Atlanta Georgian. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, September 12, 1913, Image 2

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1 THK ATLANTA (JLOKU1AN AND NEWS GODBEEDEFENSE ASKS DR GIVEN PENALTY LIMIT Continued from Pag* *• «lition to the statement of the defend ant. who «aid that Judge Godbew threatened her, called her a vile name, and ehe .shot him first,’’ “Gentlemen of the jury,” he s«ud, none of you can doubt the truth of Vfrs. Spader’s testimony, and the de fendant told this little woman ahe had hired a negro to kill Judge Godbeo and his wife and that if he (the ne- sjro( did not do it, she would. She also told Mrs. Spader that she did not want her grandchild to ride with Judge and Mrs. Godbee, as it. .00, must suffer when the Judge and Elis wife were killed. 'The defendant expressed no regret after the shooting for killing Mrs. Godbee. If she shot Judge Godbee In self-defense and had no intention of arming his wife, why didn't she miy so? She never until yesterday ex pressed any regret for the deed.” Anderson concluded for the State with a strong plea for conviction. Dixon was the llrst speaker for the defense. He recited the sufferings which Mrs. Godbee had endured, spoke of the threat againat her life made by Judge Godbee and told the jury that the defendant had told a plain, straightforward story to the jury and deserved an acquittal Defense Ridicules Plot Story. Dixon ridiculed the idea of Mrs. Godbee, the defendant, telling Mrs. SJpader that she had hired a negro to kill Judge (Jodbee and his wife; that dhe would have to have been a fool or a crazy woman to have done such a thing. He said that the defendant had no i.tention of killing either Judge God- bee or his wife when she went to the post office that morning; that Judge Godbee called her a vile name there and had sent her word beforehand hat he would kill her unless she left Millen. The attorney said that Judge God bee was anxious to alienate his chil dren from their mother, but they ■duck loyally to her. The defendant was warned by her daughter “to watch out for papa as ho may kill you,” and that was the reason why jhe was always prepared to protect herself. On the morning of the shoot- ng, Judge Godbee, addicted to the use of morphine, had a desperate 00k, Dixon said, and made a motion with his hand a* if to draw a pistol after he had insulted the slayer. The shooting of Mrs. Florence Godbee was purely accidental, contended Dixon, and anyone In the vicinity war just as likely to have been shot at hat time as the bride. In conclusion. Dixon «atd that he onfldentlv expected a verdict of not guilty. Defence Shows Hand. W. II. Davis, the second speaker for ihe State, stated at the outset that e wanted to know the position of the defense as to the law in the case. Judge Saffold said the defense was that the killing of Godbee was Justi ciable and the shooting of Mrs. Godbee was an accident. There are no grades.’* said Judge Saffold. Davis said Dixon had jumped on >nly one witness. Mrs. Spader, “one <>f the most reluctant witnesses he .ad ever seen.” He asked: “Why did he not attack tire. Daniel, Mrs. Brinson or Mr An derson’s testimony? Mrs. Hpader did rot want to testify against Mrs. God bee. She told what the law* com pelled her to tell and no more.” Davis said, referring to the defend ant’s statement, that the court was 1 not trying a divorce suit between Judge Godbee and the defendant and not considering a suit involving prop erty rights. “Why, I have never seen a raae in which the dollar was so plainly stamped,” said Davis. “The only Issue In this < ase,” Davis continued, “is whether the bullets that killed Mrs. Florence Godbee were tired accidentally. What are you going to do with the evidence of Mrs. Daniel, of Mrs. Brinson and others, who said that the last shot was fired at Mrs. Godbee after she was shot and while she was struggling to get up and, when shot the last time, she sank back down?” Davis said the rows between Judge Godbee and the defendant had no place in this case, but as they had been discussed and would be dis cussed lie would have to touch on touch on them. "With the defendant admitting that she did not love Judge Godbee. who wan probably at fault for the many rowe." he asked, "are the courts of this county ho weak that they would allow Judge Godbee to rob the de fendant of her property? There are some silent witnesses in thin case —more eloquent In their silence than they could possibly be otherwise. Upholds Plot Story. “The defendant’s attorney has ac cused Mrs. Spader of not telling the truth, yet Mrs. Spade! said the de fendant. in the presence of Mrs. Dr. Dargeron, said she had hired a negro to kill Judge and Mrs. Godbee, and that If he didn't the would kill them herself. Why didn’t Mrs Dr. Bar geror; go on the stajid and deny it? 'Mrs. Spader also sold that the de fendant had told her she had sent word to Mrs. Agnea Godbee not to let the defendant’s grandchild go riding with Judge and Mrs. Godbee as Hhe did not want it killed. Why didn’t Mrs. Agnes Godbee deny it. She was here in the courtroom. “Gentlemen,’’ Davis concluded, “the laws of your State are at stake; the respect the people hare for court- houses is at stake; the homes of Jen kins County are at stake; right. ju«- tlce and truth are at stake, too. have never asked for blood. Be us merciful uh you can on the defend ant.” „ „ Mr. Dekle, for the defense, was .he next speaker. Dekle said that he was proud to represent thin good woman (referring to the defendant). The speaker Haiti that there were no halfway grounds, that the jury must convict Mrs. God bee or acquit her. Cells Killing Justifiable. Mr Dekle said the killing was Jus tifiable. in view of the threat* made by Judge Godbee He said there was no evidence to refute the defendant's statements regarding Judge God bee’s actions at the poatofflee on the morn ing of August 18. The speaker de clared that she had a right to kill Godbee to protect her good name if for nothing else. •‘If it is true that she was suffering from emotional insanity at the time of the shooting, she is still justified under the law,’’ he suid. The speaker said Godbee harassed the defendant for many years, and his treatment of his wife was enough to drive anyone to desperation. He said the defendant did not say that Hhe did not love Judge Godbee, but that she did love him and his bad treatment of her caused her love to grow cold and Anally to cease. Dekle said the defendant was being perse cuted and that she was driven to commit the deed. The speaker declared that Godbee showed his heartlessness when he told the defendant she must give up her property or Sarah Godbee. Dekle concluded his address with “Law Brothers for Quality ” Men’s Fall Hats Thm> famous lines—“Dunlap,” “Stet son” and “Crofut-Knapp.” Complete stock of all the new ones, both soft and stiff, ready for your selection. They’re beauties, (’nine in to-morrow and see for yourself. Fine values At $3 to $5 New Fall Woolens They're here in great abundance. You’ll enjoy looking through them to-morrow, and it's not a bit too early for that Fall Suit order. Suits and Overcoats At $25 to $50 CANDIDATE LISTTRUE6ILLF0UND Indications Are Against Charter Reform Victory and Mayor’s Control of Council. Continued from Page 1. . gain for him the support ing tc Councilman A. R. Colcord. The rub came when it was found that Mr. Col cord was pledged to Fred Lester. A further complication set In with the Intimation from Alderman Spratllng that he was seeking the place. Woodward Out for Lester. Mayor Woodward was bitterly op posed to Mr. Anderson being Aider- man without opposition. He tippe I off Mr. Armistead and Mr. Armlstead paid his fee and announced he was in the race to stay. In addition, Mayor Woodward let it be known that he was supporting Fred Lester for Po lice Commission. The natural assump tion is that Mr. Armistead also js back of him. which gives Mr. Lester two of his three ward representatives. According to Councilmanic prece- sent this should insure his election. John Mitchell Is Indicted Two Weeks After Attacking Girl. Boy Stabber Held. Record time in a criminal case was made Friday, when an indictment for assault was returned against John T. Mitchell as the man who attacked a 15-year-old girl on the Cascade road, near the old Utoy prison camp, last week. His arrest and indictment presents one of the quickest handled cases on record in Fulton County. Two indictments for murder were returned, one against a 14-year-old boy, Frank W. Barton. He is charged with killing another youth, John Ed gar, on Kennedy street the Fourth of July. The boy is now in the cus tody of the Juvenile Court. The kill ing occurred while he was demon strating to another boy the manner in which he handled a person attack- ing him. Plunged Knife Into Breast. Throwing up one arm. knocking the other boy’s baud up, he plunged a knife into his breast, killing him al most Instantly. Evidence in the case showed that after stabbing his play mate, young Barton drew the knife from his body, and after wiping the blade on his trousers, shut the knife and placed it in his pocket, then cau tioned another boy not to tell who stabbed Edgar. A pathetic figure was the mother of the indicted boy, who waited In tile Solicitor's office, while the Grand Jury was passing upon the case. Court deputies found themselves shrinking from the task of breaking thfe sad news of her boy’s Indictment to her. Young Woman Breaks Nows. At their solicitation, an attractive young woman connected with the courts informed Mrs. Barton of the Grand Jury's action. The news al most completely prostrated her, while with true mother love she declared her belief in her boy’s innocence. The other Indictment for murder was against Vada Wright, a negro woman, for the killing of Bessie Green, also a negro. The killing oc curred several months ago, Vada us ing a knife. Who says Romance is dead? Read the exclusive feature in The Sunday American how a Southern beauty swam the tor rent to get to the minister before her pursuing father. >»ccmp«vfe CteUvr* ‘ Ik* I<<n4>r4 America EISEMAN BROS., Inc. The Best Makes of Clothes for Boys Made by America’s Foremost “Boys’ Cloth ing Specialists” the statement expected. Court then adjourned •rnoon. • Solicitor Moore will be the fir** speaker after dinner, and Judge Saf fold will conclude for the defen«e. 'f’he court then will charge the jury- The jurors should retire to deliberate by 6 p. m. There will be six speeches during the day, and the defense, by not put ting up any witnesses, will have tHfe concluding argument. Judge Saffold will make the concluding argument for the defense Two spectacular features marked the hearing Thursday. One wan the Impassioned statement of Mrs. God bee In her own defense and the other the testimony brought forward by the State. Mrs. Godbee, her voice trembling with emotion, told the jurors that she had ulaln Judge Godbee in the Millen postoffice solely In seif-defense, and that »he had feared he war about to carry out his threats to shoot her. She said that tfhe did not fire until he stepped toward her, reaching toward hia hip pocket and calling her an ob scene name. Woman Telia of Alleged Plot. Strongly discrediting this statement of the accused woman was the testi- mony of Mrs*. Arthur Spader, a tele phone operator, who swore to having overhead Mrs. Godbee confess to the hiring of a thug to assassinate Judge Godbee and his wife three months be fore she did the killing herself. Mrs. Godbee took the stand again to deny the sensational story of the telephone operator. She said that Mih. Spader's testimony evidently was Inspired by a spirit of revenge. The defendant declared that Mrs. Spader LEADING WITNESSES, JURY IN GODBEE CASE bad been one of her roomers, and that because of unsavory stories cir culating in regard to her she had been compelled to evict her from the house. This angered Mrs. Spader, she said, and probably was the animus for her incriminating tale related to the Jury. The story of Mrs. Spader came ne .r the close of the night session. Judge Hammond deciding on holding court late In order to get the trial through by Friday night. The witness was nervous ar.d trembling when tiiie took the stand. She had been asked only a few* questions before she was weep ing unrestrainedly. When it came to the cross-examination, the attorneys for the defense found It a difficult task to get a word from her between her hysterical robs. She collapsed i entirely as she c\as led from the wit ness stand and out of the courtroom. Says Thug Was Hired, j She managed to say during the time she was on the stand that she had boarded at the Godbee home for rome time and that she was the chief oper- I ator at the Millen telephone exchange. Shu testified’ that Mrs. Godbee. goad ed into a desperation by the taunts of her former husband, hud confided in I her that she had hired a negro thug to kill both him and his new wife. “She told me that she had endured his persecutions to the point of inau- ties»\” said the witness, “and that she was* desperate. I did not give much thought to the story at the time, as 1 did not think it peculiar that she should talk in this wild way under the circumstances ” Mrs. Godbee was on the witness stand two hours. Her statement was I earnestly delivered and created an I impression on the crowds attending the trial. Many of the marital diffi culties of Mrs. Godbee. and her former husband were well known here, but she pitilessly bared the intimate de tails of her life, telling of her unhap piness a*» her trump card in her battle for freedom. Mrr. Godbee told..the jury that uft- er her marriage to Judge Godbee in 1887 she has known but few days ot happiness. She charged that her for mer husband hud robbeu her and her brothers and slaters of their father's estate; had killed her younger broth er Jake Perkins, and eroaped without punishment; had choked and slapped her. arid sTfuck KW with hi-? lls* and The two women arc Miss M Daniel, eyewitnesses of the shoot the jury which will decide the sla and Barnwell ami Mrs. Warren ing, and in the center is shown vers fate. threatened her with a revolver; that she had discovered him In thefts of letters from the postofflce at Perkins, Ga., where he was postmaster for a time, and finally, she said, he brought to Atlanta and installed her in a house that had once been an immoral resort. Later, she claims, he circu lated reports that she was an immoral ) woman and keeper of a resort. Tells of Marriage. “When my father died in 1886,” Mr?. Godbee said, “he left as execu tors of his state my uncle and cousin. Mr. Godbee came ta look over my fa ther's mercantile business and bought it. He met me and called on me con- | stantly. In July of 1887 we were married. “A *ew months later he began tr> - ing to get hold of my father’s estate- and succeeded in gaining control r.f the plantations. My younger brother. Jake, hail trouble with Judge Godbee over the property, and there was con stant friction between the two. "My mother died in 1889. Follow ing her death our married life grew more unhappy. He insisted upon be ing made the administrator of my mother's property, and finally gained control of it. My brother Jake was ordered not to put his foot on the place. Judge Godbee’s treatment be came almost unbearable. He threat ened the life of Jake. One day Jake, who was coming to the pdstoffiee, was shot and killed by Judge Godbee. In telling of the killing. Judge Godbee said he had done it for my sake. He would not let me go to the funeral or see the body. I managed to obtain $1,500 and gave'it to him for his de fence in his trjal for Jake’s murder.” But the Mason supporters are sure to develop strong opposition to him later. The significance of the whole epi- sVle is that there is more interest in the fight for places on the Police Commission than for seats in Council. If the new charter is adopted the Whole Commission is abolished and a new one elected. That would assure a merry scramble for all places. Mason Sure of Place. But, as stated in the beginning, the close of the primary entrance list insures a continued sway of the old crowd. If Carlos H. Mason and his supporters want to be re-elected to the Police Commission they will be, without a doubt. The livest race of all is in the Eighth Ward between John S. Owens and W. A. Hancock. This is a cam paign of the personal strength of both men. They are wary of plat forms. Mayor Woodward is support- I ing Mr. Hancock, but Mr. Hancock declines to make the campaign on the issue of Woodward. Zest is added to the race by a hot fight for Police Commissioner from that ward. Alderman A. H. YanDyke, for whose place they are running, is out after the place of Police Com missioner Robert Clark. Both are for Mr. Hancock for Alderman. If Mr. Owens is elected neither one of them would be likely to get the place. Less Interest in Ccuncilmen. As the Councilmanic races are con fined to individual wards, the Interest in them is much less. In the First Ward, J. N Renfroe. with the sup port of Mayor Woodward, is running against C. I). Alverson. In the "Sec ond Ward, C. D. Knight has no op position. In the Third Ward, R. R. Jackson, with the indorsement of Mayor Woodward, came out at the last minute against Councilman Or ville H. Hall. In the Fourth Ward. R. E. George and A. W. Farilnger have entered what promises to be a very conser vative campaign. Neither of them is strongly aligned with either side, but both lean toward the old croud in Council. There is no avowed Wood ward candidate in the Fifth Ward, the entrants being Jesse B. Lee and Dr. W. M. Ethridge. And that ward is one of Mayor Woodward’s strong holds. Jesse M. Wood, of the Sixth Ward; S. L. Dallas, of the Seventh Ward; Frank H. Reynolds, of the Eighth Ward: C. W. Smith. of the Ninth Ward, and Claude C. Mason, of the Tenth Ward, all are without opooel- | tion. And they all lean to the present majority in Council. The election is to be September 80. The registration books have closed, and. according to Registrar Andy P Stewart, there is only about a 60 per I cent registration Specialization is the FEATURE OF’ TI1E AGE. It applies to the making of BOYS’ CLOTHES as well as it does to the professions and the ‘‘cults,” and in many in stances with vastly more benefit to human kind. 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