The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-12-14
WOMAN E-ENACTS
KILLING Of COBURN
Bullets Found In Khan Law
yer's Back, Physician
TeStifieS

ciated Press)-& delusion caused
Phillip L. Fox. publicity chief of the
Ku Klux Khan, to kill William 3.
Coburn. counsel for an insurgent rae
ton of the khan, the defense con-
tended today in the trial of FOX mere.
For IL years this delusion has grown
UP on the mind of the defendant ana
today he is mentally unbalanced. ms
counsel told the jury
Believing his best friends were his
enemies, as defense witnesses testl-
fled. Fox entered Coburns office here
on November 5, in this frame OF
mind. ierlled a gun from his pocket
and fired five shots at the khan eoun-
sci.
F. I'VE expect TO show you that this
was the act of a crazy. man and be-
cause of that; because he was insane
at the time of the commission of
the deed. we will ask you to return
a verdict of not guilty" was the de-
Tense statement to the jury.
The plea was made and witnesses
were placed upon the stand to de-
scribe Fox's halucinations after the
stare had rested. The prosecution
only called upon u of it's many wit
nesses indicating that it Will at
tempt to establish the motive IN re-
buttal. -.ss.,,
Through DR.. Charles W. Duffield,
rector Of St. Luke's Episcopal church
in Boston, Mass. in whose PARISH
Fox and his family were members IN
1906. the defense presented eNloence
tending to show traces oil INSANITY
In the defendants family
His Father Moody.
Ills father, Samuel Fox. an Eng
Hsnman was moody at times over
business reverses, yet on otaer MAJ
ters displayed brilliant MIND the
minister testified. His mother pos
.st,riIliaOtn mind ana the
.,bTead winner of the family"
Arthur. or better known as JACK
brother of the defendant, died IN
fit OF violent insanity, the MINIS
ter declared. and the de1ehse Pr
scented a medical certificate giving
snch as tho cause of death.
snearnan Webb of Denton, rex
formerly associated with Fox in the
newspaper business in Dallas, rex: =
declared the defendant told him ~
Years ago that he lived IN constant
dread of going insane: !, =
"Somctinle before his marriage ne
was worried as to whether or not ne
should tell his fiance or ms phy sical
condition l advised him not 70 40
so because ! attached soo no ra lmpof '""'e
Bradley B. Hogue, editor OK the
Daiias (Tex) Times-Herald. on
which newspaper Fox is SAID TO nd We
climbed the ladder from reporter 10
managing editor, told the Jury .msl
Toy at the height of a brilliant news,
nsnor career suffered general
breakdown in health. t.,
His first breakdown occurred IN
1915. Mr. Hogue testified, but IN 1910
he suffered a general colidpse ~
lowing an attack OF InLiu f.liow
death of Edward Mcdaniel, teIlow
,eTsnaner man, caused Fox to brood
and resulted in extreme nervousness
ono time he collapsed at ms Type
writer and another time ne LEI, ~ -
conscious in the Dallas city hah, MI
Hogue said.
Mas Given Vacations.
Two or three vacations were given
THE defendant to- allow MN 70 ~
Generate but without much aN1ll. -,
.se~,ned IN attitude of suspicion, INC
S,sitrees testified, and he seemed 10
sa. rho impression that many OF ms
80 friends were his enemies. II
- common talk around the offlce
fbaf Fox WAS mentally unpalance9,
~ Eox and then recited that ne was
i,,fnrmed bV FOX that you are my
eremv. You are trying TO get iiu
u The state put the editor through
severe cross examination. lie MsS
asked everything from oellnins
,,,eaning of hallucination TO ma me
j., which men acted in recoVeflns
f,.on heavy drinking spells, The VIII
noes gave the definition OF the FORMER,
hut was unable to state the actloi VI
drinking men. lie defended Dallas'
saving: Il know of no blind ULCERS
existing in Dallas.
The witness characterized FOX 5
sobriety as good, adding that whlie
he had seen the defendant take
drink of whisky he had never seen
mir, i'm a state of intoxication.
MIR. HoCue declared Fox left his
ennlov ON his own accord to accept
nositfon with the Ku kluX Khan, by
which. Fox told him, he was better
ing himself financially
Editor Last Witness.
The editor was the last witness to-
DAY. Other Texans summoned as
character witnesses will TESTIFY to-
morrow. it was said
Eight witnesses testifying for the
state at the morning session told OF
how Coburn met his death and the
brief conversation which was said to
have taken place between the two
men, who both occupied major posi-
lions in the knights of the hu hlux
Khan.
heavy automatic pistol, seven
inch opened blade knife. bullet
riddled flat top desk said to have
been the property of Coburn, aided
the witnesses in re-enacting the
shooting scene which took place ill
Coburns office here.
Dr. G. c. Blalock, another state
witness taking the stand after the
lunch recess, declared upon examin-
ing the body of Coburn found two
bullet wounds, one entering the back
directly under the RICH shoulder
blade and another on the right side
of the head Another bullet, he
added. apparently clipped off one of
Coburn's fingers.
Describes Murder Scene.
Mrs. j. l.. Lyman, client of Co
burn, who said she was in Coburn's
office when Fox entered the office.
Coburn told Fox he was busy and
told him to come back in an hour.
iii be glad to- she said Fox re-
piled and left the office.
The attorney and the witness be-
gan to transact their business, when,
she said the door recpened. She
said she saw Fox, pistol in hand, en-
tering.
"He never said a word, but pointed
Us gun at Mr.. Coburn and fired. l
AuId not move. would watch Fox
end then Mr.. Coburn. who was seated
at his desk. When Fox fired the
third time the bullet passed SO close
TO my head 1 slid out of my chair to
the floor" she said.
She was then taken from the stand
and asked to enact the scene which
took place in the office. The witness.
seated at Coburn's desk, went
through scene, showing the marks
on the desk made by the third bullet
fired, which, she said almost struck
her.
MIR. Coburn never said a word
when Fox re-entered the office" she
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