The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-09-30
HE PROVED AN .ALIBI
TENNESSEE MAN ACCUSED OF
 PRACTICING FRAUD.
M. l.. Lawrence of Nashville Arrested at Instance of Negro, who
 Claimed he Secured $31.sO From Him.


 Court room yesterday afternoon when M. l.. Lawrence a young white man of Nashville, Tenn., accused of practising fraud on Wiley Caffey. a negro and his wife. Hattie caffey, whereby they were mulcted out of $31So, success fully proved an alibi.
 Notwithstanding Caffey. who is his wife positively identified Lawrence as the man who came to their home at Ripley and High Streets, at S;3o o'clock Thursday evening and secured their money under false pretenses, the Tennessee man proved by William c. Cooper. Jr., a bartender at the Mecca saloon on Commerce Street that Law renee & was in that plaee veIns pef,ooratigI UntiI 11.15 o'clock and could not have been at High and Ripley Streets, mile dis tant. Cooper testified that he never saw Lawrence until Thursday, but ne was uneauivocal in his, testimony that Lawrence was in tue saloon at the time the negroes said he was pracficing a conjure' at their home
 Lawrence came to Montgomery Tues- day from his home in Nashville, Tenn, where he left his wife. He testified that he had been Employed as motor system in Nashville for five years. He produced letters of recommendation signed by Percy Warner Of Nashville. president of the street railway company,
  ing similar employment. He has been staying at the Capitola Hotel.
 Yesterday morning while on North Court Street Lawrence was accosted by Wiley Caffey who accused him Of visit ing his house. and securing money from him by fraud. The negro followed Lawrence and on Madison Avenue the Nashville man was arrested oy Detec. of the negro who swore out a war rant against him..
 Lawrence employed a lawyer, but the lawyer did not succeed in shaking the story told on the witness stand by Caffey and his wife. It was a remar- kable story. They said that Lawrence entered their home shortly after ed himself as Doctor Wilson" The negroes declared Lawrence told them that he did not have the power of that God had therefore given him unusual power to heal. He had come he said to cure Wiley Caffey of rheu- matism, which 1t appeared had for years been the problem of the Cafrey household.
 The old woman swore that Lawrence said: "I am great lover Of colored people" and could cure any of their to thems about God. T never heard a white man pray and swear to God like that white mad did, salq the oio woman solemnly pointing to Lawrence
  can do you good, he told me: can make people love you and I can make people pay you when they owe you She said she and her husband agreed to give him $11.50 when he said he could not run his compasses' for less 'i After "pr, Wilson" secured the $11.5o the old woman said he asked 1T tnere Caffey brought out a $1o bill and two $5
 T can promote you to good life and good luck" the old woman testified the SoctorS declared to her. Then" she continued 1he took my whisk broom and shook the dust out of 1t and saio Now you see, am God-sent man. This must have impressed the old peo- ple for each of them testified that they permitted the stranger to take the money and sew 1t in small bits or eIotn over which kerosene was poured Inese were to be used as charms to find hid-
 You are standing within twenty feet of $2200" they said the stranger tolo them Wear these in your shoes to- night and when come in the morning we will dig for the money.
 They said the stranger helped them put the bits of cloth, which they their shoes and Doctor Wilson" went away. When they arose yesterday morning and sought the charms in tnelr shoes the bits of cloth were there: out the money naQ not OSSH
 "Did you dig for the money? asked counsel for Lawrence. Huh" grunted the old man I didn't do no diggin'. Dat man he dug me for my money"
 Finding that fraud had been prac- tieed upon him. Caffey came down town searching for "Dr. Wilson" and located Lawrence on North Court street. when Lawrence was arrested he had $25.5O
 Lawrence swore to his movements Thursday evening and Cooper. the par tender, corroborated his evidence that he was at the Mecca saloon at the time the negroes said he was at their home.
 q cannot see" said the Recorder .of Mr' Cooper who is an entirely dis interested person. I shall discharge the defendant"
 Wiley Carey and Hattie Caffey star ed wistfully at Lawrence as he iert the court room. |