The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1903-02-06
THE TYLER BANK CASES
Objection Sustained to Witness Al
swering Important Question.
CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED INFLUENCE
Was Taken Up and the Prosecuting
Witness ard the Defendant Were
Heard at Length

Tyler, Texas, February z--Court met
regularly this morning aud cross-examins-
ton Of the witness Fain was continued.
Tho one matter OF importance brought out
was IN reference to the knowledge by the
defendants of the execution Of the checks
on which the indictment was based. Mr..
Fain stated that the defendants neither
drew nor knew OF the drawing OF any OF
the checks in question. Counsel then asked
the witness II either or all OF the defend.
ants instructed, directed or authorized him
TO draw the checks This was objected to
by the government
Nj. johnson then read the clause In the
indictment charging the defendants with
/ having drawn, Instructed. directed or au.
thorized the drawing OF these checks and
said that the answer Of the witness Fain
would be either denial or afirmance Of the
charge in the indictment against the de.
PENDANTS and that was a most material
/ point In the case, whereupou the court sus.
/ talned the objection.
/ Last night at 1880 the case Of the gov
| ernment against {. G. Mansell, charged
| the Tyler bank cases, was begun. Attorney
! for defendant filed a demurrer and argued
Z the same, which the judge overruled. A
| general denial was then tled.
! The prosecuting witness. Steve Black
stone, took the stand He said that Man
I sell came to his house about seven miles
( from Hawkins and called him of and stated
that he (Blackstone) had been summoned as
| a yenreman In the Tyler bank cases and
I that If he got on the jury to "set pat for
the defendants" and he would be paid for
i and that he would be paid for 1t whether
be got on the jury or not; and as Mansell
started 10 leave and after be got Ia the
! wagon, he said, III the presence OF Jack
| Brown, the driver, who was sitting on the
. 10 n1.t.tl- rs4.W
OF the jury to remember him iMauseli.
On cross-e2aminatlon he was asked If be
did not own q distillery and was selling II
quor 10 violation Of the law. He stated
In reply that he was a distiIler, hut was not
selling whisky iliciuy. He was then asked
II ne was not an anti.prohibltionist, tr
which he replied that every one In that
country knew he was prohibitionist and
that he was o prohibitionist, He stated
that be had been 10 attendance on court
for four days aud that lie had not mad,
this statement 10 the district attorney unit
after the jury was sworn and empaneleC
( aud he was discharged.
Jack Brown, the driver, was placed OF
the stand and said that be drove the de
, PENDANT ont TO see Blackstone, stating tn,
| Incidents of the trip. When esked witt
reference 10 the remark Blackstone claimed
was made to him by Mansell, If you az,
taken on the Jury remember me- he stater
positively that no such statement was mad
In his hearing and that he was sitting OF
, the seat with Mansell.
de r. GllIhLNt tue luIQtE"lDrlhW OF blhth
: stone, was placed on tho stand and stateC
j that Blackstone was, and the people gen
S orally knew him to be a pronounced anti
d prohibitionist.
Several prominent citizens Of Mineola
o whore Mausel resides, were rnen interro
( gated with reference to Mansel's characte
- and they each stated that he was a man o
I good character, responsibility and credibl
ty and that there were none better in tna
D community.
d Mansell then went on the stand and de
$ MED In toto the statements made by Black
stone He said that there was a movemeu
| on foot TO have local option election II
Wood county and, beiug the owner OF
saloon and naturally against prohibition, h
u was asked to 60 out Into that commuuit
n and organize the anti-prohihition forces
. that he went TO see Blackstone who, bein
g a distiller, he naturally supposed woul
y take great interest in the matter; tina
& while there blackstone told him he wa
d summoned on the Jury and said he sur
= posed II was in the Tyler bank cases: tina
Z he understood q settlement had been mad
7. and that II that was n fact the defendant
ought not to be tried again, TO which Mar
= / sell assented,
Before cross-eNamination by the govern
ment court was continued until tonight a
$50.