The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-23
1 kMV[9 T[GTI[I[C LhUILn ILOlHl[0
 IN PEONAGE CASE
Mr. Riddle Says He Advised
 Witness to Tell the Truth
JUSTICES DOCKET CHANGED
Said It Was Tempered with on the Advice of His Attorney-Develops That couse Was Simply
 Notary Public.

Montgomery. July 22 Especial. )-The Franklin peonage case consumed the en- tire time of the Federal court today, three witnesses being examined. The testimony largely figured on the testimony of wit ness Gouse. who was on the stand when the court recessed yesterday. Couse had testified that one of the counsel for the defense. D. II. Riddle. had advised him as to a change in his justice of the peace docket and when Couse concluded his evidence today attorneys and specta tors were a bit surprised to hear MT Riddle volunteer as a witness and state fully his side of the case
 By the way 1t appears that Couse was never commissioned as a justice peace in Clay county but merely as a notary, and Governor Jelks today removed him from that office. Couse states that he honestly believed himself to be a justice peace and was the only man in Hollns beat acting as such
 One of the superintendents.
 He is one of the assistant superinten- dents of the Rollins Lumber company. Couse was examined as to the two dock cts. the old one containing the Pat Hill case and the new one. Riddle had gone to Rollins. he testified. in regard to the change of docket at the request of him. self and Franklin He said that before he saw Riddle, Franklin had told him that unless the docket was changed it might get them both in the penitentlary. Attorney Lackey then offered attorney Riddle as a witness to clear himself of the trouble about the new docket
 MT. Riddle told Judge Jones that his obl- gations to some clients would not permit him to answer some questions. Il can't help that" said Judge Jones, that is with MT. Lackey. He will have to answer Just like any other witness" MT. Riddle stated he had several conversations with MT. Couse about the cases. Once in a barber shop Mir. Couse asked him about the entry on the docket and asked him how the case ought to be entered. He told him how the style of the case ought to be, State of Alabama vs. the defendants. He said Couse told him he would like for him to see his docket before he would have to take it before the grand jury. MT. Couse telephoned him several times to come down and help him out, and finally he went to MT Couses house on Sunday. He never said anything to Couse about de- stroying the other dockets He asked Riddle what he should swear before the court, and the witness told him several times to swear to the truth. He did not advise him to swear that these were the original entries made Franklin never told witness to go to Couse's house to fix up the docket.
 Went to House on Sunday.
 Mir Riddle. on cross-examnaton, testi- fled that on Sunday when he went to Couse's house he saw the book in which the entry appeared as the case of the State of Alabama vs. Pat Hill. He did not recall seeing any other case on the book at that time; that he paid no att tention as to whether 1t was a new book or not Couse had figured up the cost as being only ST 50 and he said he wanted the witness to fix it so it would it Faces contract which called for $27 50, and he wanted to know of witness what to do about 1t.
 Riddle said he told IIill By the eter- nal gods, put it down like 1t is; tell the truth about it."
 r. M. Pruett. constable of Goodwater beat, testified that he had arrested Pat Hill and the other four negroes. He did it on a telegram from Couse at Rollins who said the negroes had escaped from the mill where thf were employed with out paying their board and trsnsporta- ton expenses.
 Were Fined $5.
 After their arrest he carried them back to Rollins where they were tried and convicted and fined s5 each and costs. He, with Franklin. the defendant. carried the negroes to Dadevile and from Dade- vile out to Faces farm, where Franklin hired the negroes to Pace. He did not know, he said, what Pace was to pay for them He denied all knowledge of the contract between Pace and Franklin, but admitted Franklin paid him for his services in helping to capture and carry negroes to Faces farm. He did not re- member what sum was paid him. He said he carried negroes to Faces farm because one or two of the negroes ex- pressed desire to go there, but he did not know which of the five told him this. When asked If he would recognize which one if all were brought before him, said