Alfred Meacham

IN SHADOW OF GALLOWS

Alfred Meacham, Former Muncie Glassworker, on Trial at

Chattanooga, Tenn., for Murder of Fred Cummings, Fellow

Workman — Efforts to Establish Insanity, Fall Flat.

ALFRED MEACHAM, THE FORMER MUNCIE GLASS WORKER, ON TRIAL AT CHATTANOOGA, TENN., FOR THE MURDER OF FRED CUMMINGS, WHO WAS ALSO A FORMER RESIDENT OF MUNCIE, IS STANDING IN THE SHADOW OF THE GALLOWS, EFFORTS ON THE PART OF HIS COUNSEL TO ESTABLISH THE FACT THAT HE WAS INSANE AT THE TIME OF MURDER HAVE SO FAR BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL, WHILE THE PROSECUTION, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAS ESTABLISHED THE DETAILS OF THE KILLING WITH CONVINCING MINUTENESS AND CERTAINTY.

Muncie people will recall the fact that the crime for which Meacham is being tried was committed at Alton Park, a suburb of Chattanooga on May 9. Meacham, Cummings, and Samuel Holman, formerly of this city, were employed together as members of a shop in the Alton Park glass factory, and the alleged failure of Meacham to perform his share of the work in a workmanlike manner caused a coolness between him and his fellow workmen, although they continued together.

At the time of the tragedy the three men, with several companions, were together in the company's office. Without a word of warning, Meacham uttered an oath and drew a revolver from his pocket, firing pointblank at Cummings, and killing him instantly. He then turned the weapon upon Holman, who grappled with the murderer and succeeded in directing the other bullets into the floor, excepting one, which struck Will Meacham, a brother of Alfred, inflicting a slight wound. Meacham was arrested at once and has been in jail ever since.

At the trial, which opened Monday, a jury was selected after considerable delay, and the state introduced the testimony of the eye-witnesses to the murder and persons who heard threats made by Meacham. The court declined to allow the submission of evidence detailing the internal workings of the glass workers' union, to which the men belonged, and after proving the murder the state rested.

The defense is making a strong effort to prove that Meacham is insane, although one witness proved a decisive boomerang. This was Dr. H. M. Duncan, said to be an insanity expert in Washington, D. C., who claimed to have treated Meacham for insanity a number of years ago. His testimony, which was in the form of a deposition, was badly shattered by the state, it being shown that his alleged treatment was of the mail order variety, and that he was suspiciously connected with a get-rich-quick scheme in the capital.

Samuel Holman, who is the prosecuting witness in the case against Meacham, has sent copies of the Chattanooga papers giving details of the trial to friends here, and there is considerable interest among former friends of the men as to the outcome. The Chattanooga papers regard the situation as being very gloomy for the prisoner.