The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-11
Investigating Committee Hears FinaI Witnesses and Returns
 Verdict in Few Minutes
BURNETT ON THE STAND
 DENIES ALL THE CHARGES
Says He Has Never Solicited Trade With Single Person with Any Reference to His Official
 Position.

NThe Burnett investigation committee, after hearing all the evidence against Alderman Richard D. Burnett, returned a verdict of not guilty After about five minutes consultation last night, the committee drew up it's report, which ex- onerates the alderman of the graft charges brought against him.
 The third and last session of the com mittee continued until midnight. The whole committee was present, the prose- cution and the defense introduced all their evidence and the incident is closed.
 The testimony began with that of Will Johnston, a saloon keeper. He stated that he knew R. D. Burnett
 Q.-Did you have a conversation with Mir. Burnett on the corner of Third ave- nue and Nineteenth street?
 A-Yes: | met Mir Burnett and MT. Patterson standing in front of Parker's drug store and started casual conr versation Dick said, By the way, I'd like for you to give me some business. l told him all right, l had been trading with him. He said, You know I'm in a position to do you some good now. This conversation occurred during September' only few weeks ago"
 Attorney Tillman for the defense took the witness. and brought out the evil dence that Johnston had known Burnett a good while, had been in business with him, that their relations had been friend ly, and that Burnett had offered often before to do favors for him, He stated that in May of last year he went to Burnett's store and told him he would l...s t,.. oglya xnfhN hp said it was a personal affair between him and Lasseter. The prosecution then rested.
 O'Byrne on Stand.
 T. W. O'Byrne, a, wholesale beer dealer, was the first called by the defense. He said he had known Burnett for 15 years, and had both bought and sold with nm.
 Q.-Do you remember the conversation which MT. Lasseter said he, had with you?
 Al remember the conversation. but I paid no attention to it. I wouldn't ex- actly know what he said.
 Q-Tell us whether or not MT Burnett ever solicited you to make any such prop osition to such parties. Did he tell you to use his name In any regard to obtain business?
 A.-No. I did see two or three parties and ask them to patronize him some. Q.-Did you know at that time that Mir Snider was opposed to the anti-shp- ping bill?
 MT. O'Byrne answered No" and said that thinking MT. Snider favorable to the anti i-shipping bill he would not help anybody that did not help him, and that the effect on Mir. Sniders trade with other whisky dealers would be harmful if he was in favor of prohibition and the anti-shipping bill. He stated that he saw Fred Krelhause and Fuqua Bros, and asked them to trade with Burnett, but that no salesman of Burnetts ever SO licited him to get business for the firm.
 Attorney Pugh of the prosecution then took the witness, and asked him to state how many times he had had conversa- tions with Burnett relative to helping him in business.
 Al am positive I never spoke to him about it.
 Q.-Did you ever have conversation with Burnett about the trade of Fuqua Bros, Krelhause and others coming to the R. D. Burnett Cigar company?
 The witness affirmed that he never had He stated that he had spoken to Fuoua and said: NOW you want to help us out and patronize MT. Burnett He declared that MT. Patterson had never been with him when conversing with any saloonkeeper
 To the best Of his recOHectlon ne salu he did not think he had mentioned any benefits which would accrue to MT. Bur nett as alderman of Birmingham.
 Solomon Tells of Snider Incident.
 Mir. E. Solomon, retail and wholesale liauor dealer, swore that Burnett had never approached him, nor had his sales man ever solicited orders on the ground that Burnett was an alderman.
 "In June petitions came to me from Mobile asking the legislature not to pass the anti-shippng bill. l went out to get signatures. and after several had signed. went to Mir Snider. He hemmed and hawed, and did not understand It. I at tempted to explain the bill and told him if legislation was up against the sale of cigarettes I would help him. He said he would think it over and come to my store. This action was pretty well-known among the liquor dealers and was the cause of the loss of his trade. If man is for prohibition they would naturally withdraw their trade from him. Mr. Pugh for the prosecution elicited the information that Snder had afterward signed the petition. William Wise, Mr' Soomon's partner. testified that he took the petition to MT. Snider, argued with him, and told him he would have no other opportunity to sign it. He met Will Johnston going out and told him how surprised he was and Johnston said he would buy no more goods from Snider Johnston instructed the parties in control of all his saloons to buy no more from Snider. Later Lasseter came to him and said Snider was ready to sign and on that Wise agreed to let the