The Wilmington morning star., 1945-09-22
STATE DEMANDS
!" DEATH PENALTY
Continued from Page One)

Epes and brown eyed Nelson
Kingsland, beautiful Mississippi
belle, whom he was said to have
wooed in a Louisiana hotel room
Epcs' actions, Graydon charged
"Show that he went with that CIR
under false pretenses.
"While out there cavorting with
another woman he wrote his wife
tender notes of affection stating
his undying love for her."
At that point Graydon refreshed
the jurors memory on a pre-tria.
statement by Epes.
"He told officers" Graydon
said. 'that although he stayed in
the room with the woman for two
days and two nights and she took
off her clothes and put on a night
gown he never touched her.
Turning to the jury, he said dry
ly:
IT you believe that, you ought
to hang up your stockings at
Christmas"
Graydon called attention to the
fact that when Epes, after futile
suicide attempt, led police to his
wife's grave last Valentines day,
her body was fully clothed.
"When you feel bad" he told
a.. ;,,rv "vo,, want to take your
clothes off. If she was undressed
at the time of death, then Epes
deliberately dressed her; and if
she was dressed she never was Ill
nor had any intention Of going to
bed"
Epes has stuck to the story that
they had returned from a party
because his wife felt i'll, that he
gave her a total of ten capsules
Of the sedative at intervals during
the space of two hours, and that
they then went to bed. He said he
was awakened in the night by her
retching and that soon her pulse
and breathing stopped.
: Graydon's face was beaded with
perspiration when he concluded his
summation.
The defense objected to Gray
don's presentation as an attempt
to unfairly influence the jury by
a passionate appeal.
Defense Attorney I4eith Bremner
at that point asked the youthful
defendant to stand in court.
Look at him. he asked the
Jury, land see what you think.
The Army has given him an hon
orable discharge. I will take the
Army's opinion of him.
Bremner said the tragedy OF
Mrs. Epes' death was felt just as
badly in the fashionable Richmond
home Of the Travis Epes' as in
that OF their daughter-in-law.
MARY Lee was loved by the
Epes family" he said.
Court was recessed at 5 pm.
until 9 am. tomorrow when con-
cluding defense and prosecution
arguments will be heard.
The case was speeding toward
its climax behind the closed doors
of the jury room after the defense
surprised the court by resting its
case without producing witness.
Defense Chief Edgar Brown, Presi-
dent Of the South Carolina Senate.
had been expected to loose a bar.
rage OF testimony.
But after the state rested its
case in mid-morning, Brown rose
slowly from his chair beside young
Epes.
First, Brown turned to General
Sessions Judge A. L. CASTOR and
asked for directed verdict of ac-
quittal. The State, he said, had
failed to produce any evidence Of
preparation, design or motive"
for murder and mot the slightest
suspicion of any malice
Spectators, jammed shoulder to
shoulder in the stuffy courtroom,
leaned forward to catch the jur-
lists reply.
The motion was denied.
After a tense pause, Brown said:
THE defense rests"
He took his seat as surprised
murmur swept through the court
Closing arguments will continue
until tomorrow with Brown him.
self making the final defense plea
to save young Epes, the son of a
wealthy Richmond industrialist,
from the electric chair or life in
prison.
The first defense speaker was
Richard E. Broome, prominent Co.
lul1,bia lawyer and chairman o1
the Richland County Election Com.
mission.
He said "the state has produced
90 motive for Epes to have giver
his wife an overdose Of the poten,
sedative with an intention Of kill
ing her, as charged.
Broome readily admitted thai
Epes had carried on an intimate
love affair with beautiful Nelson
Kingsland whom he had met while
on army maneuvers in Louisiana
But, he reminded the jury
should everyone guilty Of the sam.
thing be taken out and shot, you'll
have a greatly depopulated coun
try"
This brought a laugh from som,
Of the spectators.