The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-07-19
THE BANNER TRIAL.
No Charge that Mr.. Banner Took the
City's Books
AND EVIDENCE ON THIS SUBJECT
Was Not Permitted by the City TO Be To-
troduced al The Trial
Mr.. BANNER NOW PRESENTING HIS SIDE
He VIII BE ON the stand Today.
Charges 10 BE voted on scpa-
rateIy--Case Nearing an End.
AND EVIDENCE on THIS SUBJECT
Mr.. BANNER NOW PRESENTING HIS SIDE

The announcement that Mr.. Banner
would commence bis eide Of the case in
the impeachment trial which has occu-
pied The attention Of the city council
for the past week. drew quite crowd
70 the council chamber yesterday.
For Inc purpose OF refuting the charge
that be had anything TO DO with abstract
ing the city's books. Mr.. Banner vas
prepared 10 be represented by counsel on
this charge. but the city attorney insisted
that Mr. Banner was not charged with
taxing the books ami thai 10 evidence
would be permitted along this line. 50 Mr.
Benner continued 70 represent his own
case. and the day was consumed IL going
over and refuttng ghe charges Q. irreg-
ularites IN issuing scrip. etc
-
il was little after 80 O'Clock when the
mayor called the council 10 order ans at
ter zone little delay in awaiting The ar
riysI OF Aldermen sonnen and Hsiveri0n,
she Banner case was proceeded with
Mr. Sam stated tnat the testimony Of
MT. szabo. as shown By the printed re-
ports and by the notes qf the GLACIAL
stenoErapber had been incorrectly taEea
down. Thst Mr szaoo said thai money
had been borrowed FOR the school fund
and no, from the school flaa" IS the
reports showed.
This correction was made upoa the
misutes and NJ. Banner was ;hen asked
10 proceed with MS side Of the case
Attorney J. n Coleman addressed the
council as follows: up to the present
time Mr. Banner has 30, seen q, to eqlil
himself with counsel. bat he is resting
under the impression that The question o:
whether or not he took The books is 80
arise in this case. ana he draws the cor
clusioa from what trsnspHed yesterday
evening and from The fact thai i Is a.
legged by innuendo or Intellectually IRON
the allegations themselves Now, 10 tina
issue Is TO cone Up, the evidence wolit
naturally take a very wide range, and n
has seen Fl to employ counsel, and 3
wish 70 state that il has fallen 10 ny 10
10 represent him in tee matter
Mayor Brsshear asked City Attorne
sam Il any such charge had been made, !
which ne latter rep..ed 40" and flrthe
stated On behalf Of the city ~isa /
say that ! charge that he wss be Gus
;cdisn OF certain books, that those boob
are missing and thar he has not szusfae
Jorily explained as to Ehat Neat vii
them. ! then take p that In the ever
you should find him guilty. OF that pa
ticular specification, You could only On
hiu guilty In SO Tar 10 charged. II
has satisfactorily explained viii
went with them no charge that ne to
them viii be entered want 20 say fui
Their that it was alleged In the specihcj
tions 10 fact that Mr. Banner did ta'
the books. but that after investigated
saw that there could be no such proof
that made and struck u out and 50 0
Mr. Banner. There VIII be no eyiden
introduced that he took the books,
Yesterday evening there was gre
deal Of matter dragged into this ca
hat should not have been allowed az
mould not appear In the test mouy, b
thought II was IN difference to the cou
ills wishes and made no objections.
want 10 state now that ! an going
stick to the records a much az possibl
aad anything not In the records can n
he admitted. Mr. Banner can show an
thing that he is not guilty or bat Ia
It that he can not show tina; anybody Ell
IS guilty
Il understand" said Mr. Coleman. a
dressing the city attorney. "that there h
been no evidence introduced bearlng
that issue"
No sir" said Mr.. sam.
do you expect 10 corroborate this
legation by evidence that these hooks Al
appeared while they were in his charge
esked Mr.. Coleman.
No. sir, replied the city attorney. ''b
shall introduce. the ordinance Greats
the office"
You do not propose, then. to let t
evidence take broad range and show
the circumstances surrounding this tran
action ?" queried Mr.. Coleman
NO. sir" replied Mr. sam III he q
satisfactorily explain 10 the council VIII
became Of the books It will be satislacto
70 ne He can show that they were take
Alderman sonnen asked Mr. Sam 70 /
fer 10 the specification in reference
the book matter. and TO give his constru
ton thereof. Mr.. Sam stated that
construction was that under the q
ordinance under which Che Office was e.
ated snd under which he was confirm,
that Mr. Banner was the keeper OF ain,
ent books and responsible for an N
checks, and they are now mjssIng 4
were distracted from the files OF nc g
and that he had the keys to the safe /
that the combination on the outside \
detective.
7 understand, then" sid Mr. colem
that IL Is the sense OF the council i
they will be governed by the conelus
OF the city attorney and take It
granted"
y want to say" stated City Attor,
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$780, * - = - 1920