Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-09-24
HAGGARD TELLS HIS
STORY To THE JURY
Declares He Believed Ben Good
Had Wrecked His Home and
He Couldn't Stand 1t Longer
Especial to Daily Register)

Rodney Haggard took the stand
i'll his own defense today in the
trial in which he is charged with
the murder of Ben Good.
Following the outline of his de-
tense as presented by his chief at
torney, Judge J. M. Benton, Hag-
gard told of finding note that his
wife had written, of the blotter
with Goods name showing on it.
lie said that he believed Good had
wrecked his home and that he had
Just gotten to a point that he
could stand it no longer. He said
that he had tried to avoid Good,
but when he did run into him shot
him.
Winchester, KY, Sept. 24--The
jury trying Rodney Haggard for
killing Ben Good is composed of
the following: Ernest r. Allen,
farmer; John Turpin farmer; Jeff
Day, merchant; Shelby Rupard,
farmer; Alvin Paisley, farmer; l..
T. Upton, farmer; Luther Watts,
farmer; Charles Hagan, proprie-
tor OF machine shop; Walter E.
Hehn, farmer; Holt Everman,
farmer; ], T. Corey, farmer !;
Thomas Reeves, farmer.
The defendant entered a plea of
not guilty.
The case for the commonwealth
was stated by II. II. Moore, coun-
ty attorney. He related the cir
cumstances of the killing. He
said Ben Good had been away for
ten days on a vacation and return
ed on the day he was killed.
The defense failed to make a
statement.
Coroner A. M. Thacker was the
first witness, and described the
nature of the wounds ON Goods
body.
DR.. Howard Lyon testified that
he first saw Good Oh Fairfax
street. after the shooting, just
around the corner from the con-
fectionery. and that he told the
boys holding the wounded man to
take the patient to his office. DR..
Lyon descibed the nature Of the
wounds.
DIR. Lyon said that as Good was
being carried to his office he, no.
ticed his coat was on fire near
where the wounds in the body
were located. DIR. Lyon identified
the clothing worn by Good at the
time of the shooting, and showed
that they were powder burned.
The patient died shortly after
midnight.
DIR. f. P. Guerrant described
the wounds, and said that Good
died as the result of lacerated
artery from the bullet wounds
Dr. Guerrant said Goods upper
lip was severed. He CDR. Guer-
rant) took one stitch to close the
lacerated lip.
DIR. Lyon was recalled and told
of the lip wound, which he said
was half an inch in length.
DIR. Lyon said he saw no wea-
pom on Good. He said he did not
examine Goods trousers.
Cross-eXamined, DIR. Lyon said
Good was rational after the
shooting.
Glenmore Ecton, who works in
the confectionery. said at about
7:15 o'clock i1aggard was in the
store and bought a cigar, and
went out. A little later he was
attracted by the sound of a blow,
and as he looked through the
screen door, he saw Haggard
standing over Good and saw the
flash of three shots.
Earlier in the evening about Is
minutes before o'clock, the wit
ness said, Good came into the
store, drank a coca-cola, and ord
cred a sandwich wrapped up, say
ing he would call for it later Good
went to the phone. Haggard
came in and ordered a lunch. Good
went out, saying "I'll be back la
ter after my sandwich" " The wit
ness said the men did not speak.
Haggard finished his lunch, paid
for it and bought a cigar. Later,
about 5 minutes before the shoot
ing, Haggard returned and
bought second cigar. Just after
Haggard left, the shooting occur
red. After the shooting witness
saw Good get to his feet and stag
ger around the corner, clutching
to his side and saying "Ohp
On examination, Ecton
said Haggard had lunch at the
Wheeler and Renaker place fire.
quentl. He said Good went to
the phone after Haggard came in
the store He said that Haggard
left the store, he turned to the
left