looking,
with clear-cut features and lust
touch of dreaminess about his eyes.
He was dressed in a spotlessly clean
pair OF blue overalls at the Jail and
talked freely of the past before the
Tribune man and Jailer Wilson.
Anderson's trial before Judge F. M.
Robes of the circuit court was a
most exciting one, lasting from June
% until July 4, 1918, when the jury
brought in verdict of guilty with
Recommendation for mercy after
ffteen-minute deliberation. Anderson
was represented by Attorneys Rob,
ert W. Davis and Samuel T, Fletcher.
The court room was packed and
the following jury was selected to try
the case, Sydney H. Beach, 4.
Groves, J. A. Foxworthy, j. R. Brook
err }. c. Payne, T. S. Evers, George
Rogers, r. s. Sullivan, W. O. Casey.
B. u. Stall, J. 7. Griffin and e. ].
Spivey
Frequent tits were held between
Inc attorneys for Anderson and
George T. Raney who was represent
ing the State, assisted by H. s. Phil
lips who had just been made district
attorney of the United States for this
district. The evidence was purely cir
cumstantial and during the trial the
question came up as to whether the
tody found in the ruins of the house
was the body of the seventy-four-year
old j. L. Wread. DR.. c. C. McGuirr
was the first to bring out any of the
grdesome testimony, telling how he
mad examined the body, of which only
portions of the trunk and legs could
ne identified. No one could swear
whether 1t was man or a woman,
white or a black. Stewart brought
in the strongest testimony for the
state, saying he had ridden from
Plant City where Anderson had
bought the kerosene. He said he re,
fused to go to Wread's house with An
derson and hid in the woods, hearing
the shots and seeing the flames of
the burning building.
The Alibf Failed
The defense produced several wit,
nesses in an attempt to prove an
alibi. among them being Frank Crane
who said he saw Anderson five miles
from the scene of the murder about
the time it was supposed to have hap
pened.
Then came the testimony of Percy
Jones, Anderson's cell mate, who also
said that Anderson had threatened to
Kill him, the same way he had killed
and buried negro at Nichols some
time before.
Later the State proved there had
been foul play before the fire by the
testimony of physicians who had ex.
amined what was left of the body
There was no blood left in the heart
which was proof that there must
Fave been wound. although the fire
had consumed the actual evidence of
that fact.
All during the trial, Joe Wread. a
son of the victim OF the tragedy. was
one of the most attentive spectators
who said at the time that Stewart
was just as guilty as Anderson. His
life. too, had been threatened, he said
and he told Of another event in An
derSOn'S life when tho lattar nod .,d