The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1904-09-22
President Gus Thompson and
Manager Ray Indicted.
The Grand Jury Finished Its Work
In Fifteen Days ut This Term
of Court.
Is NOT A PLEASANT JOB

The grand jury in its final report
yesterday afternoon returned an in
dictment against Mr.. A. 5. Thompson,
superintendent of the Street Railway
and John 5. Ray, late manager Of the
Paducah Baseball club, for alleged
violation of the Sabbath by playing or
allowing to be played, Sunday base
ball.
The grand jury had a number of
witnesses in the case but none of them
was able to furnish any evidence, ii
seems.
The three witnesses on the indict-
ment are newspaper reporters, at least
one of whom was not even before the
grand jury.
Another one stated when before the
jury and asked if Mr.. Thompson was
president of the ASSOCIATION and Mr..
Ray was manager OF the Pad ucah
club, that he knew nothing about
what positions they held, except what
he heard on the streets snd,saw in the
papers. IL seems that it was on this
sort of evidence that the indictment
was returned.
one member of the grand jury to-
day said that he had as much grand
jury as he wanted. 1t was his first
service. and he declared it was the
"stinkingest job" he ever. tackled.
He said that some people came mp vol.
unfairly and wanted TO tell everything
they knew or had ever heard, while |
you had to send squad of deputy |
sheriffs for others, and then they |
didn't know anything.
eve tried TO make out case
against one man, Tom Higher, charged
with stealing whiskey," he said. but
we couldn't get the evidence to save
our lives. Finally we sent over to the
Jail after the defendant himself, and
he as good as confessed TO us, but OF
course we couldn't base an indictment
on that and we hal to tell him he
could 90. He was so delighted he ran
round and shook hands with Us.
There was another case shat was
probably unusual. Compiaint had
been made relative to dead horse be-
ing allowed to lay and rot IN certain
place. We put off action for two
weeks and . half, not desiring to iu-
dict the man il he would abate the
nuisance, but he ignored requests TO
move il. Finally we actually sent
him note-probsbly a consideration
few grand juries ever showed law
breaker-and he actually sent it back
to ne, refusing to take it. We then
returned sn Indictment, and pinned
the note we had sent him to it, show
the court that there was one man who
had had . good chance to do right, and
avoid prosecution.
About the funniest thing that
came up, however, was the testimony
of a colored witness In whiskey case.
He had small straw hat that Just
fitted the top of his head.
Did you ever drink any Of this
blank whiskey3' he was asked.
'Yessah', 1 sho' did. he replied.
"'Will it make you drank
Sho', boss. Hill mex me all
eny 'un else drunk. niggah ah white
man. tn mex him moughty drunk,
to tell de truf. Yassah, Use drunk
sum oh dat whiskey.'
"'Well what is it called?' he was
asked.
Hits gently knowed es Ola ks
Ribbah Bu'bun. It's dab wild de
goods, too. gemmen.
IBIS description of how it made
him feel was as funny as . comedy"
The grand jury finished its work
this term in fifteen days. 1t gener-
ally stays in session until he criminal
term of court adjourns, three weeks.
The court is now we'll up with its
docket, and from now on there will
be no rush when circuit court meets,
thanks to Judge Reeds energy.
Messrs. Thompson and Ray have
not been arrested ana required to
give bond on the indictment. The
trial of the case cannot come mp until
December and compromise will prob
ably be made then