The Mena weekly star., 1920-10-28

young Scott county farmer, Alvin Hughes, alias Dunbar, young sawmill worker, must forfeit his life
 On the evening of Tuesday, October 5, in the lonely woods near Eagleton, Mankins was shot down and left to die alone and unattended. Shortly be- fore midight on Tuesday, October 26, just three weeks later, a jury in the Polk county circuit court decided Hughes was guilty of first degree mur- der. The prisoner admitted having killed Mankins.
 The verdict carries with it the pen- alty of death in the electric chair.
 Judge J. s. Steel will likely fix the date of Hughes execution sometime today or Thursday.
 The verdict the jury rendered late Tuesday night was the climax to day Iof proceedings that will long be re- |membered by the throngs that jammed and crowded into every bit of space available in the big court room.
 The jury retired few minutes af- ter o'clock and verdict was expect ed in short time. Instead 1t was not until 11.z0 o'clock that the twelve good men and true, reported that they were able to agree. A nlisunderstand- ing over one point in the instruction by one member of the jury is said to have been the cause of the delayed verdict. On two different occasions the jury asked for further interpreta- tion of the law and at the final read ing of instructions at II o'clock, re- convened and quickly agreed
 When the jurymen approached the bar for the final time Judge Steel ask ed:
 "Have you agreed upon verdict, gentlemen P
 Upon the announcement by the fore man, J E. Chambers, that they had, Circuit ". L. Parker was directed to read it.
 The clerk read, We, the jury, find the defendant guilty of murder in the first degree as charged in the indict- ment. .D
 During the reading of the verdict the prisoner sat with downcast eyes, his hands trembled and his body shook as with chill, but not once did lie take his gaze from the floor.
 After thanking the jurors and dis charging them, the judge directed the prisoner be taken back to Jail. Under the law the jurist is allowed 24 hours in which to announce the death pen-f alty.
 1 In the opening statement to the jury, which was made shortly after the court reconvened at 1880 D. m. Tuesday afternoon, Prosecuting Attor- ney A. D. DuIaney announced that the state intended to show that Ellis Mankins had been deliberately shot down with muderous intent by the de- fendant and had died 96 hours later as the result.
 The state proceeded to weave chain of evidence about Hughes that concerned him with the terrible crime, tn. killing. To clinch the states case, was the admission by Hughes himself that he killed Mankins. After having remained mute and silent during the entire trial and sit- lting with head held downward in the crowded court room, 1t was a surprise that Hughes decided to take the stand on his own behalf and tell of the kill ling of the young Scott county farmer. Hughes own testimony corroborated the theory of the state regarding the killing and his admission that he shot the young farmer down to get posses sion of the Mankins' team and wagon, Icame as dramatic finale to the tax ling of the testimony. in i1ls opening statement ss,sesaa. ,sesa Pole lMcPhetrige, named as counsel for the prisoner by Judge Steel, stated that This client was a peculiarly constitu- l ted individual" and told of his difficult 1 ties in getting assistance from the de- 1 fendant In preparing defense. After lthe states testimony had been conclud- led Attorney McPhetrige said for awhile it looked as tho the defense would consist of only the testimony of a single witness. For some reason unexplained Hughes decided to take the stand and after being sworn talked more freely than at any time since his ar rest It seemed to be relief to him to speak, and for the first time during the day the prisoner showed some an imation.
 In his testimony Hughes admitted inviting young Mankins to 90 hunting with him the day they went to Eagle to to haul the Hughes household goods to Boles. He denied that he had any intention Of killing the young farmer at the starting of the trip. He told of taking Mankins hunting and how he had raised his gun and fired into the head of his companion while Man kins stood with his back towards him.
 When asked why he did this the prisoner answered:
 "I can't tell you"
 He told of being lost in the woods and of finally returning to Eagleton where he took Mankins team and wag- on, loaded up his family and drove away.
 Hughes declared that he was sorry he had killed Mankins, but 1t was not until Prosecuting Attorney Du- Laney cross-examined him that he f. nally admitted the truth, an admission which will undoubtedly cause his own death in the electric chair.
 After the prosecuting attorney had drawn from Hughes an admission he had served time in the penitentiary for taking mules" in Johnson county, and reiterated his story of the slaying of Mankins the prosecutor asked;
 Didn't you kill Ellis Mankins to get his team and wagon 2"
 The prisoner moved uneasily but said:
 'sI can't tell you"
 The attorney repeated the question and fixed his gaze upon the prisoner.