Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-06-03
Attorney Beeson Opens For
Prosecution In Severe Ar
raignment of Prisoner
ATTACKS HookERs EVIDENCE
Declares the Account Book Was Man
ufactured Evidence and Points Out
GIarins Discrepancies in the Testi-
mony-The Closing Evidence Some
what Sensational.
peeial to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Red Oak June 3-R. w. Bees6n
commenced the arguments on behalf
of the prosecution in the trial of Tom
Dennison today. He engaged in a Sc
we're arraign1nent of Denlison, basing
his argument on the testimony of the
defense wherein the two account books
were offered. He charged that both
undertook to show by the entries in
both books that gross discrepancies
are apparent and in one instance
charged that one item had been
charged to Frank Shercliffe eight
months before Hooker swore that he
knew Shercliffe by that name. He re-
ferred to Hooker as peripatetic
booze vender and charged that he was
the agent of Tom Dennison In aiding
the defense of Shercliffe at Logan. He
essayed to prove by the pencil marks
on the books presented that the en-
tries were made at same time by a
pencil we'll sharpened, thus showing
that the Hooker book had been writ
ten all at one time.
Senator Junkin began his argument
for the defense at o'clock this after
noon, Attorney Beeson having con-
cluded after a supreme effort to con-
vince the, jury Of Dennison's guilt. 1t
is not believed that the arguments will
extend over Monday and it is thought
that Judge Green's instructions will be
given at that tine. Special instruc-
tions have been asked by both sides,
but have been refused in the main, as
several of the points have been includ-
ed In the courts instructions, already
prepared.
Moores Sensational.
II regard this case as a damnable
persecution" and Mayor Frank Moores
of Omaha, gray haired and aged. as
he uttered the words rose to his feet
from the witness stand and looked over
the crowded court room with his eyes
blinking. The day was one of rare
dramatic possibilities. Lawyers ac-
cused each other of bad faith. Omaha
politics received thorough airing. The
family skeletons were dragged out and
every possible effort to keep the lid OH
the personal and political potpourri
failed utterly and with a distinct ex-
plosition the entire seething mass of
vote buying, political leadership, Oma-
has rottenness and personal emnity
burst forth and over the trial.
Mayor Frank Moores Of Omaha was
the star witness for the defense yes
terday. Just before the evidence was
closed on both sides at 3 o'clock, May
or Moores gave in his entire history,
beginning with his career as a SOL
der thru the civil war, and his subse-
quent imprisonment in Libby prison.
He stated that he had been mayor Of
Omaha for nine years and said dra-
matically that he was not thru yet.
"Were not you prosecuted for en-
bezzlement?" asked Judge Smith ON
cross-examination The mayor had
said that Tom Dennison's reputation
was good.
Eyes, sir, will tell you all about
that. answered Mr.. Moores, and then
followed perhaps one of the most dra-
matte scenes ever seen in a court
room in Iowa.
81 was clerk Of the courts in Doug
las county and because was easy I
allowed attorneys to file cases without
paying the costs. I will admit that I
should have forced them to pay, but
thru subsequent Investigations it was
found that I was short. However, /
brought suit against the county as a
result of the case and recovered
100000.
"And that" he said, raising to his
feet and pointing his finger directly at
Judge Smith, sis the kind Of embez-
zers the people of Omaha elect as
mayor for three terms in succession.
At this point Attorney Connel in
auired if Elmer Thomas was not be-
hind the embezzlement prosecution as
well as interested in his present at
tempted downfall The mayor replied
forcibly that he was, whereupon Judge
Smith asked him to tell in what re-
gard this statement was true.
"It is true in this way" said Moores,
and at the words the mayor rose to his
feet and looked straight at Thomas.
"He went to Chicago and in the
Methodist church of that city and be-
fore great audience he said that
Omaha had a mayor who is a crook
and associated with criminals; not
alone this, but he said 1 was suffering
from a cancer of the throat as the re-
suit Of disease, and he charged me
with every wrong doing. But am still
mayor of OMAHA,
Attacks Elmer Thomas.
At this point Mr.. ConneH handed
Mayor Moores a copy of the speech
and asked him to point out where the
words appeared. This, however, was
ruled out.
C. S. Hayward and T. ]. Mahoney,
members of the Omaha Civic Fedora
ton, were both called to the stand by
the state ito show that Dennison's
character was bad. Mahoney swore
that as a member of the executive
committee he knew that nothing had