The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-11
SENSATIONAL TURN |. IN GAMBLING CASE IN CRIMINAL COURT Abe SeigeI Is Placed on Trial
 Under the Charge of At-
 tempting Bribery STARTLING QUESTIONS
 ARE ASKED DEPUTY DEAN Evidence In First Case Is Concluded
 and Trial Will Be Resumed at g O'Clock This Morning.

ternity of Birmingham are involved, IS on trial before Judge s. L. Weaver in
 the first division of the criminal court. The cases, it will be recalled, grew out of what Sheriff Higdon terms the graft
 fund.-" the indictments returned by the
 grand jury said to have been the result
 of evidence furnished by the sheriff, who established the fund for the purpose of catching any one who tried to bribe the officers. As the money was received
 it was labelled and placed in the sherif's
 safe to be used as evidence against those from whom it was received. When the grand jury met the total is said to have
 amounted to more than 5000, and when the true bills were returned it caused
 a sensation.
 Abe Seigel is the defendant in the case
 now on trial.
 When the case was called yesterday morning both sides announced ready, but owing to the fact that one jury was en- gagged in a case before Judge A. C.. Howze nearly an hour was lost in wait ing, and court adjourned at noon until ? o'clock, when the case was taken up again.
 Prmise to Unearth Sensations. The case promises to unearth facts of sensational nature. Solicitor Hefin, Assistant Solicitor Aird and Attorney Hinds Peevey are conducting the prose- , cution, while Attorneys P. G. Bowman and Ed Winston are defending Seigel. | The examination and cross-examina- 1 tion of the witnesses placed on the stand l was of the most careful nature, no point ! being left uncovered. At o'clock the | trial began. Assistant Solicitor J. B. Aird read the indictment returned by the l grand jury against the defendant Seigel
 In answer to this indictment MT. Bow man, Seigel's lawyer, entered a plea of not guilty and not guilty by reason of ] insanity.
 Deputy Sheriff Louis R. Dean, the chief 1 witness for the state, was the first to l be placed on the stand. MT. Dean testi- | fled that he had known Seigel for about | ten years. He stated that in the latter i part of last October Seige met him ir i the street and told him that he was go ing to open a poker game in the Colonial hotel, and would give him $5 a day. Dean
 testified that he asked Seigel what the 1 $5 was for, and that Seigel smiled and 1 the Colonial and give him, Seigel, all l the protection possible.
 l Deputy Dean said that Seigel produced $5 note and gave it to him in the pres l ence of Deputy Sheriff Joe O'Kelly, who was standing nearby. MT. Dean further | testified that he had been assigned tc
 the work. especially, by Sheriff Higdon Says He Got $15. On s-examination Deputy Dean l stated in reply to questions that he l did not remember who brought up the
 conversation about the matter of the 1 hush" money. He testified that on l October 31 he got $5 from the clerk | in the Colonial hotel, and that on No vember Seigel himself gave him S5 note, one of the notes used as evidence against Seigel He testified later that | he also got $5 on November A. mak- l ing $15 in all. It was also brought 1 out that Seigel told Dean that he was not doing much at the time, but as | soon as business picked up he would l pay him more.
 MT. Bowman then instituted a very rigid examination.
 l MT. Dean." he said, didn't you go
 to Ensley and tell Billy Wood that | Steve Wiggins had been taken off of l the sheriff's force because he wouldn't l allow gambling, and that if he would I pay him, Dean, the gamblers could go ] ah ead?"
 l This question was objected to and | the objection sustained.
 Didn't you tell all the gamblers ? asked Mr. Bowman. that Hinds Peevey | had told you that they might play tn cir games if they would pay for it?' | MT. Peevey objected to this question | stating to the court that the case at l bar was only the one against Seigel | and that it involved only the $15 in- | troduced as evidence in the court. His 1 objection was sustained.
 l MT. Bowman then sprang to his feet | and called upon the court with tn e | words If it please your honor, this l witness is trying to swear away the l liberty of a fellow citizen, and I am | going to prevent 1t if possible" tn us 1 explaining, the object of his question | The court sustained the objection | however.
 | Assume Senational Nature. The questions propounded at this
 turn of the case assumed sensational | nature
 l "Is it not fact, MT. Dean," asked MT. Bowman, that you collected $780C | from the gambling fraternity of Bir- l mingham and that you turned $35O over to the sheriff, keeping about 90 per cent yourself?'
 This question was objected to and 1 the objection sustained.
 1 Are you the Dean who worked for the Birmingham Railway, Light and
 Power company" asked MT. Bowman i Dean replied that he was. Did you not work for the street cal company up to the time of the recent
 strike and then sell out your fellow workmen for $20OO spot cash ?" This | question was overruled.
 Didn't you go to Abe Seigel during | August, September and October. MT | Dean" asked MT. Bowman, and tell | him that he could play poker and go unmolested if he would pay you $25 a | day?"
 f. No" replied the witness. Well, aIdn't you go to Abe Seigel | and others during the same month s,