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Testifies At Trial
on Intent
To Kill Charge At Paragould
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By The Associated Press
PARAGOULD
-- - Dec 13, Final arguments were
heard today in the Circuit Court trial of Louis Cline, farmer, charger
with assault with intent to kill his wife on the states allegations that
he placed poison in her coffee cup at the breakfast table.
Mrs. Cline recovered last September from a two weeks illness which
followed the breakfast.
Cline took the stand to enter a blanket denial of the charges.
PARAGOULD --- Dec 12,
The defense rested this afternoon in the case of Louis Cline, farmer,
charged with assault with intent to kill, his wife.
Cline took the stand to deny that he placed poison in a cup of coffee for
his wife, Claudie, on the morning of September 10. Mrs. Cline recovered
after an illness of about two weeks.
Cline denied that he told his son, Andrew, aged 11, to destroy the cup,
which was stamped into the ground by the child. Other defense witnesses
were Mrs. Sue Cline, Mrs. Ernest Higgins, Mrs. Allie Gilliam, Mrs. J.
Shewmaker, Mrs. Lester McDonald, |
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Andrew cline and
Dr. J. E. Paris. Dr. Paris said his analysis of the piece of the cup and
dirt failed to reveal any trace of poison.
The state rested at 3:30 after examining Arthur Pillow, brother of Mrs.
Cline; Dr. W. M. Majors, attending physician, Mrs. Dora Holifield
and Mrs. Gladys McDonald, neighbors and Mrs. Claudie Cline.
Mrs. Cline testified
that had her husband prepared the breakfast table on the morning she
became ill and that he made the coffee. She said she poured the coffee
into the cups, which had been arranged by her husband. None of the others
became ill or complained of bitterness of the coffee as did Mrs. Cline.
Others at the table were Mr. Cline, his aged mother and the son.
Neighbors testified to finding Mrs. Cline in agony and if the bitterness
of the contents in the bottom of the cup. The coffee had been poured out
by Mrs. Cline.
Defense witnesses testified that Mrs. Cline often had said that she had
"just as soon be dead," indicating that the poison might have been
self-administered. Defense witnesses said also that an insurance policy
and a burial policy on Mrs. Cline had lapsed. A $1,000 life insurance
plicy was in force at the time.
Transcribed by: Sandy Hardin 2006 |