The World's Most Famous Court Trial: Tennessee Evolution Case : a Complete Stenographic Report of the Famous Court Test of the Tennessee Anti-Evolution Act, at Dayton, July 10 to 21, 1925, Including Speeches and Arguments of AttorneysComplete transcript of the controversial "Scopes Monkey Trial" which tested the law that made it illegal for public school teachers in Tennessee to teach Charles Darwin's theory of evolution The complete transcript of the 1925 case of the State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes, a 24-year old high school teacher accused of violating the Butler Act, which had passed in Tennessee on March 21, 1925, forbidding the teaching, in any state-funded educational establishment, of "any theory that denies the story of the divine creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals." The law made it. Perhaps the first modern media event, the trial attracted enormous national and international attention to the small town of Dayton, Tennessee during the sweltering July of 1925. A star-studded cast of trial attorneys included the great orator and three time Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan and the brilliant trial lawyer and champion of the downtrodden, Clarence Darrow, among others. The climax of the trial came on the seventh day when the defense put the senior Bryan on the stand as an expert on the Bible and he was ruthlessly interrogated by Darrow. As a milestone in the American struggle between modernity and the forces of Protestant fundamentalism, and a vivid manifestation of the clash between two valid principles-academic freedom and democratic control of the public schools-the Scopes case has tremendous historical significance. Scopes was found guilty, and paid a fine of $100. and costs. At the sentencing, he told the Judge, "I feel that I have been convicted of violating an unjust statute. I will continue in the future, as I have in the past, to oppose this law in any way I can. Any other action would be in violation of my ideal of academic freedom-that is, to teach the truth as guaranteed in our Constitution, of personal and religious freedom. I think the fine is unjust." William Jennings Bryan died a few days after the trial ended. Clarence Darrow moved on to other cases, most notably the Sweet case in Detroit in 1926 and his last trial, the Massie trial in Honolulu in 1931. Illustrated with photographs from the trial. This edition also includes statements by scientists entered at the defense's request, and the text of a lengthy concluding speech that Bryan prepared but never delivered. Clarence Darrow [1857-1938] was a well-known trial lawyer renowned for his progressive sympathies and successful work for labor and the poor. He achieved fame for his defense of Leopold and Loeb in 1924, the Massie trial in 1931 and this, his most famous, defense of John Scopes in 1925-the only time Darrow ever volunteered his services in a case, a case in which he saw education "in danger from the source that always hampered it-religious fanaticism." |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 52
Page 2
... . 313 Talk Fest by Lawyers and Visitors . 313 Court's Farewell Message . 317 Supplement - Bryan's Last Speech- Published After His Death .. 321 CHAPTER I. FIRST DAY OF DAYTON EVOLUTION TRIAL- FRIDAY ,. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
... . 313 Talk Fest by Lawyers and Visitors . 313 Court's Farewell Message . 317 Supplement - Bryan's Last Speech- Published After His Death .. 321 CHAPTER I. FIRST DAY OF DAYTON EVOLUTION TRIAL- FRIDAY ,. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
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... lawyers with the state . The Court - Who are here for the defense ? Judge Neal - Mr . Darrow , Arthur Hays , Mr. Malone and Mr. Thompson . The Court - Gentlemen : I desire to assure you that we are glad to have you . The foriegn lawyers ...
... lawyers with the state . The Court - Who are here for the defense ? Judge Neal - Mr . Darrow , Arthur Hays , Mr. Malone and Mr. Thompson . The Court - Gentlemen : I desire to assure you that we are glad to have you . The foriegn lawyers ...
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... lawyers for both sides - to outline your theories in an opening statement and in that way the court can have some ideas as to what the issues are going to be , and , of course , after the issues are made up and the evidence is offered ...
... lawyers for both sides - to outline your theories in an opening statement and in that way the court can have some ideas as to what the issues are going to be , and , of course , after the issues are made up and the evidence is offered ...
Page 9
... lawyers , but I have some regard for others . Mr. Darrow - Yes , I know ; cer- tainly you do have , but that doesn't seem that is hardly an unreasonable request , let it go over until morning . The Court - I would prefer to pro- ceed ...
... lawyers , but I have some regard for others . Mr. Darrow - Yes , I know ; cer- tainly you do have , but that doesn't seem that is hardly an unreasonable request , let it go over until morning . The Court - I would prefer to pro- ceed ...
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... lawyers have the right to get all the information they can on the subject , and I will treat both sides alike . Mr. Darrow - What was that ques- tion ? ( question read ) . Court - You may answer that . A - Yes , sir . Q - You have that ...
... lawyers have the right to get all the information they can on the subject , and I will treat both sides alike . Mr. Darrow - What was that ques- tion ? ( question read ) . Court - You may answer that . A - Yes , sir . Q - You have that ...
Contents
4 | |
13 | |
Third Day Tuesday July | 89 |
Fourth Day Wednesday July | 97 |
Fifth Day Thursday July | 150 |
Sixth Day Friday July | 203 |
Darrow ApologizesForgiven | 225 |
Dr H E Murkett | 229 |
Wilber A Nelson | 238 |
Metcalf | 251 |
Prof Horatio H Newman | 263 |
The Sign Read Your Bible Gives Offense | 280 |
Eighth Day Tuesday July | 305 |
SupplementBryans Last Speech | 321 |
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Common terms and phrases
A-No A-Well A-Yes attorney-general believe Bible Bryan caption Christian church Civic Biology constitution constitution of Tennessee counsel course court Court-I Court-Let Court-No Court-Well Court-What Court-You courtroom Darrow Darrow-I Darwin Dayton defendant denies the story descended divine creation doctrine earth eral evidence expert facts gentlemen geological guilty Hays-I hear heard honor human indictment issue John Scopes judge juror jury King James version lawyers legislature living lower order lution Malone-I mammals matter mean ment mind nessee opinion order of animals pass police power prosecution public schools Q-And Q-Are Q-Did Q-Do Q-Have Q-How Q-Well Q-What Q-You ques question record religion religious Rhea county rocks scientists Scopes taught species statement statute Stewart-I Stewart-The talk teach teacher tell Tennessee testify testimony thing tion trial truth understand violates voir dire Walter White witnesses word
Popular passages
Page 101 - The fundamental theory of liberty upon which all governments in this Union repose excludes any general power of the State to standardize its children by forcing them to accept instruction from public teachers only. The child is not the mere creature of the State; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations.
Page 3 - And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night: and the evening and the morning were the first day.
Page 67 - Without doubt, it denotes not merely freedom from bodily restraint but also the right of the individual to contract, to engage in any of the common occupations of life, to acquire useful knowledge, to marry, establish a home and bring up children, to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and generally to enjoy those privileges long recognized at common law as essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men.
Page 98 - Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, that it shall be unlawful for any teacher in any of the Universities, Normals, and all other public schools of the State, which are supported in whole or in part by the public school funds of the State, to teach any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man, as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead, that man has descended from a lower order of animals.
Page 47 - That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences; that no man can, of right, be compelled to attend, erect or support any place, of worship, or to maintain any ministry against his consent; that no human authority can, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience; and that no preference shall ever be given by law, to any religious establishments or modes of worship.
Page 97 - That no man shall be taken or imprisoned, or disseized of his freehold, liberties, or privileges, or outlawed, or exiled, or in any manner destroyed, or deprived of his life, liberty, or property, but by the judgment of his peers or the law of the land.
Page 318 - But then arises the doubt, can the mind of man, which has, as I fully believe, been developed from a mind as low as that possessed by the lowest animals, be trusted when it draws such grand conclusions ? " I cannot pretend to throw the least light on such abstruse problems.
Page 4 - Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed, to you it shall be for meat.
Page 295 - Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception, in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children ; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.