The Mena weekly star., 1908-11-05
MANY GAMBLING
 CASES IN COURT
Prosecutor Lake Has Been Taking Steps to Secure Evidence Against Law Breakers Other Civil
 and Criminal Cases.

l.l iail delivery, circuit court opened Iast Thursday and the case of B. F Petefsh vs. the Eaglegal Quarry Company was taken up. This is a suit for about 5000 worth of supplies said to have beeu furnished by Mir. Petefish from his store at Acorn to the quarry company, of which J. F. Talbot of Shreveport was the head. The defense is that the goods were furnished to man who had the plant rented and that Talbot was not responsible for the account. The case took up most of the days session.
 The tri resulted in MT. Pe.e6sh getting judgment for the full amount of his claim, some- thing over 5000.
 This term of court has been noted for the number of cases charging gambling and many have been pulled up to the bar to nav heavy fines m cash, while others are facing the county jail to lay out their fines in lieu thereof.
 The explanation tor so many gaming cases is that Prosecutor Lake has had number of men employed at intervals in the past to come to Mena and by playing detective get into the games where gambling was gong on and then turu their information over 10 Mir. Lake. These two Qtntss S, C. w. Martin and Lee Wapouer. whom Lake refers to as couple of Sevier county farm CTS, have caused the conviction of many on the charge of gamb- ling. Laug hing over the matter, Prosecutor Lake says the boys were pretty expensive 10 hlm owing to their inability 10 play poker we'll enough 10 win. That every fep days they would write back to him for another $25 to meet expenses.
 Tom Donahue and Ben Dotson, the TWO boys charged with break ing into Tony Meyers store, failed to respond W eu their case wascalled Wednesday. As d result their bonds were forfei ed and alias warrants issued and su n- mons on he bondsmen.
 A case against Joe Teater, charged with grand larceny, was called after the Pete6sh case and the remainder of Thursdays ses- sion taken up in securing jury. This case went to trial Friday The case attracted more than usual attention, as tue de- fendant is a we'll known young man employed as brakeman on the Kansas City Southe n. In January, 1906, SIX Colts revolvers disappeared from shipment en route from St. Louis to Orange, Tex. A special agent of the Kansas City Southern railroad, a Mir. Chester, found that Teater had sold one of the revolvers to Levi Witherspoon. On the wit ness stand this detective stated that in a conversation with Teat- CT the latter admitted that he and another brakeman had taken the revolvers, told what disposi- tion had been made of them and offered to make the matter right if the company would not prose cute.
 Friday afternoon Teater took tue stand in his own behalf. He admitted having a conversation with Chester, but deni d making any confession to him regarding the stealing of the guns but says he did admit to Chester having sold a gun to Witherspoon. On the stand today Teater said he purchased this gun from another brakeman named Harbison, who who left Mena shortly after the transaction.
 Pole McPhetrige defended the case and Prosecutor Lake handled the states side.
 The case was given to the jury shortly before 6 o'clock Fri day evening From the time the jury retired 1t was only about ten minutes till it returned into court with a verdict of mot gull y" clearing the young man oi the grave charge which had been brought against him.
 This is the last case in which MT. Lake will represent the state Under his present term ol prose cutting attorney as he will gc out of office, and MT J. c. Pinnix the newly elected prosecuting attorney, will take up the du ies of the office this We k. Mir. Pinnix is here attending court and ready te assume his official duties.
 Thursday the grand jury turned In 24 indictments, making a tota of q true bills tound by this bod. durlnU tho toraSant tqrm