The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-08
.G. A. HATFIELD IS DISMISSED No Case Against Selma
 Expressman. Ex0NERATED BY SOLICITOR MT. Mangum Says No Grounds for
 the Complaint, Defendant Not in the City when Fraud i'm Teachers' Certificates Was
 oommitted--slr. Wiling
 ham Returns.
 

Selma, Aug. 7.--(Special. )--'T will ask the court to dismiss the case of the State against George A. Mayfield.
 This is what State Solicitor R. H. fraud preliminary hearing before Jus tice of the Peace B. J Gayle this morning.~~
 There is no foundation for any charge against him." added Mir. Man gum
 Quite number of people had gath cred in the court room of the Dallas County Court House to hear the pre- lfminary hearing. and the statement made by Mir. Mangum was an absolute surprise to all save few lawyers at work on the school fraud case.
 Mfr. Mangum went on to say that for the first time, this morning. he had had access to the records of the local once of the Southern Express Company. This morning he investigated the papers and found Mayfield had spent the day. Juno IT, the day the papers are ale Ieged to have been tempered with, Tn Meridian, Miss. not returning until the next afternoon.
 MT. Mangum said he was lookinS through the papers for evidence s 70 lns froduce when he came across record showing Mayfeld had beth out or town on the day named. Further tn- oufrv convinced him that Mayneld was
 
 wrongly accused.
 Tn concluding his remarks Mir. Man. gum asked the Justice to dismiss May- aeld as the charges against nm We1e utterly groundless. .aa bv almost everyone present, put ne took the whole proceeding as ne has from the first. very quietly. Tn speaA- ing of 1t today he said;
 q am glad the whole thing is over. hut sorry I was even suspected Of so hass betrayal of trust, especially one that would do the state so great 8 harm
 ..T remained quiet on the subject and allowed matters to take their course in the hope the guilty party Woaia be caught" - ...,. aro on the testimony of J. L. walker nerro. employed by the express com naav. walker swore he had gotten inc examination question sheets thyou9h Mayneld, to give them to a negro W. R. McCord, an alleged achooi teacher and preacher.
 ID to this morning 1t was thought the now famous sleak" had been traced to its source, but the new develop ment has set the whole proceeding aback. ,., 4.
 II h.. WAlkGEs tilC HC5AC at nresent the pivot about which me whole case swings. for through him It was thought the leak had been found.
 T Winn was the clerk on duty at the time of the alleged tampering with the papers. but Mr. Winn also ia exonerated by the fact that the driver swears or swore, he "transacted business with Mayfield in person
 That Walker has admitted his guilt atill gives the State something on which to anchor it's investigation put if is evident the search will have 10 be made all over and on new lines: teachers certificates. ones mixed up in inc alleged fraud, were called. but thev were not to be found. J. L. walker and McCord. however. were there and walker testified in the case of the State vs. Elvira Simms. a negro woman.
 Te said he had been an employe of the express company during June end July. but had not tempered with any papers I., handled the June, 1908, examlnation napers but denied having seen them. Hs denied having given note to Me- Cord from one Georgiana Patterson before the recent examinations.
 Unon this testimony Elvira simms was dismissed.
 At this point the local authorities will have to rest. unless furnished with material to work on from Secrs' tary H. J. WfllIngham. or others con. ducttng the Investigation.
 At the afternoon sitting of the court everyone of the accused parties were discharged. the court holding there was no evidence against them.