Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-10-31
PREACHER SLAYER'S
COUNSEL DROP PLAN
To PLEAD INSANITY
Padrick Enters Court With
Bible in Hand-SayS He
Intends 10 Preach Sermon
. to Jury

. 1A1L4oDOI(o, I'd, w. oV'
Clad in subdued clothing, and with
Bible in hand, Rev. Elliott Padrick.
youthful Methodist minister, was
brought into the superior courtroom
here today to stand trial for the
killing of his wife, Willie Mae Pad
rick, and his mother-in-law, Mrs. M.
B. Nixon, on the night of June 10,
between Dover and Clito.
Wholly unconcer,ecd as to the
trial, Patrick walked directly to the
table where his attorneys were seat.
ed, adjusted his chair to a comfort
able position, sat down and went to
sleep.
spite the fact that his attorneys
were wrangling over the selection
of jury. At 1915 o'clock the fol-
lowing jurors had been selected to
decide the case: G. A. Warnock,
teacher and farmer; G.. c. Daugher-
ty, farmer and merchant; w. M.
farmer; C. B. Burch, farmer; j. F.
diff, druggist; J. L. Brannan, farm
err; T. B. Nevils, farmer; r. l.. La
nier, farmer; John A. Lanier, farm
err; r. G. Riggs, merchant; A. e.
Taylor, farmer.
Simple Plea of Not Guilty
The attorneys for the defense de-
cided this morning to enter a SIM
pie plea of mot guilty." 1t was
pointed out that, should the jury
find for the defendant upon a plea
of insanity, as at first considered,
Patrick could be sent to the state
asylum, and if he ever recovered he
could be brought back to trial.
The youthful minister is e6n trial
for the murder of his mother-in-law,
this being the first case selected by,
the state. If he is acquitted in this
case, he then will be tried for the
Staying of his wife.
w. E. McDougald, postmaster at
| Clio, was the first witness called by
| the state.
II saw Padrick get off the train,
| kiss his wife and shake hands with
his mother-in-law," the witness said.
| "Padrick said something about leav-
| ing his suitcase at Dover, and that
| they must go back and get it with
him. Patrick, his wife and his moth
| er-in-law, Mrs. Dixon, got in the
sedan and drove off toward Dover.
Later l heard that two women had
| been shot. I went to the scene and
| discovered them to be Padrick'S wife
and his mother-in-law, both dead"
He said that the younger woman
was the one moving, but the older
one was dead, with a bullet wound,
| large enough to insert ones finger
| in, in the back of her head.
The next witness, Marion Free
man, who found the bodies, told of
having sighted a car criss-cross the
road. Driving up in his car, he saw
| one of the two bodies moving. "It
had been raining" the witness went
| on, land I could see footprints of
man - evidently running toward
Dover. I hoped in my car and sped
| toward Dover, where I notified citi-
| zens Of the killing"
Arrived Out of Breath
H. r. Wyatt, another state wit
| ness, told of the young minister's ar
rival in Dover after the killing. He
said Patrick entered the. town, quite
| out of breath, and asked A. B. Gail
where he might hire taxi. He was
referred by Cail~to see w. D. Cards
we'll. Gail, on the stand, confirmed
this conversation.
When Cardswell was called to the
stand, Judge Park adjourned court
until afternoon. Cardswell, the next
witness to testify, will tell Of rent
ing a taxi to the young minister, and
his flight toward Sylvania, only to
be intercepted on the way by citi-
zens. He is expected to tell Of Pad
rick denying his identity, and later
admitting he was the man wanted.
Patrick, during the testimony, has
taken little or no interest in what
the witnesses are saying. He pre-
sents quite a different picture from
the youth who was arrested in June.
The prison pallor has begun to leave
its marks about the youths features,
and he has lost considerable weight.
Congressman elect r. l.. Moore
was this morning added to the list of
defense attorneys.
Patrick stated this morning that
he intends to preach a sermon to
the jury as his defense statement.
His selected text will be that Sec
ton of the Bible forbidding the COW
citing of 'thy neighbours wife," and
the seventh commandment.
The solicitor general stated this
morning that the case should be
ended by tomorrow morning. He
said he would take less than an
hour for the state to present it's
case.
Padrick's family was seated in va
rious parts of the courtroom, but
none was at the table with him.
Padrick still contends and will
contend on the stand, that the hand
of God directed him in the killing.
He says he was driven to the kill
ing by the alleged indiscretions Of
his pretty wife. .....-..
Following the killing, Patrick was
captured by Sheriff Griffin of ScreveA
county and carried to Augusta,
where he was placed in Jail to es-
cape possible mob violence.