The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-11-23
w. A. Blount, Jr., Will Make
Opening Argument for
Defense To-Day.
1T is BELIEVED CASE VIII GO To-
JURY TONIGHT AND VERDICT
MAY BE RENDERED SATURDAY
-WITNEssEs IN REBUTTAL
YESTERDAY.
BY BEN Il. THOMAS.

With the hearing of nine witnesses
in rebuttal yesterday. two on behalf OF
defense and seven on behalf of the
government, the testimony IN the case
against W. S. Harlan eL al. charged
with conspiracy to commit peonage, in
the United States court. was conclud-
ed, and the summing up of the evil
dence was commenced by Assistant
District Attorney r. Pope Reese. who
began his argument at $3.50 p. m, and
continued until court adjourned for
| the day. when he concluded his re-
marks. TN morning the first argu-
ment for the defense will be made by
w. A. Blount Jr., who will address the
jury Immediately after the opening bf
the court
All of the witnesses heard at yes
terday's sessions were in rebuttal of
evidence that had been adduced upon
the day previous. Dr., ". A. j. Pol
lock testified that the wound upon the
| leg of Jardmons, the Bulgarian, was
probably due to bruises which could
have been caused by his being beaten.
Louis Docks and Nathan Scott testi-
| fed that they had seen the Bulgarian
whipped by Gallagher at the camp and
A. G. Kemp, who resides near Laurel
Hill, swore to beating he had seen
man receive at one of the camps of
the Jackson Lumber Company, at
which time big Harry" held the man
while the punishment was inflicted A
gentleman named Barganier, of Crest
view, testified that Hilton, when at
Crestview with Laninger, had stated
in his presence that he, Hilton, had
right to arrest him as he owed the
company some money The other
/ testimony adduced was comparatively
unimportant
! Mr.. Reese, in the opening argument
for the government, stated emphatic
ally that the government mad amply
proven its case against the defendants
Harlan, Hilton and Higgins and that
the acts charged against the men had
not been controverted or even denied;
| that evidence had been adduced to
show that one man, at least, was
strapped like a hog about to be
slaughtered" and that condition Of
peonage existed at the camps of the
company there could be not the slight
est doubt. One of the worst features
of the case, said Mr.. Reese, was the
fact that a body of armed men had
crossed the line into Florida for the
purpose of capturing a man and TAX
ing him back by force to work out a
debt, and another important matter
was the documentary evidence which
showed conclusively, to his mind that
Manager Harlan was thoroughly fami-
| liar with the condition OF peonage
which the government had proved to
e;-t-'
Mr.. Reese went at length into the
| question of perjury and charged that
every man who had sworn that no
l beatings had been administered at the
] camps of the Jackson Lumber Co,
had been guilty of perjury, as were
those who testified that no guns were
carried by the bosses at the camp, as
both Of the assertions had been abso-
lutely refuted by witnesses whose tes-
timony had not and could not be i'm
ipeached
The stories told on the witness
stand. Mr. Reese stated, were most
improbable and very conflicting; not
only flimsy but extremely ridiculous.
and of the fact that Hilton had de-
Iliberately perjured himself on the
stand there could be no doubt.
In concluding his address Mr.. Reese
said there was no doubt whatever
about the guilt Of the defendants; that
such a condition as had been disclosed
threatened the very foundation OF the
government If such conditions were
allowed to exist there would be no use
for the courts and the jails might as
well be torn to the ground and razed-
The detail of the proceedings yes
terday is as follows:
Morning Session.
The first witness called, in rebut-
tai of the evidence offered by defense
at Wednesdays sessions of the court
was DR.. w. A. j. Pollock, who was ex-
amined by District Attorney Shep-
pard Dr. Pollock stated that he was
employed as United States prison ply
stefan. that he was called TO treat one
Manuel Jordmons. He found Jord-
: mons very much emaciated and in bad
: condition: he was suffering from fever
due. probably, TO the condition of his
leg. The leg was badly swollen and
infamed from the knee TO the base
! of the toes, causing the pStient much
pain. In the opinion Of Or. Pollock
the condition OF JcrdEOns leg was due
10 4 bruise. Within "a hours after tiF,
Injury ives dressed the fever abated;