Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-07-21
FORMER OFFICIALS TESTIMONY
Is DAMAGING IN THE CASE OF
CHIEF EXECUTIVE BEING TRIED
FOR MALADMlNkSTRAT
MNETTS MOTION
OVERRULED BY COURT
EFFORT TO STRIKE OUT PARA
GRAPHS OF AMENDED PETL
TON FAIL WHEN COURT SAYS
No-MANY WITNESSES.

No-hfANY WITNESSES.
The testimony OF ex-Mayor T. H
Plcklgr that Mayor Phillips in company
With Claude Myers visited the saloon
!, a ". ~. Webster & Co, on South
!, Market street April 80 and partook of
thves rounds of "Old Taylor" whiskey,
was perhaps the most damaging to
the defendant brought out at the
hearing today in the Phillips custer
proceedings. A victory OF similar i'm
portance to that gained in the COM
menoement Of thestrial yesterday when
the :defense won favorable ruling in
tho case, was secured by tho prose-
cut1on this morning when the court
oIezTu1edr a.notion to- strike made by
tho detenSA A number were present
during the hearing this morning and
afternoon among whom til classes OF
citizens Including members of the
clergy were represented.
Old Taylor tho Vintage.
T. n, Picker, former mayor Of the
city was the first witness. He stated
he had known the defendant for the
past twenty-five years. Asked by
Senator Coesun II he had ever seen
the defendant intoxicated during the
present term Of his Office, he met an
objection by Judge Mitchell. The ques-
ton was altered and in reply the wit
ness said that he had seen the mayor
intoxicated April 30 In the saloon OF
W. w. Webster & Co., on South Mar
ket street. When asked the nature OF
the drink and the number of drinks
taken, Mr.. Picker said that five
rounds Of "Old Taylor" whisky were
drunk by the defendant, and witness
and Claude Myers, who was with
them,
Gray Enters on Third Round.
He stated that he was not sure
whether it was Mr.. Phillips or Myers
who invited him into the saloon. as
both came together from the direc-
ton in which Mr.. Myers store lay
from the place where the witness
stood.
"The third round Of drinks was
bought by me-" said the witness, "and
ct that time John Gray came In. He
was going by and called him IN to
take a drink and join us. Gray
bought. a round of drinks and bought
another
Don't Remember Particulars.
Asked If Phillips drank each time.
the witness said he did, but did not
know the quantity or pay any atten-
ton IN that particular. When asked il
he heard any disturbance. he stated
that he heard Phillips say, you're a
- liar, addressing Gray, and that
10 Jaques stepped in between them
but that Phillips seemed to be In
sistent on getting to Gray. He stated
that he, the witness, showed Phillips
across the room and talked with him
to quiet him, and that he tried to per
suade him to go home. "The defendant
soon became more quiet" said Mr..
Picker, "and when asked to go home
in cab he refused Later when
asked what was said by Gray to Phil
lips, he stated that he heard Gray say
something about supporting Phillips
during two campaigns and Phillips
said you're liar"
Mayor Phillips" said Mr.. Picker,
struck 9tv Gray and Gray caught his
arm when showed him across the
room"
When asked If he talked with the
defendant about the matter afterward,
the witness said he had and that the
defendant stated to him that after
some instance during the saloon trou-
BILE. Just which he could not recall, he
failed to remember what happened to
him, and also that he did not know
when he got home.
Goes Into Political History.
In the cross examination by Judge
Mitchell, the political career of the
witness was gone into and the rela-
lions with the defendant and with
John Gray. The witness said that the
defendant and he differed on some
things but that they were friends so
Tar rs he knew. When asked by
Judge Mitchell If he talked with John
Gray after the incident in Webster's
saloon. he said he had. He was then
asked il John Gray did not tell him
then that "I've waited for three years
to get the - - old -- and
now I have the chance and will get
him" To this the witness answered:
s'Not at that time" Later he quail
fled it by saying II don't remember
him saying that" and the same reply
@ss made when asked if the witness
had not heard Gray say that 1t was a
last request of his brother James Gray
that he (John) keep after Phillips I'M
til he would get him. The witness
said he never heard such talk. AS to
what he knew of the bad feeling be-
tween the defendant and John Gray
the witness said 1t was some political
PROMISES which were never carried
out with regard to Gray, although the
defendant was not accused by the
witness for not doing his part. MIR.
Picker claimed he heard the prom
ises made and stated that after the
az phillinc maYQr be