Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-06-16
DEFENSE MAKES VAIN
FIGHT AGAINST EVIDENCE
counse, In I,seraecs Case Protests
Against 6iies County Mans rsssE
mony, But Jusse Brown Allows e TO
Go in-senstor tiolt ard Others on
stand-TrlaI Near Close.

Judge Martin Williams, Of Giles
county. brother Of the Attorney-sener-
a. of Virginia. and member OF the
state legislature. created somethinS
of a sensation at the trial OF the or
hcers of the Southeastern OnderwIit
crs' Association when he testiheu
that from the time II lett the mouse
until 1t was taken Up before ths
senate committee on banking and M
surance. bill which ne introduced
in the legislature during the session
of 1906 10 reenact the Wharton law
became mixed with section OF
Fertilizer measure then before the
general assembly. The fact that the
pii had been 'fertiiized' did not he
come known until few days before
the general assembly adjourned and
n was impossible then TO send II
back to the house to have 1t straight
eped out.
Judge Williams declared that there
was a powerful lobby of insurance
men before the house and senate
AGAINST his bill and that 1t was
known of all men that the Southeast
ern Underwriters Association was
fighting the measure. When the Dill
came up for passage in the house Oh
delegates. the judge said, there was
such mob of insurance men III the
hall fighting against the passage OF
the measure that ii was necessary ior
him to have the speaker enforce the
rule barring from the hall everybody
except the legislators, State officers
end former members OF the legisia-
lure before the vote on the bill could
be taken. The measure passed the
house In spite of the violent oppost
ton of the association.
corroborated by Senator Holt.
State Senator Saxon w. Holt, OF
this city. who was chairman OF the
senate committee on banking and IN
surance, corroborated the evidence OF
Judge Williams as to the FERTILE
ing OF the insurance bill. He SAID
that the copy of the measure before
the committee was certified to the
genate by the clerk of the house oil
delegate as a true copy OF the Dill
as il passed the house and that the
fact that il had gotten mixed with
the fertilizer measure did not become
known until the committee took up
the consideration of the bill.
Rapid progress was made in the
insurance trial yesterday. ten wit
ncsses being examined DUNG the day.
When court adjourned at AS o'clock,
the State practically had rested its
case. State Insurance Commissioner
Button may be put on the stand to-
morrow by Commonwealth Attorney
berkeley. Col Button is in New York
and will be unable to reach this city
before tomorrow. Several witnesses
from other cities in Virginia are to
be heard today. thoy having been
summoned at the request OF Justice
Brown. These witnesses are 10 be
brought here to tell of the Insurance
rates in other cities of the State,
Justice Brown desiring for his own
satisfaction 60 make a comparison of
rates between this and other Virginia
cities.
Conclude Saturday.
Both the State and the defense
agreed yesterday that the trial will
be concluded by Saturday,. Thus far
no witnesses have been summoned
for the defense and there is a posi-
biiity that the defense viii place no
witnesses on the stand. II Is not re-
earded as likely that the defendants
will take the stand in their own be-
half The argument in the case prob
ably will begin tomorrow afternoon.
J. l. Patton on Stand.
J. L. Patton OF the real estate and
insurance firm Of wille;t and Patton.
was the first witness called yester-
day morning His firm represents
four fire Insurance companies. which.