The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-11-27
JASPER DENTIST MUST FACE JURY
 IN MURDER TRIAL
Dr. Freeman Drummond Held Without Bond for Shooting Nephew to Death-Pre-
 sents Pathetic Scene

l Jasper, November 26.-(SpeciaL)-
 pr. Freeman Drummond, aged dentist
 of this city, was held to the grand jury
 preliminary trial before Judge E. w..
 Long. on the charge of killing his
 youthful nephew, Dr. Sam Drummond l November ?, this year.
 Because of the prominence of the parties, the court room was filled to social status. And their curiosity was
 appeased, for the scene was the most
 pathetic ever witnessed in local court. The aged defendant, with his
 young wife and baby and three little {, boys, sat on one side of the attorneys
 table, while directly opposite sat the
 slain mans widow and his father,
 Thomas Drumntond, brother of the ac- i cused.
 WIDOW A WITNESS Occasionally the hum of the court room was broken by the childish pratt ! tic of the prisoners three boys 1 bright handsome little fellows. wholly
 unconscious of the gravity of their
 fathers situation, but impatient with i the silence imposed upon them. If the l two families recognized each other during the hearing 1t was not observ- able. They displayed only moody in- 1 terest in the proceedings except when
 the prisoner took the stand to testify l in his own behalf. Then all became in- l tent listeners. and an absolute quiet | obtained in the court room. | But three witnesses were placed on l tho stand. The state. used Freeman Gardner, the only eyewitness to the 1 tragedy, and Mrs. Drummond, widow of the dead dentist. The defense put the defendant on the stand who in even tones. told the story of the killing His testimony and that of Gardner were
 substantially the same. Mrs. Drum mond was used only to identify the
 vest, pierced with bullet hole and worn by her husband when shot. l ACCUSED TESTIFIES | According to the defendants testi- mony, he and his nephew entered into partnership In 1914 and got along req i sonably amiably until April of this year On October 1. Dr. Drummond l testified, he gave his nephew notice to quit. The younger man ignored the notice, and on November 1 second
 notice was given. Upon arriving at tho office about 6:30 Tuesday morning. November 2, the elder man found his nephew sweeping.
 "Did you get my notice?' asked him" | the witness testified.
 "'Yes,' he replied, but Pm going to pay no attention to it.
 The witnes then stated he told his kins- man that he intended to make him get out by law At this point. the witness declared the young man raised the broom to strike
 He then put it down" said Dr. Drum mond and remarked, I'll just take a chair and kill you"
 The scene then shifted to the private office, where, the defendant stated the chair actually was drawn, and, fearing ar assault he pulled his revolver and fired. The victim crpmpled and fen to the floor Immediately afterward, the I witness said he raised the window and
 called for help.
 ARRAY OF TALENT | Gardners testimony tallied in detail with that of the defendant up to the | point where the two men entered the pri- vate office. Gardner, who was in the office to have some dental work done l testified that the young doctor went into | the inner room, and was followed by the older doctor. The witness stated that Dr. Freeman Drummond was standing in the doorway when he pulled the revolver and | fired. < ! At that point,,' declared the witness l "I left.'
 The array of legal talent promises to develop one of the most historic trials \ ever held in Alabama The state is rep resented by J. M. Pennington. county so- l iicitor. and J. H. Bankhead, Jr., and 1 Roy & Cooner as special prosecutors. The defense has employed Lecil Gray and Leath & Powell. All are recognized as among the more successful lawyers of the state They are strong, able, astute. re- sourceful, and will employ every possible I legal effort to win.