Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-11-02
SERMON DELIVERED
. TO COURT TUESDAY
BY YOUNG MINISTER
After Remarkable Address to
Jury, Defendant in Double
Murder Case Goes Back to
Sleep in Chair

The case of Elliott Padrick, young
Methodist minister, on trial in SUI
perior court here for the murder of
his mother-in-1aw, Mrs. Mamie Lou
Dixon, was given to the jury at II
o'clock Tuesday night. After com.
pleting his charge, Judge ]. B. PARK,
at the trial, told the jur-
ors to go to bed and consider the
case Wednesday.
Judge Park, in his charge to the
jury, went thoroughly into the in.
sanity feature of the case and told
the jurors that if they had doubt aa
to Padrick's sanity at the time he
committed the crime, they should
acquit him, but if they had no doubt
about it they should find him gull
ty without or with a recommends
ton for mercy.
The jury had failed late Wednes.
day to reach a verdict.
Padrick's defense statement was
perhaps the most unusual ever heard
in this section Of the state. His cue
to take the stand was followed by
moves distinctly dramatic. Taking
aloft and babe the courtroom to bow
their heads in prayer. He prayed for
the wisdom of the court, the future
Of the church, and the people OF
Statesboro.
Scores Modern Women
He then turned to the jury and de.
livered his sermon. He declared the
women of today We're causing the
downfall of man, enticing them by
their daily dress, and playing to
them through sex appeal. He said it
was difficult for young minister to
enter the gospel because of the temp
tation of modern women.
The dramatic part of the minis
ter's defense sermon was reached
when he singled OUT his father-in-
law, the father of his dead bride,
pointed his finger at him and de-
clared, You are responsible for me
marrying your daughter" He told
the jury that Mr.. Dixon had insisted
upon the wedding.
Padricll told of the alleged jeai
lousness of his mother.in-law, whom
he admits he killed.
''She would often beat her daugh- z
ter because Willie Mae was admired
by other men when she went 20
town." he said.
The prosecution later in the day
placed witnesses upon the stand tn
prove Padrick's sanity. Jones Qllat-
Llebaum declared he considered him
sane, having heard him preach. Tom
Jones, another witness, said il6 had
heard him preach, and considered,
him above the average in intel
lIgence.
The purchase of the fatal weapon
was told the court by II. G.. Harri.
son, clerk Of the Hutchinson Hartl
ware company, Of SandersviIle, Ga.
The witness said Patrick came in
the store early on. the morning of
June 10, the day of the killing, and
purchased a pistol for $25. Parick ex.
planned, he said, that the gun was
wanted as a protection, "since he
had no bulldog"
Prays Before Preaching
Patrick took the stand in his own
defense at 10 o'clock. He began:
Let everybody in this house bow
your heads in prayer.
Our Heavenly Father, we thank
Thee hu
Thy mercy.
eve are arraigned before an
earthly court. We beg Of Thee for
strength in this hour. Bless thes9
jurymen; bless their homes; bless
their children g.. guide them and
care for them. And bless the prose.
cution; bless his wife. Save him
from sin. Save me from the devil.
We ask for Jesus sake.
4 Gentlemen of the jury, it is in.
deed painful to me as well as hui,
after having stood before
a multitude of people and preached
the Gospel Of Jesus Christ, to come
before you in this hour.
''They make contradictory state.
ments. They warp and twist my
statements to their own satisfaction
and leave me to take care of thu
matter, if can.
zone desire you will remember is
within my mind at this time. il
IS to enforce the law, the law made
by the great majority of persons.
md L give this to the court and the
jury. Absolutely do I believe in strict
of civil law, wherein
here is no just basis upon which the
may justify their act.
Parents Testify
Mrs. E. L. Padrick, Sr., the de-
PENDANTS mother, was the first wit
ness to be placed upon the stand by
the defncsa. Ter testimony vas
counted upon by defense attorneys to
prove the boys popularity since
early boyhood. She testified as to
his many attacks and said his mental
conditions sometimes threy him into
She was the de
fense's star witness.
The mother was on the stand for
some length, She recited many in
cidents to prove the defendants al
legged insanity.
He would often get up in the
night, turn on the lights in his room
and study the Bible until daylight.
HE had queer ideas of religion.
He doubted other ministers sincerity,
Rev. E. L. Patrick, ST., aged min
lister and father of the defendant
was the next to take the stand. INV
boy has always wept over lost
world. The father went on to