Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-08-28
DniIy Short Story
'Homespun Jury
By CHARLES McGUIRK

BY CHARLES MCGUIRE
THE sun. slanting through The
a wide psned windows OF the
crowded courtroom. lifted tho l.
men IN the box into bold relief and
Willard Barron. famous urban and
urhane criminal lawyer and coun-
sci for Glenn Holm. the defendant
Nine farmers. one automobile
mechanic and two small town
storekeepers. he checked them \
typical cross section Of rural
America. they seemed to have
poured out Of the same mold
Average in age about 40. Tall
spare, almost gauHt m contour.
Weatherbcaten- win faces scanned
and SCARED by years Of labor
under the sun. Slow and steady
of gaze. Strong IN mouth and
chin.
They thought slowly. They were
not to be hUrried-though they
could be led-into a decision. But
that decision, once reached. would
be irrevocahle. Another thing.
They would not he held TOO closely
10 the letter of the law. If he could
becloud il with sentiment
This was his jury. He had
chosen each and every member
with the unconscious connlNance
of John Dance, prosecuting attor-
ney of Marion County, 10 forgive
legally Glenn Hohin's killing of Per-
ley Moon IN a drunken brawl.
HAD CHOSEN JURY
Both the defendant and the de-
ceased were ne'er-do-wells, petty
criminals who had lived VIGOROUSLY
off the flora and fauna of field.
forest and the river along which
both had inhabited shacks. Per-
ley Moons antecedents had ever
been a mystery since the day,
years before when he had drlited
down the river into Marion.
But Glenn was Holm. True, he
was a black sheep, black as ever
a sheep was dyed. But he was
one of the numerous and powerful
family that controlled a county
and influenced a state.
The Hobins weren't going Ia
take any chances of seeing one OF
them shocked into eternity in the
electric chair. So they had gone
TO the city and retained Willard
Barron because he was the best
criminal lawyer in that section.
DIFFICULT TASK
Barron had realized his task
would be difficult. Not even Glen
could give clear account of the
fight which had ended in the kill
ing, as Barron fully realized wher
he had quickly gone over a tran
script of his own examination o
the man. Thus:
"Now, Glenn, tell me exactly
how IL all happened. Take your
time. Don't try to hide any
thing from me. Remember. I'm
your attorney. IL IL my duty 10
clear you. And clear you will.
But I've got TO know every de-
tail. III the prosecuting attorney
knows more about this than do
when we go 10 trial, they'll cleo
trocute you as sure there's a
blue sky above u.s."
81 don't know how the hell IL
happened. All remember Is we
were both drunk and we got to
fightin'. We fit all over an acre
and there was blood and gore all
over the ground.
1.-THE first thing I remember
about the fight clear Is pumpin'
four bullets into Moon. re-
member PerIey wrigglin' n little
on the ground and then stiff
fcnin'. Ididn't wait for no more.
I knew ne was daid and / took
out"
Eyes, Glenn. Then what hap
pened:"
HOLED UP IN SWAMP
"WeIl. I knew they'd be after
me and 1 holed up in the swamp.
i guess ! slept II of there be-
cause I woke up TO hear the
hounds bellin' and ! knew they
a-comtn'. So i loaded up
my pistol again and started run
min. I run a long ways hut II
wasn't no use. First thing you
know, here came John Traynor's
old Belle.
81 knowed her voice three
miles of and I hit II lickety