JftEWPORT Daily Independent.
JkmE TV. NEWPORT. ARKANSAS. MONDAY. SEPTEMBER 26. 1904. NUMBER 130.
~^&TE OF ROBERTS
HANGS IN BALANCE.
Defence Introduces Number of
Witnesses to Establish Alibi
for Roberts on Night of
Grave Robbery.
Judsonia, Sept. .4.—The end
has not yet been reached in the
trial of ex-Mayor John V. Rob
erts of Searcy on the charge of
yiolating the grave, in connection
with the Lightle insurance case.
No conclusion is expected before
Monday evening.
s *'• ■ The defense had a few innings
today. Among the witnesses
were two sisters of Roberts.
Testimony was not lacking on
the point that Roberts was prob
ably somewhere else when Ed
Pitts’ grave was violated the
night of April 26, although there
is so far no positive proof that
Roberts was far enough away
| from Searcy to have precluded
f the possibility of his participa
tion in the grave robbery.
SEARCY PEOPLE BELIEVE GREGORY
R. R. Wilson, one of Searcy’s
leading business men, who has
bden a merchant there since
1803, testinea tnis morning, in
Sept. 1900, witness employed
Walter Gregory for about four
teen months thereafter and re
garded Gregory of very good
character and would believe him
on oath. Witness admitted he
had seen Gregory drunk.
Mr. Pace, for the defense, took
witness and asked him if he ever
| v|sifeed gambling dens himself,
U| and witness said he did not.
0: Mr. Pace—Now, Mr. Wilson,
H would you believe Gregory on
/ oath, where a money considera
/ tion was involved?
f “I would,” said the witness.
\ Witriess thought Gregory had
/ tdld i true story, and people in
Searfcy generally thought so, too.
Mr. Pape continued with witness
, to some extent and wanted to
know how “well he was posted
as to Gregory,” and the charac
ter he was testifying about. Mr.
Pace did not think the witness’
testimony came within the pale
of the law, and Mr. Brundidge
and Mr. Pace had a hot debate
over the question.
The court ruled in favor of the
state.
GOOD WORD FOR GREGORY.
Capt. A. F. Smith, who has
lived in Searcy and White county
thirty-five years and has been a
merchant twenty-five years of
the time, testified that he knew
Walter Gregory and would be
lieve him on oath.
Mr. Pace asked about Gregory’s
‘ ‘general reputation. ’ ’
“He had a good reputation un
til this matter came up,” said
the witness, “and people thought
Roberts and Lightle got Gregory
into the trouble.”
J. L. Moore, the next witness,
said he had lived in Searcy since
1874 and had been in the livery
business and had been sheriff of
White county. Gregory stood
well in Searcy and witness said
he would believe him on oath.
Witness was on Gregory’s bond
and wanted the guilty persons
prosecuted.
Mr. Pace-“Mr. Moore, haven’t
you been taking a great deal of
interest in this case?”
“No more than any other
loyal citizens.”
Mr. Pace-“Didn’t you get
into John Roberts’ buggy yester
day morning with two others, so
you could testify or not as to its
capacity for three to ride in?”
“Yes, I did, but it was only a
joke?”
“Oh, yes, only a joke,” said
Pace.
“I can tell you, though, and
can testify if you want me to
that three can ride in Roberts’
buggy.”
“Oh, yes, we knew that, and
it shows how much interest you
have manifested in this case, ’ ’
said Mr. Pace.
“I only manifest the interest
any other loyal citizen would,”
said Mr. Moore.
STATE RESTS ITS CASE.
After Moore was excused the
state rested and a conference of
the defendant’s attorneys and
leading witness ensued. Greg
ory was then recalled and went
through a rigid cross-examina
tion at the hands of Pace, as to
the exact hour of the visiting of
the Pitts grave. Witness said
hour was between 10 and 11
o’clock, and that Roberts and
Lightle each furnished a spade.
Kay Deener was next recalled
and denied having told Zol Woods
and A. J. Rachael that he had it
in for Roberts on account of a
political race and expected to get
even if it took all his life.
Attorney J. N. Rachael testi
fed that Deener had made the
threat, but Zol Woods could not
remember it.
W. J. Short, Henry Bradley,
J. T. Shumate and J. T. Tilly,
all of Searcy, were introduced to
impeach the testimony of Greg
ory, whose character and general
reputation they pronounced bad.
ROBERTS’ SISTERS TESTIFY.
Hedley Neely, a negro servant
of Roberts, testified that Rob
erts’ horse was sick during April
and March and not used, also
that the buggy was locked up
and key retained by Miss May
Roberts.
Miss May Roberts denied that
her brother asked for buggy
house key on April 26 and was
s|ire buggy was not used that
nifeht. Her brother had gone to
Armstrong Springs some time in
April and she had telephoned
him. Family didn’t have a spade
as alleged by Gregory.
Miss Bessie Roberts, 9 years
old, and the youngest girl of the
family, in which a mother, three
sisters and two brothers are all
supported by John Roberts, also
testified in corroboration of her
sister’s story.
ED TAYLOR ON STAND.
Ed C. Taylor, clerk at the Cap
ital hotel in Little Rock, testified
that Roberts was a guest there
April 27, day following alleged
robbery. The defense were slip
ped up on here and a letter to
m_1_* i-_J_J __
_L CLJ l\JL Ultl vuuvvuj YY uvivm XVVW
erts asked for an examination of
the register for April 25, 26, 27,
and asked that the request be
treated as strictly confidential.
ROBERTS AT ARMSTRONG SPRINGS.
Will Dickey, Iron Mountain
conductor, testified that Roberts
and Doctor Faust were at hotel
in Armstrong Springs, night of
April 26.
Mrs. E. J. Scantling of Mem
phis also testified of Roberts vis
it at Armstrong on that date, and
witness had a game of flinch
with defendant until after 11
o’clock that night.
Will Ligon, son of Uncle Jack,
who runs the hotel at Armstrong,
also testified that John V. stayed
there the night of April 26 and
left early next morning to catch
a train for Little Rock.
Mr. Andrews then took hold of
this witness, ascertaining that
he was under indictment for sell
ing whiskey, to which question
Judge Stuckey objected, and was
answered by “the sauce that is
good for the goose is good for the
gander.” The remark met with
hand clapping from spectators
and the court rapped for order.
Jack Ligon, the hotel pror»rie
I tor, was next called and corrob
orated the alibi story of his son,
stating that he returned to
Searcy next morning with Dr.
Faust and John Roberts.
He was asked to produce his
hotel register in court and this
book was carefully examined by
the attorneys on both sides.
DOCTOR FAUST’S LITTLE BOOK.
Dr. J. W. Faust had practiced
medicine in Searcy for nine years
and told of his visit with Rob
erts to Armstrong Springs.
Mr. Andrews asked where the
register was at the time he reg
istered and witness said “in the
diningroom.” He had his ac
count book and had Ligon
charged with a professional visit.
Mry Andrews conducted a rigid
examination with the witness,
who said he knew about the
charge against Roberts, Gregory
and Lightle, but d>v not remem
ber whether he had told any one
about them going to Armstrong
Springs April 26. Witness was
certain of the date. Mr. An
drews took Dr. Faust’s book and
questioned him as to dates, med
ical services and accounts of pa
tients and exhibited it to the jury
and called attention to the pen
cil marko Vipinor “■frpsll ” Mr.
Andrews asked that the-book be
kept in the custody of the court,
but the court said he could not
afford to confiscate witness’
property.
Mr. Stuckey—“Oh, Mr. An
drews, we will keep the book for
you or give you a copy of it.”
“I want the writing on the
leaf of that book,” said Mr. An
drews.
“Why was it that Bill Ligon
could wait on the table, but could
not come into Searcy to see
you?”
“I do not know,” said witness,
“but he sent for me to come out
there and see him.”
Mr. Andrews went through a
rigid examination with the wit
ness and told him he would hold
him responsible for the testimony
he was giving in this case.
“Now, Dr. Faust, I want to
ask you this question: Didn’t
you tell some parties the other
night in the drug store in Searcy
that you expected to come over
here and assist the defendant,
and make personal threats
against myself and Mr. Brun
didge?”
“No, I did not,” said Dr.
Faust.
“Didn’t you say all the time
you were a friend of John Rob
erts and expected to help get
him out of this trouble?”
“Yes, I said I was a friend of
his and I am, too.”
ROBERTS TRIAL
DEMORALIZES COURT.
The Jackson circuit court has
been seriously crippled in all
efforts to do business by the jus
tice of the peace court case at
Judsorjia, in which John Roberts
is bfcnig tried for grave robbery
and in whose case a number of
the Newport bar are engaged as
counsel.
With three prominent mem
bers* of the local bar, Attorneys
J. M. Stayton, Gustave Jones and
M. M. Stuckey, missing, few
cases can be considered and it
was for this reason Judge Ful
kerson took an adjournment of
court Monday morning until
Friday.
The jury commissioners, Judge
L. D. Smith, Drs. V. M. Mc
Dowell and C. West, met Mon
day and named the panels for
the next term of court. It was
a rather remarkable coincidence
that all the members are doctors
or druggists, which is very much
the same thing.
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Fannie Wi lliams versus
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defendant and set for Wednes
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Charley Robinson versus St.
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Joe Hampton versus St. Louis,
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R. H. Buchanan versus St.
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