The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-01-14
THE DILL, BELE. AND RICE CASE.


John j. lGakins, witness for State
knew defendants, Dill and Rice
Heard about the case outside of the
Grand Jury room. Rice was told il
my presence, in Bowers room, in the
courthouse, by Bower District Attor.
ney, that whatever confession shOulC
be made by him would be used against
him. This warming was given in the
presence of w. FL. Harris, Mr.. Nc
Adams, Bower and myself and several
Others. He had been Intercepted be-
fore the Grand Jury. Rice came from
the jail to Bowers office, and there eau.
toned, | do not know of any promise
or inducement offered to Rice to con.
TESS No such inducement was offered
by the Grand Jury or any of its mem,
bers.
The defendants attorneys here OBJ,
iected to introducing any confession OF
Rice, on the ground that il was not vol.
untary, as shown by Mr.. EaIins. Al.
ter argument the Court sustained the
objection.
The State, over objection of defend.
ant, here introduced in evidence the
indictment of Marion Dill for suborna.
ton of perjury in trying to induce Reu-
ben Johnson to commit perjury. Also
minutes of the Criminal Court of Janu-
AIRY, 1875, showing that the Criminal
Court commenced and was held in the
city of Dallas on the LIST of January,
1875, and was adjourned on the Goth
Qfthe SEINE month. The State here an
nouuced that 1t rested.
Charles Deitz, for defendant--I have
known Elijah Rice, defendant, since
last July, IA year ago. He and myself
did business together as peddlers for
three or four months. | have known
Bell little over year. Have seen his
handwriting in Jail and in the coun-
try. Have seen him write. dunot
know whether the writing represented
is BelPs or not, but think ii is.
BY State-When see mans hand
writing generally know it. | have
| have seen Bell writing in Jail several
times. | have saw him write in the
country. did see him make the let
lers. He generally makes the letters
straight up. The letters in this note
are set straight He is the only per-
son that have seen that sets his letters
straight up. | don't know how he
makes his rs. don't know.if he, in
speaking of himself, makes capital |
or snail !, know he makes his capt.
tai ID straight up. ] noticed this in
the note that is IN Court Same note
was here handed witness, but folded up,
and he was asked ifBell wrote it. lie
answered: This note Is not BELLS.
Counsel here unfolded the note, and
then witness saw that he,did not know
whether Bell wrote the note or not.
The Court held that there was no
evidency before the Court to
allow the note to got o the jury.
lFhe counsel for State had folded the
note 80 the signature could not be seen
by witness, and he then stated that he
did not believe 1t to be Bells writing.
Another note was here handed to the |
witness, and he was asked if he ever
saw it before. saw it given to Dill by
u man in Jail. Looks like Bells baud. |
| don't know whether Bell |
wrote it or not. did not see him
write it, but it looks like Bells hand
and think 1t is. GCourt here
ruled that 1t was disclosed by witness
that there was better evidence to show
that Bell wrote the note. Witness
again stated that the signature looked
like Bells, and he believed it Bells.
Cross by State-I know this to be
Bells handwriting by the capital DIS.
Note No. 2 WAS here presented to wit
hess who stated there was no capital
DIS in the note. Notes No. and Q
we're then presented to witness who
stated that the signature looked like
Bells in No. |, but in No. 2 it differed
rom No. l, but the signatures both re-
Finally witness swore that
ne believed the handwriting to be
Bells, but could not swear positively.
Court again ruled that the man who
had carried the note to Dill had been
iescrihed by witness, and until that
nan was produced, " his absence ac-
counted for the objection to the intro
ion of the letters to the jury would be
Ito which defendants ex-
'epted. A note marked "A,n from Bell
o Rice, was here presented to witness
Who stated that he believed 1t to be IN
he handwriting of Bell. g. 49,
Mccormick sworn-Was a guard at
he Jail in July last. l have seen and
cad the note "a" before. 1t was hand
o me by guard with directions to
land It to Rice. l think 1t was handed
o me by Durrett. j do not know who
erote 1t. l never saw any notes passed
" Bell to any one.
Durrett sworn-I don't know that
yer saw the note "Ap before. Don't :
emember of having carried note
rom Bell to Mccormick. / am &C. :
TAINTED with Bells handwriting
mostly in pencil From my ao-
usintance with Bells writing l can
OF say whether or not this is his writ
". II looks likeit but some of these
tiers are better than he geperallv