The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-10-16
HENRY AGSON Is ON TRIAL
FOR MURDER OF GEO. ZOOk
Damaging Testimony Given For the State By Minnie Laste
Agson is Attempting to Prove Alb and Says He Was
Not Out the Night the Shooting DC urred

The jury in the Agson murder case
vas completed yesterday morning
lbout II o'clock and the case sta .eI
before the adjournment at noon
In the afternoon court convened at
; O'Clock. DR.. James McManus was
the first witness % testify in behalf
Of the people His principal state
meni was that Zook had told him a
short time before his death that The
man who shot him was a negro with
curly. not kinky. black hair and a
mustache. He said he didn't know his
name, but would find him when he
got out. Zook never lived 10 identl-
fy him.
Minnie Laster. the most important
witness for the people. was called
next and took the stand about 2:30
She answered the questions put 70 Xer
by the attorneys in cross examina
lions in clear, firm voice and toll
straight story. making an exception
ally good witness. She testified in part
as follows:
Il met George Zook Sunday night
on the track below the Halliday house
and near the gas house. on Sunday
nigh. September 18TH, between Q and
10 o'clock. | had never met him be-
fore. but he asked me to take a wall :
with him ami ! consented. When |
first met him We stood there on the |
track and talked; a white man was
standing some little distance from us |
but we thought he was watching "a,
and we started down the track. tbs |
white man going the other way. W
hal just reached the Big Four cross
ing and were walking alongside
box car when | nciced some On,
walking near ~. aHd seemingly Try
ing to listen 10 our conversation. We
bad Just passed 10 the other side OF
the crossing when a negro Jumped
out with what looked like pistol in
his hand. and walking mp TO Mr.
IOok, gave him q punch and said |
D. you. you're Interfering with
my business. are yOug / recognized
The negro as Henry Aeson. that negro
sitting there. indicating Agson. vh
SAT beside Attorney Patterson. he
had threatened TO AXE M life or any
ine with whom ! talked. / had hold
u Mr.. looks arm when the negro
anne mp. but as soon a ! taw him I
walked mp the track about ten steps
when I heard the shot fired bat d.I |
no. look back A man ran hy me
1nt did not know who il was al ths I
line. When ] got 10 the Illinois Cen I
raj depot. ! heard thai wounded
nan was lying in Meyers place nj
vent there and found Mr Zook lying
n the door with the blood flowing
rom wound in his stomach ask
ID him 81 be Fas badly hurt. and he
old me he didn't want 10 talk to me-
md TO leave him alone was ar
tested soon after and have been in
he jail ever since
When que Toned. she told how Sd.
rad first met AEsOn AMI Of her rola.
ions with him up 20 the night Of The
ihuDllnE-
Il met Asson about Two months Az
Il Mrs Dixons house on Cedar
street ] saw him three times here.
The second time be came. be- had
'riFaie conversation with me. lie
isked me 10 be his woman. and told
i'm ia study about IL. He said he
lidnt want me- 20 sfav ar Mrs Diyon-s
md wanted me 20 20 away some-
where with him.
The third time 7 saw him be tried
o come into my room bat ! wOuldn't
p him and inil h'm ] didn't wan 70
ave anything more 70 do uath BIN
u became very angry and threatened
Q Kill me and anybody Fith whom 7
alked- AIRS. Dixon was there when
e made them, and she advised me 10
o somewhere else, 30 I went % the