The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-01-11
SATTERF|ELD TRIAL
5.rong Circumstantial Evidence
IS introduced by the State.
IE TESTIMONY COMPLETED

Daisy Branson Testlfies that Brown
h Read the Copy Over and Compared
1t With the Original.
The Satterfeld case in which the
i principal clerk of the House of Rep
*resentatives is charged with fraud
kently and corruptly procuring" the
q enrolment of the assignment Act"
engaged the attention of the Superior
Court all day yesterday.
The jury is composed of: w. C..
Holman. j. Fl. Jones, A. A. Phillips, D.
I. Fort, Charles Finch, John l.. Ste
phens, j. M. Dennis, J. a. Perry, L. III.
Smith, s. T. Wyatt, w. r. Macy, Quin-
ton Maynard.
As soon as some preliminary busi-
ness had been transacted the State
began the introduction of evidence.
The courtroom was all day filled
with the crowd that listened intently
to witnesses and appreciated every
strong point in interesting evidence,
as it was brought out.
SPEAKER WALSER TESTIFIES.
Mr.. Zeb Vance Walser, Speaker of
the House of Representatives was the
first witness for the State.
He testified that Satterfield was the
principal clerk of the House, of which
Walser was speaker. He wasn't posi-
tive that he had administered the
oath of Office to Satterield, as he did
not know him personally at the time.
But to the best of his knowledge he
administered to him the oath of
Office (which he read), and he was
positive that Satterfield had, during
all the Legislature, performed the du-
ties of the principal clerk. He was
absent from the House only two days
during the session. The principal
clerk necessarily has several assist
ants. Part of the time the Speakers
room was used by the principal clerk.
About 1000 bills were handled during
the last Legislature, 361 of which were
ratified The Speaker signs bills at
his desk in open session. There are
only two projections to the presiding
officer: The Committee on Enrolled
bills and the reading of the title aloud
in the House. When the bills are re-
ported by the committee the titles are
read aloud in the House before the
!. Speaker signs.
IL have no doubt" he said, that the
bin was read aloud in both houses be-
.fore being signed"
The duty of the Committee on enroll
ed bills, he testified, is to compare the
enrolled bills with the original to see
if they are identical, and to SO re-
port
DO you know the character of
Satterfield?" asked Attorney Purnell.
II think / do" the Speaker replied,
as if not quite certain of himself. II
should say it was good. That is, I've
never heard anything to the contrary"
Only the title of the bill, he testified,
when he got to direct testimony again,
is read in the House. The first read
ing is simply its introduction into the
House. The second reading it is
usually read entirely through, and on
this reading the matter is generally
fought out. The third reading is
simply the reading of the title. AS a
matter of fact it is read, so as to at
tract attention, only one time.
He said that he relied almost entirely
ON the Committee on Enrolled Bills.
ENROLLED BILL IN EVIDENCE.
Here Solicitor Pou introduced in
evidence the original enrolled bill,
kept in custody by the Secretary of
&State.
That's my signature at the bottom
of the bill,' said Speaker Walser,
there's no doubt about it,
He recognized only one signature on
the back of the bill. That was
Moody's.
STATE AUDITOR ON THE STAND.
Mr.. r. NJ. Furman, State Auditor,
and for nearly twenty years prin-
cipal clerk of the Senate,
went on the stand
His testimony was regarding the
rules, methods of procedure and du-
ties of the principal clerks of the Leg
isIature. He was principal clerk from
1875 to 1898.
He explained the progress Of a bill
from the time it was introduced,
through all the different passages of
the bill, until it's enrolment and rati-
fication. After the bill has passed
both honses it is sent to the enroll
ing clerk: the enrolling clerk has
an exact copy made; this is compared
by the committee on enrolled bills
with the original seeing that both are
identical; they certify that it is an
exact copy, and report the bill for ratI-
fication. The Principal Clerk is custo-
dl1n Oh the Dli1 unLiI IL AGtAG1ASG tAAR VII
rolling clerks office. Only bills that
have finally passed both houses should
be sent TO the enrolling clerks Office.
There should be nine endorsements on
q original bill that is not engrossed
&or five endorsements on an engrossed
k1sill) before they should be enrolled.
N SIS it a violation of duty by the
&PrincipaI Clerk to deliver tabled bill
Nor enrollment?" asked the Solicitor.
. 81 object" said Mr.. Purnell. The
&obiection was sustained.
I'd NEVER BUT ONE BILL LOST.
On cross examination Mr.. Freeman
ktated that, during all the sixteen
xgears Of his service as principal clerk,
he had known of but one bill to have
been lost or stolen from his desk
Members of the Legislature" he said,
have access to the room in which the
bills are kept, but not in the absence
of the Principal Clerk or some OF his
assistants.