Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-12-21
HUNDREDS WAIT FOR
VERDICT. FOX TRIAL
JURY DEBATING CASE
Deliberations of Jurors Began
Early This Morning; No Ver-
dict Reached at z O'clock
KHAN EDITOR IS GUARDED
Alleged Slayer Branded as Red
Handed Murderer by Pros
ecuting Attorneys

ATLANTA, Dee. 2t.--(By the
Associated Press.) - Hundreds of
persons were in the court room and
corridors Of the court building to-
day awaiting the verdict in the case
of Philip e. Fox, forn1@as khan edi-
tor. charged with the murder OF
Captain William S. Coburn, khan
attorney.
The jury took the case last night
but did not begin celebrating I'M
til today. Every precaution was
taken to prevent disorder. Heavy
guards that had been maintained
throughout the trial were increas-
ed. Fox is being kept in the outer
room under heavy guard until the
jury reports.
Approximately 5000 persons were
inside the courtroom and in the COR
ridors Of the building as Solicitor
General John A. Boykin began the
closing argument for the state
Thursday afternoon.
The defense in this case is put
ting up sham," Mr.. Boykin said,
They are making that man, Fox,
sit over there at the table blinking,
twitching and looking otherwise like
an IDIOT"
The defense closed its case at
$50 o'clock when Attorney Hugh
Dorsey concluded the final argu-
ment in behalf of Fox. In fiery
speech the former governor declar-
ed that the state had failed, to
break down its proof of the defcnd-
ants insanity and urged Fox's ac-
quittal on the ground that when he
slew the lawyer he was not men,
tally responsible.
Assistant Solicitor Ed A. Steph-
ems, who preceded Attorney Dorsey,
declared that counsel for the de-
Tense is here to urge you to free
a red-handed murderer"
They say they will put him in
sanitarium," he said. II say adj
vsedly that they will not do it. If
you ever set Fox free he will never
see the inside Of an asylum. His
friends say he will be sent there,
but will they see to it?
did they put him in safe place
in 1918, when they say they first
discovered he was insane? They did
not do it then, and they would not
do it now"
He expressed the belief that Fox
had planned his defense Of insanity
from study Of the case of Presi-
dent Garfield's assassinator.
THE defense has been patterned
as closely after the Garfield case
as a newly-cut garment from the
dressmaker's pattern. That man
(pointing to Fox) knew as much
about paranoia and the Garfield
case as did Dorsey and Hooper"
He said that in the Garfield case
the slayer declared after the kill
ing that the voice Of the Al
mighty had directed the deed.
He said that for the defendant
to charge the Almighty with such
an act as Fox had committed was,
in his opinion, the height Ct irrev-
erence and sacrilege.
"Foxs insanity is not the type of
insanity that begins with a killing
and ends with acquittal," he said.
He charged that the "voice of God"
was fabricated about week after
Fox's Imprisonment.
Attorney Hugh Dorsey began his
argument at o'clock and spoke
until $3.50 o'clock. Court was re-
cessed until TAO o'clock. Solicitor
Boykin began the concluding argu-
ment when court was reconvened.
Attorney Dorsey confined his
argument principally to the legal as
peet of the case.