The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-03-16
IS STILL ON TRIAL
Mrs. Williams Case Will Go
to the Jury Today
IMPORTANT MOTION HEARD
Relating to the Perjury Case
of Mrs. MeaIer.
IMPORTANT MOTION HEARD

The case Of Mrs. Lizzie E. Williams
against the American National bank OF
Arkansas City still occupies most Of the
attention of the federal court, and viii
not go to the jury before noon today
1T is a very hard fought case. involving
some intricate questions Of commercial
law Judge Peters of Newton for the de-
tense. and Governor Stanley for the plant
if. are handling the witnesses, and they
are each bringing out every possible ad-
vantage to their respective sides IN the
questions propounded. Governor Stanley
handles the books of the bank like an
expert accountant. and in MS endeaVor
10 show UP the banks methods, has kept
Mr.. Peters on his feet with objections
a great many Of which were sustained py
Judge Hook The wiry contentious or the
two lawyers are Interesting to spectators
who crowd the room TO watch the proceed
ines Of the trial Judge Peters seems 10
have his side Of the case well fortified
against the attacks Of the opposing coun-
sci. AT the special request Of Mr.. Peters,
VINO is compelled to leave this morning
for Kingman TO attend 10 business in the
district court there, Judge Hook held
night session last night IN order TO give
Mr.. Peters time to finish the cross queS-
t:oning of the witnesses and make MS ar
a7Iment before the court. The leading W.T.
nesses in the case yesterday were Mr.. +.
NJ. Watts, receiver of the defendant bank,
and Mrs. Williams, the plaintiff. The
large number of documents, bank books,
etc, necessary TO go through in the cross
examinations, make the progress Of the
case very slow and tedious. Mrs. Will
Jams and her husband sit quietly in the
case, and when not on the stand no one
would suspect that Mrs. Williams had any
more interest than that Of mere specta-
tor. However Mr.. Williams says he Is
confident that mis- wife viii win her suit.
Another very important case of this term
IS that Of the United States against Mrs.
Harriet D. Mealer Of Lacrosse, Kan,
charging her with perjury in the matter
of making out pension voucher. Mrs.
MeaLer was drawing a pension as widow Of
a soldier and it is alleged that when she
made out her last voucher for pay she
made the statement that she was still
the widow of the deceased husband, when,
in fact, It is alleged, she had quietly mar
ried another man, and by this act forfeited
all right to her pension. 1t is a case that
will interest every soldier and soldiers
widow and the outcome of the case will
doubtless be watched with much interest.
Mrs. Mealer is represented in this case by
Attorneys S. +. Hale and w. II. Russell Of
Lacrosse, and II. Fierce of Hutchinson,
making a very strong array of legal talent.
The defendants attorneys presented and
argued yesterday motion to quash the
Indictment against Mrs Mealer on the
ground that the laws of the United States
do not authorize or require the kind Of
affidavit which the government alleges in
the Indictment was made by the defend
ant in this case, on which can be based a
prosecution for perjury. The question was
argued at length by Mr. Hale, who brought
out large number Of leg alopinions and
references bearing upon the question. He
said that granting the fact that Mrs. Meal
er had married-which. however, they
would not admit-the charge of perjury
could not be sustained in this indictment
because Of the fact that such an affidavit
as she made IS not required by the laws
governing the pension business. The law
yers say that this IS one of the finest law
points ever brought out in this kind Of
q case, and Judge Hooks ruling VIII be
especially important The court took the
question under Amusement and announced
that he would pass upon the motion next
Monday.
Nothing else except a few unimportant
bankruptcy cases were disposed Of yester-
day.