The age-herald., 1898-07-13
Preliminary Hearing Began Yes
 terday Before Justice Benners. AGENT BROCK TESTlFItS
Identified ihe Handwriting on the Money Or derS as That of W. H. Scott Assis tant Agent at the Belle Ellen
 Express Office.

The preliminary trial of Colonel Earle Ross who is charged with forging money orders on the Southern Express company was begun yesterday before Justice l. H. Benners.
 Ross was taken to court by Deputy Sher- if James Marshall and was accompanied by his wife, who sat by him during the entire day.
 The case was called at 113O, a number of witnesses being present who were sworn and put under the rule.
 Attorneys J. D. Poncellor and w. B. Me Crossin appeared for the prosecution and J. L. Meade for the defense. The war rant was read and after hearing had begun was slightly altered to- obviate a tech nicality.
 The first witness introduced was J. C. Brock, joint agent of the Southern Express company and the Louisville and Nashville railroad at Belle Ellen, from which office the money orders are alleged to have been issued.
 4.r. Brock testified that he had first met MT. Ross about two weeks ago, when he spent two nights with him at Belle Ellen. He stated that he had never issued money order payable to MT. Ross and that he had never received any money from him. He was then handed one of the money orders which is alleged to be a forgery and was asked if he issued it, to which he replied "No.' He also stated that he had not signed it. In reply to the question if he knew who did sign his name to the order he replied that it looked like it had been written by w H. Scott, his assistant in the Belle Ellen office.
 Had no Authority
 He stated that Scott had no authority to sign his name to money orders except un- der his (Brocks) personal supervision, and stated positively that he had not author ized him to sign the order which was shown him.
 On cross-eXamination he positively identi- fled the signature as Scott's writing and stated that Scott did issue money orders, but only under his supervision.
 Adjournment was taken for dinner and at o'clock the hearing was resumed. Dur ing the afternoon several witnesses were examined including Chief of Police T. c. Mcdonald, who arrested Ross in the Metro politan hotel. The attorenys on both S1UeS were On tHc dlcIl dHd SeNcIdi tiin6S the proceedings rested while argumnts were presented to the judge upon the ma teriality of evidence sought to be intro dueed.
 Ross was put on the stand and stated that he had purchased the money orders and that they were signed by Scott. He admitted that he had filled out the order in question: but stated positively that it had been signed by Scott.
 He was put through a strong cross ex- animation, the prosecuting attorneys ques- toning him closely regarding the transac- ton. He said that he had about $500 when he went to Belle Ellen and that he had paid part of the money to Scott for the or ders. He also stated that they were drink ing and that he did not clearly recolect the exact amount of the transaction, or the change he received.
 Ross was still the stand when court adjourned. The hearing will be taken up again at o'clock this afternoon and. will probably be concluded today.