The leader., 1902-02-05
FOUR INDICTED.
EX-TrcaSurer Showers. Cashier
RaifOrd. and Bankers Rush
and ArmiStead to An
swcr for Misuse of
States Money.
jackson Club Managers Also
Indicted for Whisky
Selling

Jackson, Miss, Feb. 1.-As forecast
ed in these dispatches last night, the
grand jury has returned four indict-
ments in the treasury muddle of last
summer The men indicted are:
J. r. Showers, ex State treasurer.
F. T. Raiford, ex cashier in treasur-
er's office.
Phil. a. Rush, ex-capitol commits
sioner.
Banker Armistead, of Memphis.
The story that developed before the
grand jury is the same one that has
been current in the State for some
months. The money, it seems, was Sc
cured from Cashier Raiford by Capt.
tol Commissioner Rush, who in turn
turned it over to Armistead, and who
in turn loaned it to a Memphis street
railway, taking the bonds of this rail
way. According to the story which
comes out of the grand jury room, this
money brought 3 per cent. Just how
the per cent. was divided is not known.
According to a member of the grand
jury, great pressure was brought to
bear on the body not to indict the
principals of this affair. Mr.. Raiford,
1t is said today, made one of the most
impassioned appeals ever made before
a grand jury. He had a majority of
the members in tears. He plead with
them not to indict in this case, but
the law was in the way, and there was
no way that the grand jury could get
around it and be true to their oaths.
The indictment of these parties, all of
whom are prominent, has created a
sensation in the city and State Pa
pers for the arrest of the parties will
be issued this afternoon or Monday,
and they will go before the court on
Monday and give bond for their ap-
pearance when the case is called. They
will not be tried at this term of the
court. The men were indicted for un-
lawfully taking the money from the
State Treasury and using it without
warrant of law.
The social clubs of the city, which
dispense whisky and other intoxicants
to their members, we're also indicted.
The members of the clubs who were
before the grand jury acknowledged
that whisky was sold to members, but
said that they had no idea that it was
against the law. There is quite fine
point involved in this, as the clubs
have been procuring the advice of law
yers to the effect that the dispensing
of whisky to members of club was
like man buying whisky for his own
consumption, and taking it to his home
and drinking it. The whisky is sold
on cards, with a dozen or more stars
on them. The stars represent the
price of a drink, and each time the
member takes a drink or a number of
them, the card is punched. The card
is peculiarly worded, and starts out
something like this:
"Mr. - has contributed $ to the
refreshment fund for refreshments to
be used by himself personally"
One of the best lawyers in the city
got up the form, and the club mem
bers believe that it will hold good in
law. The cases will not come up at
this session of the court, but will go
over till the summer term, and after
the lower court has got through with
them, they will be taken to the Su-
preme Court. The decisions will be
of Statewide interest. Some of the
best lawyers in the city say that the
cases against the clubs will never hold
good In the meantime the clubs will
continue to dispense wet goods until
the highest court in the State says that
it is wrong and unlawful.