The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-11-22
DEFENSE RESTED
CASE YESTERDAY
BY BEN h. THOMAS.

Just before the close or the after
noon session of the United States
court yesterday, in the trial of w. s.
Harlan ct al for conspiracy to commit
peonage, defense rested its case and
one witness, Chas. Haas. was called
by the government and heard in re-
buttal. The entire day, with the eX-
ception of the time taken in the hear
ing Of the evidence of Haas was taken
up hearing testimony of witnesses for
defense, fourteen of whom were dis
posed of, making total of thirty-one
witnesses heard for defense. The
summing up of the testimony will
probably begin this morning.
The entire defense has consisted
of an effort to prove that conditions
at the camp were better than usually
obtained at lumber camps and that
there were absolutely no restrictions
upon the men and. with the exception
of the testimony given by the defend
ants in their own behalf, there was no
effort to show that the specific acts
set forth in the indictment were not
committed
A notable feature of the testimony
of witnesses for the defense was the
fact that, with but one or two excep-
tons, the witnesses swore that IL was
not the custom of the bosses at the
/ camp to carry revolvers: the excep-
tons, Of which Mr. Lamata, superin-
tendent of the turpentine department
of the Jackson Lumber Co, was one.
! testified that it was the usual Gus
| tom of the bosses to carry revolvers
! hill -, h l.
| Tense did not attempt to reconcile
these statements except by adducing
testimony to the effect that self-pro-
lection demanded that a gun be car
ried as the men at the camp were Of
a disorderly class who we're apt to
cause trouble at any time.
The defendant Hilton when on the
stand had but an indistinct recoIIec-
ton OF the events that occurred at.
Crestyiew when Laninger, the man
| against whom the overt act OF the
conspiracy is alleged to have been
committed, was with him, and during
the course of his examination made
several conflicting statements. The
burden of his testimony was to the
effect that he met Laninger on a cross
IOdu lew UliIeS lIDIn Ote5lNltWt
that Laninger at first tried to run
away but fell, afterwards coming
toward Hilton in a manner that
frightened him (Hilton.) Hilton
said the man made motions towards
! his mouth and pointed in the direction
Of LOckhart and. although the man
, was not wanted, insisted upon follow
ing him to Crestview from where he
was subsequently taken by Higgins
back to LOckhart. The testimony OF
Higgins was also somewhat mixed
with reference to Laninger.
w. s. Harlan, manager Of the Jack.
/ son Lumber Co, testified that no
: knew nothing of the occurrence OF,
: in fact, OF any occurrence of similar
{ nature.
One Of the most important witness
: es for defense yesterday was Emil
! Lesser, president of the German I'M
[ migration Society OF Alabama, who
told of his visit to the camps of the
company on a tour of investigation.
He stated that he saw nothing out Of
i, the way. that the accommodations and
: food were good and that, although he
talked with 80 men while there. he
did not find one who wac discont
tented In rebuttsI CT thss tcstimony
! tcontinued on Faae ThTe.l