The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
DEFENSE. ..C | \ I'M $ BOWERS DID N0T MURDER FATHER.
Evidence Offered to Show Another Did the KiII-
 ing

Did someone else kill w. A. Bow . CTS at Coaldale on the night of Feb ruary 14, while his son, Oscar, who Is on trial for first degree murder lay in a drunken stupor? That such would be the plea of the defendant was intimated by G. A. Faircloth his attorney, while rGss-examining witnesses in the case Monday after noon.
 Young Bowers was placed on trial before Judge William E. Fort in criminal court at 3:45 o'clock Mon- day afternoon, when tte jury was ac- cepted by the defense and the state. Assistant Solicitor John P. Mccoy is directing the case fer the state, as- sisted by L. H. Etheridge.
 Theory of Defense.
 The theory of the defense that W. A. Bowers was killed by someone other than his son was disclosed when Grady Dempsey, young Coal dale youth. who heard the shooting, was on the stand as witness for the state. The defense showed that young Bowers and Towner Lauderdale, a companion of Dempsey, were rivals in a love affair.
 In response to objections by the state MT. Faircloth stated to Judge Fort he would show a man was seen to leave the Bowers house shortly after the shooting and he expected to prove Lauderdale was the man Lauderdale has disappeared since the killing. He is said to be in Illinois. State Offers Witnesses.
 Opposed to this theory of the de- fense is the testimony of two wit int hx tha ct fo 10 the afternoon. These are Benny ls- gett, a neighbor, who went to the Bowers home following the shooting and the Dempsey boy.
 te Young Bowers admitted to 1sSeti that he had shot his father, the lat
 ter testified. He declared Bowers asserted he had killed his father be- cause of his fathers treatment of his mother. Isgett also stated Mrs. Bow CTS had said in the presence of young Bowers that oscar had killed his father, and that both the father and the mother had denied ever having had trouble.
 Isgett's Testimony.
 According to Isgett. Mrs. Bowers
 gave the following version of the shooting:
 T went in and covered oscar after he came home. His father got up to
 go in and wrap him up but while
 he was on his way he ran Into a
 sewing machine, knocking off bowl, pitcher and lamp and breaking them. Oscar grabbed the gun and shot him,
 A statement by Isgett that Mrs. Bowers had declared her son had threatened to shoot her husband be-
 fore firing was ruled incompetent
 when Isgett could not remember
 whether young Bowers had been present when she made the statement. Isgett's testimony was substantiated
 by that of Dempsey, who added that
 Mrs. Bowers said her husband de-
 clared when he ran into the machine. q have good mind to throw that
 thing out in the yard"
 Don't do that" he quoted her as
 saying, she replied. Then Oscar grabbed the gun and shot him."
 Denies Beer Drinking.
 MT. Faircloth attempted to weaken
 the evidence given by Isgett by ask ing him if he and some other men
 did not carry keg of beer from
 the Bowers home up the creek ana
 drink it the night of the shooting. The witness denied this and dls- claimed any knowledge of keg of beer Isgett also denied that he had ever had a fight with young Bowers. The witness stated in his opinion that Oscar Bowers had been drink ing when he talked to him follow ing the shooting. He said. however, that the boy knew what he was do- ing and talked sensibly.
 pr. E. s. w. Cox of Warrior was the first witness called for the state. He testified as to the condition of Bowers, the location and size of the gun shot wound. Bowers was shot in the left side just above the hip and died about 1:40 o'clock as a result of the wound. he stated. Dr. Cox declared young Bowers met him when he left his car in front of the Bowers home and accompanied him to the house.
 Ruxxum On stand.
 Coroner J. D. Russum was the only other witness used by the state dur ing the first afternoon of the trial. He told of the condition of Bowers body when he reached the house and. explained the location of the wound.
 In the opening statement for the defense 1t was stated that MT. and Mrs. Bowers had engaged in a quar- rel during the night in which Bow. CTS broke up a number of pieces of furniture. Efforts to substantiate this by the states witnesses on cross examination failed.
 Mrs. Bowers and her daughters. Emma, 16 years old. and Lola May, Il, will take the stand in defense of young Bowers during the trial. Bowers two half brothers. Claude and Lee will also aid in his de- fense.
 A roster of the jury hearing the case follows: I. B. Umphrey, G. E. Warrick, Thomas Film. Eddie Bran Tam, James Crow, ]. R. Goddard. Charles H. Harvey. John W. Harkins. Clyde Lee. William Finley. Thomas