Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-09-01
FRANK JAMES TRIAL.
witnesses Sdu Giving Testimony in the
Prisoner Favor.

Prisoners Favor.
ST. LOUIS, August 3l.-A special to
the PostDtspatch from Gailatin, Mo,
says: IN the Frank James trial this
morning the defense continued their line
of impeaching state witnesses. James 5.
Demasters. a Justice of the Peace, was
the first witness. He testified that at
the Coroner's inquest on the body of
Wood Hite, Mrs. Bolton testified
that she had not seen Frank James for
two years, and then at her fathers house.
Before the next witness was called Col.
Phillips arose and stated that Gen.
Shelby was at the door and desired to
make a statement 10 the court. " hen the
General came in he saluted the Court
with a courteous bow and said: If any
thing that | may have said or done yes
terday referring to tue threats made by
HIM against the editor of the Gallatin
Democrat offended the dignity of the
Court | regret il exceedingly. As to
the other parties l have no regrets"
Judge Goodman replied: "Gen. Shelby,
your conduct yesterday, in appearing be-
fore the court in an unit condition and
showing an insubOrdinate spirit, was
reprehensibe in the extreme, as it was
not only in defiance of the dignity of the
court. but calculated to prejudice the in
terests of the defendant. You are q man
OF national reputation, and enjoy the
respect and confidence of 4 large number
of the people Of Missouri. | can only say
that / was much astOnished at your very
reprehensible action Of yesterday. 1t is
in the testimony that yOu have drawn a
pistol right on the verge OF the court.
which is in itself contempt of court
General Shelby, (interrupting )-"That,
sir. is false"
The COurt-'The Marshal OF Lexington
testified to it under oath"
General Sheiby-"Then he lied"
The COurt-"The Court is amply satisfied
with your apology to it, but your attitude
toward the attorneys for the State yester-
day, in answering in threatening and
offensive manner, and your talk of calling
them to a personal account cannot be
OverlOOked.'
The Court then fined General Shelby SO,
which he paid, and passed out of the
court room.
J. c. Nassn, \. DuvaI, w. d. Rice and
James Duval ali impeached the testimony
OF the FOrds and Bottoms, testifying that
they had heard them say they had not
seen Frank James for years, and that he
had gone South.
John /. Samucls. 4 half brother of Frank
James, and an inmate of the Samuels
household, had not seen James before the
Winston robbery since 1916, and then at
home. He saw him after his surrender
in Independence jail in May, 1881. He
saw Jesse James with Dick Liddell at his
mothers house. and heard Jesse and Lid
dell both say that they had left Frank in
Kentucky. and that he was in bad health
and was talking about going
South. He saw Jesse. Dick Lid
dell, the Hites and Charley Ford
during the summer. There was
striking family resemblance between
Wood Hite and Frank James. He saw
jim Cummings twice during the summer
of 1881, the first time in company with
Jesse and Dick LiddeII. Being crOss-eX-
amined the witness admitted that he
knew that they were all outlaws, and that
they were armed at all times. He had
read in papers that they had robbed banks
and trains.
Mrs. Zera Samuels, the mother of Frank
James, testified that she had lived in Clay
county, near Kearney, forty years: at
she was the mother Of the defendant, and
that he was forty-one years old. When
asked as 10 tue date Of JeSse's death she
showed much feeling and answered in a
sobbing and chOked voice. She said Jesse
was at her house in May y4SSl, accompanied
by Dick Liddell, and told her that he had
left Frank in kentucky in bad health.
Liddell said the same thing. Jesse was
in and cut Of the house with Dick Liddell
and the Hites until after the Winston
robbery. On the cross-aXaminatiOn she
said that she did not see Frank during
the summer of 1891, did not know where
he was, and thought him dead.
y. ii. Palmer, the brOther-in-laW Of Frank
James, and stock raiser Of Wichita,
Kansas, said that in August 1881, Frank
James was at his house with his sister,
the witness wife, and he found him there
on his return from his trip to Texas. He
next saw him yesterday. Mrs. Susan
Palmer, sister Of James and wife of the
preceding witness said that in 1881 she
resided in Clay county, and that her
brother spent three months of the sum
mer at her house. 4 rigid cross eXami-
nation failed to shake her testimony.