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slue was agreed to.T1IK AKGUMKNT.Prosecutor Perci field opened for ! the State at 2:30 o’clock. He said as 'Ian officer of the law, it wan hi*1 solemn duty to ask the jury to con- ! vict the defendant. Evan Fix placed 1 himself in the position he now occupies. It is my honest belief that each member of this jury believes that Evan Fix shed the blood of George Cooper on the last Tusday of December, 1885. His theory of the killings in substance that the ax was brought from Wm. Fix’s that they remained in the woods until evening, went home, and left it by the barnyard gate post. He thought that because Cooper disobeyed his order in feeding the hogs that Fix conceived the idea of kilting him. The ax left by the gate cut the club from the drill tongue, and that Fix with it killed Cooper. After the club was used he drew from his pocket a pis tol and fired bullets into his brain and other parts of his body. Alter the killing the body was taken to the barn, in the darkness of the night.He though the body was taken iu the old buggy and throwu where it was found, four miles away. Evan Fix was the last man who saw him alive, and lie only could account for his death. A part of the evidence in the case was reviewed and comment ed upon at considerable length. The saddle transaction was accounted for by saying that Fix took the saddle to Mrs. Deputy’s, and put it on one of her horses to give the impression that Cooper wa* trying to steal horses. The pistol shots, he said, had uothing to do with the murder of Cooper. He waa dead then, and the shots were tired to mislead. He looked upon the party at Fix’s as a blind, and for effect after the fact. The speaker occupied a little over an hour. His remarks were forcible and were listened to with marked interest.J. B. Reeves opened the argument for the defense in an able speech. lie reviewed the prosecutor’s theory of the killing, aud the construction ho put upon the testimony. Ho wusde cidedly severe on several who testified in the case. The speaker noticed the prosecutor’s remarks about thebuggy tracks seen near whore the body was found, in forcible language. Mr. Reeves said he thought Cooper was killed when the pistols were heard—that he was murdered near where his body was found. The evidence all tends to prove, he said, that Cooper was killed Tuesday evening; shots were tired on Tuesday evening; Mrs Deputy’s horses were saddled on that evening; George Cooper was in that locality on that evening. His theory ot tin* club is tliutMt was made for the purpose of convicting Evan Fix, and not to kill George Cooper. The man who killed George Cooper and put his body where it was found, did It fora purpose, and that purpose was to conceal the real perpetrator. Whoever did the crime went to Evan j Fix’s, made that club, and laid it by/ the body. The speaker was lt;ongrit-' ulnted by his co-laborers of the defense, and several others, on his able and eloquent effort in behalf ofthe defendant.Court ndiourned.
Newspaper Details
Columbus Herald
Columbus, Indiana, US
Fri, Apr 16, 1886
Page 13
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 10 Aug 2019
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