Greene County, Arkansas -- Louis Cline Is Facing Court

Greene County, Arkansas

The Jonesboro Sun Friday , December , 1934

LOUIS CLINE IS FACING COURT
 

  Testifies At Trial on Intent
 To Kill Charge At Paragould
_                           ________

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,

 

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

 

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